Take a vacation abroad - but make it a safe one!

Your vacation should be a wonderful carefree time, but you can sometimes be exposed to dangers that could be avoided by being watchful. People are often less careful on vacation and this can sometimes lead to negligence when it comes to security. We have therefore compiled the following tips and suggestions that you should bear in mind when you are on vacation.

The most important rules for a safe holiday:

• Always carry important documents and cash close to your body.
•  On excursions, only take with you what you really need. This applies to cash as well as important documents such as passports, credit cards etc. If you know that these documents are not needed on the excursion, leave them in the safe of the hotel or apartment.
• Use official financial institutions if you want to change money abroad. Avoid unofficial exchange offices as there is a risk of unfavourable exchange rates or of being given counterfeit money.
• Watch out for “atypical criminals”. Even children are sometimes forced to steal.
• The same applies abroad as at home: do not leave any valuables unattended.
• Choose lively, well lit places to leave bicycles and cars.
• If you are on the road with a camper, choose official campsites (you can get a list from your automobile association). Wild camping can be dangerous – it's also forbidden and can lead to fines of several hundred euros in some cases.
• Always lock your hotel room, holiday home or apartment when you leave it, even if you are still on the premises.
• Don't leave any valuable items in your vehicle.
• If you are travelling with a camper, insure it against theft. Special steering wheel locks ensure that your mobile home cannot be stolen.
• Secure trailers with a special lock for the trailer coupling combined with a good quality padlock.