Nov 09, 2023
Traveling to new destinations—or new parts of an often-visited city—requires extra caution when it comes to traveler safety. Women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, in particular, face heightened risks when traveling to certain destinations. Knowing the level of safety—at every stop of your meeting or event itinerary—increases your confidence and enables your company’s travel managers to make informed, optimized duty of care decisions about your trips.
Have an event coming up? Heading to the prestigious Women in Tech Global Awards taking place November 16th in Dubai? Let’s use the awards as an example of how to map the safety of your next event itinerary.
Your flights are booked. Your bags? Nearly packed. The GeoSure app? If you haven’t downloaded it yet, now is the best time to do so. Here’s why: Before your trip is the best time to become familiar with the levels of safety in Dubai. And the GeoSure app provides a score—using a ratings system of 1 to 100 (lowest to highest level of safety)—for a variety of safety measures.
Here’s what to know about Dubai (at the time of publication):
GeoSure’s Physical Safety GeoSafeScore™ is 78 (very high), indicating very good safety infrastructure and emergency responses preparedness, and a low risk of experiencing physical harm.
The Nighttime Safety rating is 59; an above average score. Keep in mind, however, that nighttime safety ratings are for all travelers. In Dubai, nighttime safety often ranks higher than safety for members of the LGBTQ+ community and women (more on this below). As such, these travelers should always exercise heightened caution and awareness of their surroundings at night.
The LGBTQ+ Safety rating is 58. This GeoSafeScore™ indicates a slightly higher than average level of safety for this community of travelers, with adequate protections of equal rights and liberties. Risk of violence (such as harassment or assault) is slightly below average in Dubai.
Women’s Safety ranks lower (of these indicators) in Dubai, with a score of 50. This indicates a slightly below average level of safety, somewhat inadequate protection of equal rights and liberties, and a slightly above average risk of harassment or assault.
Keep in mind that GeoSure scores are dynamic, reflecting new safety information. In safe, stable cities and countries, scores may not change as rapidly as they may in more fluid, less stable environments. Check GeoSure often to learn the latest scores & updates!
Dubai is studded with five-star hotels, chic downtown digs, and beachfront retreats, including spots like Jumeirah Al Qasr, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, and 25hours Hotel One Central—to name a few.
And while many travelers are attracted to Dubai for its opulence, confidence and reassurance are key to a great travel experience, too. Before you arrive at your hotel, be sure to consult the GeoSure app and become familiar with the potential risks (including the levels of safety for LGBTQ+ persons and women) associated with the area where you’re staying.
For example, if you’re staying near the beach at Jumeirah Al Qasr or Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, you’ll notice that nighttime safety increases to 60—a slight step up from the city average. However, if you’re staying at the 25hours Hotel One Central, located close to the World Trade Center, you’ll find that the rating for physical safety dips ever so slightly (77) from the city average—while still remaining an above average score.
Check the safety rating of where you’re staying in real time: Download the free GeoSure app on the App Store or Google Play.
There are always nuances to traveler safety—especially when walking around a new city at night. Before heading to your dinner reservation, consult the app to understand not only the area where you’ll be dining, but also the ones you’ll be transiting through.
If any of the scores indicate areas of heightened risk, skip the walk and take a hired car or taxi to your next destination. And don’t go it alone—ask a coworker or fellow nominee to join you.
The 6th Annual Women in Tech Global Awards will take place at the Sharjah Research, Innovation, and Technology (SRTI) Park, located in the city of Sharjah—Dubai’s next-door neighbor and a 20-minute car ride from the city center.
Since this is a new area you’re headed to—you guessed it—you’ll want to consult the app to see what safety looks like. (Hint: In this instance, we’ve done the legwork for you. See below.)
Here’s what to know about Sharjah, SRTI Park, and the surrounding areas:
The GeoSafeScores™ nearest SRTI Park are a consistent 79 for physical safety—an above average score, and (slightly) above the score for Dubai.
The Nighttime Safety GeoSafeScore™ is 59—slightly above average; consistent with Dubai.
The LGBTQ+ Safety GeoSafeScore™ is 58—once again, slightly above average; consistent with Dubai.
The Women’s Safety GeoSafeScore™ is 50—this time, slightly below average; consistent with Dubai.
Given the consistencies across the two cities, exercise the same precautions you’d take in one, in the other—especially at night and if you’re a woman or LGBTQ+ person.
The winners have been announced—it’s time to celebrate! And Dubai is known for its world-class nightlife. Whether you dance the night away with friends new and old, or head out for a late-night snack, keep safety top of mind: know the areas you’re venturing to, have a plan for how to get back to your accommodations, and always keep the GeoSure app handy, in case your plans change.
Amanda Wowk is a freelance writer, founder of Amanda Wowk Creative—a content writing services company—and avid traveler. Her experience spans the travel industry, supporting clients in travel tech, luxury travel, and consumer brands. When she's not helping clients tell their stories, Amanda writes about her own experiences to inspire others to travel as far, wide, and safely as possible.
