Follow Us:

Preventing Crimes Against Tourists

Feb 1 / Dan Keller





Tourists can be vulnerable and lucrative targets for criminals because they often carry large sums of money, especially cash, credit/debit cards, and other valuables. Tourists may also be more relaxed and off-guard and therefore tend to be more careless

There are many reasons why criminals target tourists, but these are a few of the more common:

  • Tourists may be preoccupied when taking photographs, therefore not focusing on their personal belongings.
  • Tourists may be easily identified by their use of rental cars.
  • Tourists may be unfamiliar with the local language or culture, and unfamiliar with their surroundings
  • Tourists may have expensive cameras or other photographic equipment.
  • Thieves know tourists may not be willing to return to a vacation spot to give testimony, even if the thief is apprehended.

There are a number of crime prevention strategies that law enforcement or security personnel can implement to safeguard tourists and deter criminals.
  • Provide tourism crime prevention recommendations on police department and tourism websites.
  • Remove company logos from rental cars and remove special license plates.
  • Use civilian patrols and/or volunteer citizen patrols in tourist areas.
  • Provide tourism crime prevention tips on restaurant table tents or coffee cup sleeves.
  • Develop a lodging crime prevention/security e-network.
  • Provide crime prevention tips inside tourist buses.
  • Provide crime prevention tips posters for tourist sites or destinations, as well as airports.
  • Work with tourism industry to identify and address crime-related concerns.
  • Facilitate tourist victim’s testimony in criminal cases.
  • Provide hotel crime prevention tips or recommendations.
  • Develop a tourist Twitter site.

Helpful crime prevention tips for tourists include:
  • Do not carry large amounts of cash.
  • Substitute traveler’s checks or credit cards for cash.
  • Keep a written record of traveler’s checks and credit card numbers. Keep them in a safe place.
  • Make two photocopies of your passport before leaving home. Leave one copy at home and keep the second copy with you in a safe location.
  • When traveling, never leave your luggage unattended, even for only a brief moment, and beware of distractions.
  • If you are jostled, bumped, or crowded by anyone, be aware of a possible pickpocket. Pickpockets often stage distractions.
  • Put your name, address, and telephone numbers inside and outside each piece of luggage. Use covered luggage tags.
  • Take only taxis clearly identified with official markings. Beware of unmarked cabs.
  • Avoid transferring items of value to the trunk of your vehicle at the location where it is parked.

SPRING 2024 COURSES AVAILABLE!

Visit our website to view the live virtual spring course schedule,
program descriptions and register.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT!

Seminar registrations received by February 18th will receive a 20% ($110)
discount with code SPRING24EARLY

ACPI is the worldwide leader in enabling law enforcement agencies, businesses, institutions, and security professionals to reduce criminal activity and risk and enhance quality of life through the delivery of practical, unbiased training and certification programs.  Visit our website at acpionline.com to learn about our comprehensive list of both live virtual and self-paced training courses.

Created with