by Scott Hayden

Created on: April 10, 2011

Losing important documents at home is a headache. Just think what it would be like if something important like your passport disappears while traveling. That would be opening the door to identity theft. Vacation time is limited and losing vital documents would surely ruin things for you. In places with high rates of pickpocketing you'll need to be quite vigilant. Here are some tips to protect your passport, credit cards, and traveler's cheques if you have any.

Copy Everything That's Important

Do this before departure, and give one set of duplicates to somebody at home whom you can trust. If a worst case scenario does turn into reality when you're away, like when identification is lost or stolen, you can get in touch with that individual quickly and get the copies by fax or email. For extra protection, make more than one set of copies and keep the originals in a separate place. It's good to take precautions like these before taking a vacation or business trip.

Use a Hotel Safe

It's not a good idea to leave your documents out in the open on a desk or bedside table. Why would you invite dishonest hotel employees to steal something valuable? Some travelers like to hide documents in a suitcase, but this doesn't provide as much security as a safe. This is probably the best place to stash your passport for the duration of your stay. A safe that allows you to set a combination is better than one which requires a key. When you go out for the day at least you'll have peace of mind.

Book Electronic Tickets for Flights

In the past, if you were coming to the end of a vacation and lost a paper airline ticket, you would not have been able to fly home. Nowadays, the risks are much lower because losing an e-ticket is impossible. It's in the airline database. Print the confirmation form you get after booking the ticket and take it with you to the airport. You do of course need to show your passport as usual, and your boarding pass will be printed at the check-in counter. Less paper in your pockets means fewer worries.

Invest in a Money Belt

Some travelers have the habit of stuffing an oversized wallet in a back pocket, and unfortunately this attracts the wrong kind of attention. Thieves, particularly young ones, are extremely quick and can vanish with a tourist's wallet before the person knows it's gone. Buy and use a money belt instead, and put small amounts of money in it for taxis, buses, street foods, etc. Wear it around the waist, and cover it with a shirt.

Find out what the security risks are in your destination country, and once there maintain a low profile. If thieves suspect you don't have anything worth stealing, they will move on to someone else. Exercise caution even when you're in a hotel room. Some criminals don't waste time with distractions and will pose as employees to get their hands on valuable items. Do not open the door unless you're sure the person on the other side does in fact work for the hotel.

Learn more about this author, Scott Hayden.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.