Protect Yourself While in High-Risk Countries

In charge of rebuilding Iraq's police force at the time, Casteel credits his knowledge of Iraqi culture for saving his life. "I knew that [Iraqis] are very family-oriented people. I used to talk to the cook's brother and...as a result of [our] relationship...he trusted me enough to turn in his brother," says Casteel, who's now the senior vice president of international business development for Centreville, Va.-based GardaWorld, which provides security services to businesses around the world.

As the corporate world grows increasingly globalized, the number of Americans traveling internationally for business has risen significantly. According to the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (ITA), 8.26 million Americans went abroad for business in 2006, an 18% increase over 2003. But, while such travel can have its perks (you get to see new places, experience new cultures) it can also be rife with dangers. A 2006 study by insurance broker Aon Limited found that the Middle East remains a "hotbed of terrorist activity," many countries in Africa are in economic turmoil, and the threats of kidnappings for ransom, terrorism, and disease are growing world-wide.

That's why it's essential that both you and your company take preventative measures to secure your safety and health before you board the plane. Here's what you should do to prepare.

In particularly theft-prone countries, consider having your company hire one or two locals, such as a translator and a driver, to escort you. A driver, for example, can help make a visitor less vulnerable to attacks by giving the impression that they're a bodyguard, says Dr. Gabriela Cora, a corporate consultant with the Miami-based Executive Health and Wealth Institute, which assists companies conducting business abroad.