FCO launches tracking system
FCO launches tracking system
A new tracking service has been launched by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to help track down Britons in the event of a crisis overseas. On its website, the FCO informs travellers of the new development.
The LOCATE service was launched on May 16th and requires travellers to enter details of their trip abroad and emergency contact details for friends and family. Foreign Office minister Meg Munn explained the role of LOCATE: "It's great to get off the beaten track when we're away from home, but things can change very quickly in any country. In our survey, more than nine out of ten Britons said they would feel reassured to know that in the event of an emergency abroad, the local Embassy could quickly find their location. Telling us where you will be, whether it's a short trip or you're travelling for a year, could help us either to get to you if you are in trouble, or know that you are safe so that we can concentrate our resources on helping those in need."
The service can also be used by those back on home soil; family members can enter details of anyone that might be caught up in events. Furthermore, if a registered user abroad confirms with the FCO that they are OK, LOCATE will match up their data with that already registered and pass the information on to relatives in the UK.
According to the FCO, the service has been launched in response to the changing face of travel. Their statistics suggest that more Britons than ever before are travelling abroad, with an estimated 68,000,000 trips abroad undertaken in 2006. The FCO's figures also showed that, of those who travel to foreign shores, 96 per cent take up to three trips per year and more than five million Britons stay away from the UK for over a year at a time. The FCO points out that it is not just "remote, exotic" destinations that can be affected by a crisis, citing events in
Greece,
Turkey,
Egypt and
Bali in recent years.
This story was brought to you by holiday
lettings.co.uk, the UK's No.1 holiday home website.
19 May 2008
Print this article
