If you’re on TikTok searching for a simple guide to travel safely and to enhance your hotel room security, you might stumble across complex DIY lock systems, barricaded doors, and various mini security cameras. If you’ve watched the Home Alone series, you’ll know Macaulay Culkin’s character set an array of booby traps to keep the burglars at bay. Some hotel rooms are starting to look like the set for the movie. But are these elaborate safety measures needed?
Travel content creators are transforming ordinary travel safety tips into viral spectacles. The videos often begin with reasonable tips, like covering the peephole and locking your door. But as the videos progress, the travel safety tips become more of a safety concern. For instance, some creator suggested travelers balance a glass cup on their hotel door handle, or block the door with the hotel ironing board. While these tips may seem to make your hotel room impenetrable, they also make it very difficult to escape during an emergency. Whether on a cruise ship or all inclusive resort, there are easier and more effective ways to keep yourself safe during travel.
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Simple But Effective Ways To Travel Safely
Tracy Walder, a former CIA officer and FBI special agent, took to TikTok to give more realistic tips on hotel safety.
@theunexpectedspy You guys love my safety tip videos, so here are my tips for staying safe while traveling! #travelsafetytips #travelsafety #travelsafetywomen #cia #ciaagent #spy #femalespy #safetytipsforwomen #safetytipsfortravellingsolo #safetytipsforwomen #hotelsafetyhack ♬ original sound – Tracy Walder
Walder has traveled to warzones for her work, but gives very simple tips for travel. She includes the best floors to stay on, apps to download and ways to keep your friends and family updated while traveling.
For many, consuming this content can evoke feelings of anxiety and fear. Walder is vocal about her approach to sharing safety tips and uses her videos to point out that these videos tap into viewers fears.
However, there’s a fine line between empowering individuals with practical safety advice and using sensationalism to garner views. She emphasizes simplicity and accessibility, steering clear of elaborate, anxiety-inducing routines.
“I’ve lived in some of the most dangerous countries in the world, period. It’s just not this complicated.” Walder asserts to the Washington Post while reflecting on her experiences navigating high-risk environments. As the hotel safety trend continues to gain traction on TikTok, it’s important to approach such content with a critical eye. While some videos may offer genuinely helpful advice, others may fuel travel anxiety and unsafe behaviors.