It is quite amazing to note that for a city as small as Hong Kong, its citizens made more than 70 million outbound trips last year, an average of about 10 trips per person. However, the percentage of travellers who took out travel insurance before setting off was rather low, which may be attributed to the fact that only a handful of accidents which occurred during all those trips were serious enough to hit the headlines.

There is no denying that travel is very safe nowadays and is full of all sorts of fun as well. That is why holidaymakers always tend to focus on the fun, rather than the possible risks, of their trips. Risks during a foreign trip can come in many forms. Whereas the most disastrous risks such as an earthquake may be unimaginable to many travellers, some less serious yet still fatal ones such as a car crash are definitely more common. When such an accident happens, the travellers, whether they are travelling on their own or with a tour group whose itinerary is organised by their travel agent, need professional help from medical and rescue experts. And such professional help is extremely expensive in most cases.

Although the risks mentioned above can no doubt disrupt a supposedly pleasurable trip, some seemingly minor hitches may also turn the trip into a mess full of unforgettable troubles. For example, travellers who are suddenly taken ill during their trips may have difficulty looking for local doctors, or find that the medical expenses are so high that they prefer taking the medicines brought from their hometown. Or travellers whose wallets have been stolen may find themselves deserted in an unfamiliar foreign city with no one to turn to. As a matter of fact, this kind of minor hitch is rather common, though not serious enough to be covered by the media.

Having been in the travel industry for close to three decades, I fully understand the attraction of travelling abroad and also the risks, serious or not, of making foreign trips. To hedge against such risks with the minimum amount of money and effort, I cannot think of a better way than buying travel insurance. With just a few per cent of the total cost of a holiday package, travellers can buy a travel insurance policy that can provide them with not only sufficient cover should anything undesirable happen during the trip, but also peace of mind that can make them really enjoy their overseas stay. If there is anything deserved to be called a fabulous deal, this is it.

Ronnie Ho
15 March 2006