When Things Go Wrong: Why Being Supported Matters When You Travel

...On my most recent trip, I was reminded first hand just how important it is to put yourself in the best possible position before you travel. Not because you expect things to go wrong, but so that if they do, you’re supported, guided and never left feeling alone.

I recently travelled to Sri Lanka with my dad on a trip that had been many years in the making. It was highly anticipated after an exceptionally busy year in the office, and I was so looking forward to two weeks of adventure together, exploring a new destination and properly switching off. Just as I encourage my clients to do, I booked my own trip through Travel Counsellors. I travelled as a client, relying on exactly the same systems, processes and support that my clients have access to every day. And in moments like this, that support mattered more than ever.

A few days into the trip, Cyclone Ditwah made an appearance. Very quickly, it became clear that our original plans were no longer viable and that changes were unavoidable. We had to amend our itinerary, deal with flight cancellations, hotel closures due to flooding, and evacuate certain areas due to landslide risks. Decisions around safety and logistics had to be made quickly, often with limited and sometimes conflicting information coming through on mainstream news channels. It was far from a smooth journey.

However, as stressful as it was at times, the experience reinforced three things that I already knew and speak to my clients about regularly, but which truly land differently when you’re the one living it. So here is your reminder about why being support matters when you travel... 

1) Travel Insurance

First and foremost, travel insurance is absolutely essential.

While I can recommend trusted insurance providers, clients are never restricted to using a specific policy. The most important thing is simply that you have appropriate cover in place before you travel. In fact it's part of our agreement with travelling clients that they have it in place!

Insurance isn’t just about medical emergencies, although that is often the most common reason people need to claim. It also covers disruption, cancellations, delays, accommodation changes and unforeseen circumstances like extreme weather events. When plans change suddenly and costs begin to stack up, having insurance in place removes a huge amount of financial stress. It gives you breathing room, reassurance and options at a time when emotions are already running high. You hope you never need it, but if you do, you’ll be incredibly glad it’s there.

2) 24/7 Support When It Matters Most

Another huge factor was access to genuine, round the clock support.

My clients have my personal WhatsApp number, but they also have access to a 24 hour emergency team. That means real people, available at any hour, including when I’m asleep.

During our trip, I had to lean on that support to help navigate flight cancellations and onward travel. The team were calm, knowledgeable and proactive. They talked me through the options, helped sense check decisions and worked hard to secure the best possible solution under the circumstances. This wasn’t special treatment. This is the standard level of care my clients receive, and it’s something you don’t fully appreciate until you genuinely need it.

3) In Destination Experts on the Ground

Equally important was having knowledgeable support in destination.

With more tailor made and multi centre holidays being designed, in destination expertise is becoming increasingly important. In our case, this meant working closely with our team in Sri Lanka, who had far more accurate and up to date insight than UK news outlets. They knew which roads were safe, which areas needed to be avoided, where flooding was worsening and where evacuation was necessary due to landslide risks. Because of that local knowledge, we were able to stay ahead of the situation, adapt plans quickly and prioritise safety above everything else. This simply isn’t something you get when a holiday is booked in fragments online with no joined up support. In moments like this, having trusted people on the ground who know the destination inside out makes an enormous difference.

A Final Thought...

I’m not going to pretend that this level of service doesn’t sometimes come at an additional cost. What I offer is not a DIY approach where flights are booked separately, accommodation is pieced together online and you’re left to navigate disruption on your own if something goes wrong. What I offer is a fully tailor made service where you are supported from the moment you depart to the moment you return home.

My clients have my personal WhatsApp number, access to a 24 hour emergency team and, in many cases, support on the ground in destination too. If that level of reassurance and care isn’t something you value, then booking with me may not be the right fit, and that’s absolutely okay. But having experienced significant disruption as a traveller myself, I can say with complete honesty just how much that support mattered when it was needed.

I’m not sharing this to scaremonger. Travel is still incredible, enriching and overwhelmingly positive. However, with changing climate patterns around the world, weather disruption and extreme conditions are becoming more common. In my case, I travelled at the start of peak season for the 'best weather', did everything right, and still had to adapt. The reality is that you never know when something unexpected might happen. What you can control is how prepared and protected you are if it does.

For me, this trip was a powerful reminder of why I do what I do. Thoughtful planning, proper protection and having the right people around you doesn’t just make travel smoother, it gives you confidence, reassurance and the freedom to enjoy the journey, even when things don’t go exactly to plan. And sometimes, that peace of mind is worth more than anything else.