It may sound boring but before you set off on holiday it’s a good idea to do your research, if you don’t you could be putting yourself and your family at a higher risk.

Doing your research can help you stay healthy, help you stay safe, help you avoid unnecessary delays and even prevent you getting arrested or detained!

• It may sound extreme but if you haven’t researched the local laws and customs of the country you are travelling to, you could find yourself getting in to trouble for something which is perfectly acceptable at home.For example using an e-cigarette is illegal in Dubai.

• If the climate is much hotter than you thought, you could not only end up being uncomfortably hot, if you have existing medical conditions the heat could have a serious impact your health.

• If you didn’t know that you should have a vaccination before travelling you could end up suffering from a potentially serious illness.

• If you don’t know the entry requirements for the country you are travelling to you could be refused entry or even detained.

• If you travel to an area which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office consider to be unsafe you are putting yourself at risk and your travel insurance policy could be invalidated.

Doing your research first could not only mean that something unexpected is less likely to happen, it also means that if it does you may be better able to deal with the situation. 

Before you travel or even before you decide on your destination you should research the health risks, research the local laws and customs and check the latest travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

To find out more read our article: Research, Research, Research – Health, Local Laws and Safety