Opinião do Especialista

Evite ser uma vítima em viagens de negócios ou lazer (Dr. Peter Tarlow)

Publicado por Peter Tarlow

Sem dúvida, viajar é uma experiência maravilhosa. Alarga os nossos horizontes, permite-nos entender novas sociedades, deixa-nos ver coisas com as quais apenas sonhamos, além de nos dar a oportunidade de nos vermos de outras maneiras, muitas vezes tal como somos vistos pelos outros.

Infelizmente, quando viajam, algumas pessoas fazem coisas tão estúpidas quanto perigosas. Este mês, a Tourism Tidbits aborda algumas das coisas que queremos evitar quando viajamos. Para os profissionais, é essencial entender tais fenômenos sociológicos, para levarem em consideração sempre que programarem atividades. Estes princípios são importantes, pois os mesmos fenômenos sociológicos afetam tanto os viajantes a lazer quanto os de negócios, tanto os homens quanto as mulheres, tanto os adolescentes quanto os idosos.

Quando estes problemas ocorrem, raramente os viajantes ou os turistas culpam a si próprios, tendendo a atribuir as responsabilidades ao destino turístico, daí resultando numa má publicidade boca a boca.

Uma questão-chave para todos os profissionais do turismo é a consciência de que os viajantes têm opções. No segmento do lazer esta afirmação é quase sempre verdadeira. Já no turismo de negócios, o mais comum é os viajantes procurarem alternativas, substituindo as reuniões que demandam deslocamentos físicas pelas comunicações virtuais.

As atividades turísticas consideradas essenciais podem facilmente vir a sofrer calamidades, caso não tenham o devido cuidado com o padrão de serviço prestado a seus clientes e na criação de destinos seguros. Quanto a pessoas que viajam a lazer, freqüentemente, estas assumem que o local para onde se deslocam é seguro e reduzem os respectivos níveis de precaução.

Parte do desafio de ser um profissional do turismo consiste em aconselhar os viajantes em matéria de segurança, sem os assustar. Este equilíbrio é uma das razões pelas quais as Unidades de Segurança para o Turismo (TOPPs) são tão importantes. Estes profissionais, tanto no Setor Público quanto no Privado, são essenciais ao Turismo.

Freqüentemente, os seguintes princípios refletem alguns dos erros mais comuns que ocorrem quando viajamos:

Viajar é desgastante. Não interessa aquilo em que nós, no turismo, queremos acreditar, viajar provoca ansiedade e a ansiedade nos deixa em perigo. Prepare os seus clientes para a ansiedade das viagens, lembrando a necessidade de terem planos alternativos, de anotarem os números de telefone necessários, além de se certificar que eles levam a comida e água para o caso de ocorrerem atrasos. Os criminosos sabem que as pessoas ansiosas tendem a não pensar, a deixar coisas (tais como as carteiras e os passaportes) à vista e a falar alto. Recordem que enquanto os viajantes estão ansiosos, os criminosos não estão. Por isso mesmo, não deixem de reforçar junto aos seus clientes para prestarem atenção às carteiras, não mostrarem os cartões de crédito, a esconderem as senhas sempre que usarem telefones públicos ou caixas automáticas, para evitar que alguém as fotografe.

Sempre que viajamos parece que o nosso bom-senso ficou para atrás. Em parte, a razão disso é assumirmos que o lugar para onde vamos é seguro, ou que nada irá nos acontecer enquanto viajamos. Nada está mais distante da verdade. O crime está presente em toda a parte e as polícias estão sempre dotadas de poucos recursos. Adicionalmente, a tendência mostra um crescimento do terrorismo. Por exemplo, o jornal britânico The Economist stated declarou que: And terrorism is spreading. 67 countries saw at least one death last year (2014) compared with 59 the year before. The number of plots by jihadist groups against Western countries has leaped, in particular since September 2014 when an IS spokesman called for its followers to attack those Western countries involved in military efforts in Syria and Iraq. Most plots have failed, though a growing number have been successful. But the terrorists only need to carry out one big plot to succeed. De acordo com uma outra fonte, em 2001 houve cerca de um mil ataques terroristas no mundo inteiro. Em 2015, esse número tinha subido até aos 30 mil. A este propósito, é importante constatar que algumas fontes contam as tentativas frustradas de ataque como ataques, além de não existir uma definição geralmente aceite de “ataque terrorista”. A experiência mostra que devemos ter uma atitude equilibrada para com os visitantes e os nossos colaboradores, recordando que devem sorrir e relaxar, sem deixarem de estar atentos e vigilantes.

É um erro assumir que as pessoas são sempre boas em todos os lugares.  É melhor aceitar que há crimes em toda a parte e que devemos tomar as mesmas precauções que já seguimos na nossa terra. No mundo do turismo, não existem apenas os mesmos crimes que ocorrem em qualquer lugar, mas também há crimes são mais freqüentes no contexto das viagens e do turismo. Por isso mesmo, é preciso ter o maior cuidado com as falcatruas, os crimes de distração (i.e., os batedores de carteira, os furtos de malas ou a clonagem de cartões de crédito). Não esqueçam que nem todos os que trabalham nas viagens e no turismo são honestos e que os crimes violentos podem atingir qualquer um de nós.

Recordem que quando estiverem em outro lugar, os viajantes podem ser surpreendidos. Aconselhe os viajantes a não escolher um táxi que não tenha uma licença das autoridades, sobre qual o montante normal da gorjeta nos restaurantes ou até como calcular o valor das moedas estrangeiras. Do mesmo modo, recorde-lhes que não devem andar sozinhos por ruas escuras e para levarem consigo apenas o dinheiro suficiente para que os ladrões não fiquem frustrados e causem males piores. Em síntese, lembrem-lhes que até o homem mais forte pode ser derrubado, sobretudo de surpresa.

Recordem que, na maior parte dos casos, os culpados de crimes no turismo não são apanhados. Por isso mesmo, a prevenção é a melhor proteção. Digam aos visitantes para procurarem passar despercebidos entre a população local, com o mesmo tipo de roupas e não chamando a atenção com mapas ou câmaras, além de saberem onde vão e quanto custa lá chegar.

Procurem respeitar a natureza. Muitos visitantes pensam estar num set de filmagem e não em espaços abertos. Tanto as intempéries quanto os animais selvagens, incluindo os insetos, podem matar. Um exemplo perfeito da falta de respeito pela natureza, associada à falta de bom-senso, é o número de afogamentos nos nossos rios e praias. Apesar de todos os avisos, há quem pense que o oceano é só uma piscina grande…

Fonte: http://www.tourismandmore.com/

Sobre o autor

Peter Tarlow

Dr. Peter Tarlow, PH.D, Founder and President of Tourism & More
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow is a world-renowned speaker and expert specializing in the impact of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry, event and tourism risk management, and economic development. Since 1990, Tarlow has been teaching courses on tourism, crime & terrorism to police forces and security and tourism professionals throughout the world.
Tarlow earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University. He also holds degrees in history, in Spanish and Hebrew literatures, and in psychotherapy. In 1996, Tarlow became Hoover Dam's consultant for tourism development and security. In 1998, Tarlow's role at the Bureau of Reclamation expanded. He was asked to develop a tourism security program for all Bureau of Reclamation properties and visitor centers. Tarlow continued his involvement with the Bureau of Reclamation until December of 2012. In 1999, the US Customs service asked Tarlow to work with its agents in the area of customer service, cultural awareness, and custom's impact on the tourism and visitor industry.
In 2000, due to interagency cooperation on the part of the Bureau of Reclamation, Tarlow helped to prepare security and FBI agents for the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games. He also lectured for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Tarlow is currently working with police departments of the state of Rio de Janeiro for the 2014 World Cup Games and 2016 Olympic games.
In 2003, US National Park Service asked Tarlow to take on special assignments dealing with iconic security for its multiple tourism sites. Within the US government Tarlow has lectured for the Department of the Interior, for the Department of Justice (Bureau of Prisons and Office of US Attorneys-General), the Department of Homeland Security and the American Bar Association’s Latin America Office. Tarlow has worked with other US and international government agencies such as the US Park Service at the Statue of Liberty, The Smithsonian's Institution's Office of Protection Services, Philadelphia's Independence Hall and Liberty Bell and New York's Empire State Building. He has also worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the United Nation's WTO (World Tourism Organization), the Center for Disease Control (Atlanta, Triangle Series), the Panama Canal Authority. He has taught members of national police forces such as the members of the US Supreme Court police, and the Smithsonian Museum’s police. He has also worked with numerous police forces throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.
In 2013 Tarlow was named the Special Envoy for the Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. At almost the same time the US State Department asked him to lecture around the world on issues of tourism security and safety. In 2013, Tarlow began working with the Dominican Republic’s national tourism police, then called POLITUR, and as of 2014 called CESTUR.
Since 1992, Tarlow has been the chief organizer of multiple tourism conferences around the world, including the International Tourism Safety Conference in Las Vegas. Since 2006 he has also been part of the organizational teams for the Biannual Aruba Tourism Conference and has helped organize conferences in St. Kitts, Charleston (South Carolina), Bogota, Colombia, Panama City, and Curaçao. In starting in 2013, Tarlow became a co-organizer of the first and second Mediterranean Tourism Conference held in Croatia.
Tarlow's fluency in many languages enables him to speak throughout the world (United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and Africa, and the Eastern Pacific, and Asia). Tarlow lectures on a wide range of current and future trends in the tourism industry, rural tourism economic development, the gaming industry, issues of crime and terrorism, the role of police departments in urban economic development, and international trade.
Tarlow has done extensive research on the relationship between tourism, crime, and terrorism. He also works with police forces to understand their constituents and provide the best customer service possible. Tarlow publishes extensively in these areas and writes numerous professional reports for US governmental agencies and for businesses throughout the world. He also functions as an expert witness in courts throughout the United States on matters concerning tourism security and safety, and issues of risk management.
Tarlow’s research ranges from the impact of school calendars on the tourism industries to tourism ecology and business. These research interests allow Tarlow to work with communities throughout the United States. He is teaches how communities can use their tourism as an economic development tool during difficult economic times, and at the same time improve their local residents’ quality of life.
Tarlow speaks throughout North and Latin America, the Middle East and Europe, and Asia. Some of the topics about which he speaks are: the sociology of terrorism, its impact on tourism security and risk management, the US government's role in post terrorism recovery, and how communities and businesses must face a major paradigm shift in the way they do business. Tarlow trains numerous police departments throughout the world in TOPPS (Tourism Oriented Policing and Protection Services) and offers certification in this area. Tarlow provides keynote speeches around the world on topics as diverse as dealing with economies in crisis to how beautification can become a major tool for economic recovery.
Tarlow is a well-known author in the field of tourism security. He is a contributing author to multiple books on tourism security, and has published numerous academic and applied research articles regarding issues of security including articles published in The Futurist, the Journal of Travel Research and Security Management. In 1999 Tarlow co-edited "War, Terrorism, and Tourism." a special edition of the Journal of Travel Research. In 2002 Tarlow published Event Risk Management and Safety (John Wiley & Sons). Tarlow also writes and speaks for major organizations such as the Organization of US State Dams, and The International Association of Event Managers. In 2011, Tarlow published: Twenty Years of Tourism Tidbits: The Book. The Spanish language addition is to be released in 2012. He has recently published a book on Cruise Safety (written in Portuguese) entitled Abordagem Multdisciplinar dos Cruzeiros Turísticos. In June of 2014, Elsevier published Tarlow’s newest book: Tourism Security: Strategies for Effective Managing Travel Risk and Safety. He is currently writing a new book on tourism sports security (to be published in late 2016) and a series of articles on the same topic for the American Society of Industrial Security.
Tarlow’s wide range of professional and scholarly articles includes articles on subjects such as: "dark tourism", theories of terrorism, and economic development through tourism. Tarlow also writes and publishes the popular on-line tourism newsletter Tourism Tidbits read by thousands of tourism and travel professionals around the world in its English, Spanish, and Portuguese language editions. Tarlow has been a regular contributor to the joint electronic tourism newsletter, ETRA, published jointly by Texas A&M University and the Canadian Tourism Commission. His articles often appear in a wide range of both trade and academic publications including Brilliant Results and Destination World.
Tarlow lectures at major universities around the world. Tarlow is a member of the Distance Learning Faculty of "The George Washington University" in Washington, DC. He is also an adjunct faculty member of Colorado State University and the Justice Institute of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) and a member of the graduate faculty of Guelph University in Ontario, Canada. Tarlow is an honorary professor at the Universidad de Especialidades Turisticas (Quito, Ecuador), of the Universidad de la Policía Federal (Buenos Aires, Argentina), la Universidad de Huánuco, Peru, and on the EDIT faculty at the University of Hawaii in Manoa, (O'ahu). At numerous other universities around the world Tarlow lectures on security issues, life safety issues, and event risk management. These universities include institutions in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. In 2015 the Faculty of Medicine of Texas A&M University asked Tarlow to “translate” his tourism skills into practical courses for new physicians. As such he teaches courses in customer service, creative thinking and medical ethics at the Texas A&M medical school
Tarlow has appeared on national televised programs such as Dateline: NBC and on CNBC and is a regular guest on radio stations around the US. Tarlow organizes conferences around the world dealing with visitor safety and security issues and with the economic importance of tourism and tourism marketing. He also works with numerous cities, states, and foreign governments to improve their tourism products and to train their tourism security professionals.
Tarlow is a founder and president of Tourism & More Inc. (T&M). He is a past president of the Texas Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA). Tarlow is a member of the International Editorial Boards of "Turizam" published in Zagreb, Croatia, "Anatolia: International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research," published in Turkey, and "Estudios y Perspectivas en Turismo," published in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and American Journal of Tourism Research.

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