Companies reviewing security plans after Mumbai

Business travel likely to be hit short term

Companies are reviewing their security plans in the aftermath of the terrorism in Mumbai last week.

About 170 people died as a group of terrorists attacked two luxury hotels, a railway station, a popular cafe and a Jewish centre, targeting Westerners.

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) said it expected business travel to the Indian financial capital drop off temporarily.

But said long-term travel disruptions to India seemed unlikely at this time.

But its executive director Susan Gurley said companies would assess the situation and the Indian response before making any long term decisions on travelling to the country.  

ACTE said that among the security reviews, companies were considering the provision of safe houses and evacuation procedures in the event of further attacks or unrest.

While many companies have installed traveller tracking systems and security programmes since the US 9/11 attacks in 2001.

But, as ABTN reported yesterday, companies can not track travellers if they book outside their hotel programme.

Ms Gurley said: The situation in the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel will have many companies re-evaluating the security clauses in their hotel programmes.

"Hostages reported they were unable to get any news from failed cable systems and that the phones were out.

"Yet at least one guest reported they were in contact with their corporate travel department and a news agency via a cell phone.

"This will put a new emphasis on the need to travel with a reliable flashlight, a small self-powered radio, and a cell phone with international capabilities."

Ms Gurley said ACTE was now holding an industry-wide poll on traveller security.

She added: "Security issues are not confined to India. There are dozens of places in which an attack of this nature could have occurred and there are still equally devastating threats from disease or natural disasters, like earthquakes."

www.acte.org