Managing Risks in Female Business Travel: Destination North Africa

North Africa, a region loosely comprising Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, does not enjoy a particularly positive reputation as a destination for female travellers. This is exacerbated by poor women’s rights records, incidents such as the high-profile 2018 decapitations of two Scandinavian female backpackers in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and an abundance of travel blog posts detailing experiences of harassment, which have contributed to making the region off-putting to many.

This article assesses current regional safety concerns and highlights the amplified risks women face when travelling to North Africa. It emphasises the underappreciated need for companies to take extra precautions to safeguard female employees and guides the female business traveller in the navigation of local cultural norms and etiquette.

Travel Safety in North Africa: What do the Statistics Say?

Though popular leisure travel destinations, both Egypt and Morocco are represented in the top ten (ranking 7^th and 8^th, respectively) most dangerous destinations for female travellers, according to a report released by the World Population Review earlier this year. Countries in the region also scored mid- to low ratings in the Solo Female Travel Safety Index, collated from government travel advisories, the Global Peace Index, as well as safety reviews by other travellers, where Morocco actually received the safest rating in the region. Similarly, countries ranked relatively low in the Women, Peace and Security Index, where Tunisia was given the top score, followed by Egypt. Libya’s consistent last place performance, meanwhile, reflects its enduring political instability, which was not considered in the World Population Review rankings.

Though general trends indicate a low level of female safety, on their own, these somewhat ambiguous ratings prove insufficient for a comprehensive risk evaluation. In order to better contextualise what it means to be a female traveller to North Africa, an examination of recent incidents perpetrated against women in combination with a glance at local women’s rights may aid understanding.

Crimes Against Women

The table below summarises incidents of kidnap, abduction, assault and rape reported within the last four years, which are, unfortunately, a reality in the region. These tend to be focused in more populated areas, including along coasts or a river, in the case of Egypt. Individual cities or towns that have been host to several of the same type of incident have been noted as hotspots. Vulnerable females, including young girls, the elderly and disabled, are the most at risk of being targets of sexual attacks, which often occur in conjunction with other violence, including threats involving a knife or gun. On the other hand, males are slightly more likely to be victims of kidnap than females, due to spending more time outside the home. While travellers should exercise caution in hotspot areas, it must be caveated that in the vast majority of cases, attacks have been perpetrated against locals, with the involvement of foreign nationals being extremely rare.

Women’s Rights and Gender Attitudes in North Africa

Most North African countries lack both a sufficient legal framework and the political will to adequately shield women from gender-based violence, including incidents such as the ones described above. This is despite the enshrinement of female equality and freedom in their constitutions. Overtly discriminatory laws also continue to exist in parallel that limit female ownership of land, assets and their ability to travel. In Algeria, for example, female travel for both leisure and business is restricted without a male guardian, while in Libya, a law enacted last year requires Libyan women to complete a declaration of the reasons for travel and previous travel history. There is no evidence, however, to suggest that foreign women have previously been subject to these rules.

North Africa is also home to some of the lowest female labour force participation rates, at 19.1% when categorised together with the Middle East, or approximately half the global average. Nevertheless, as seen below, looking at individual countries, the rates of Libya and Tunisia are significantly above this average, perhaps due to economic necessity.

Family structures overall tend to be traditional and female employment outside the home is largely viewed as socially undesirable, especially by men. This means women are underrepresented in government and leadership positions and any local business partners can be expected to be men who may consult counterparts of their own gender more frequently. Local women are less visible and participatory in public life in general, given that they usually socialise within their homes while men do so in public spaces. This can enhance the sense of the female traveller being in the minority when out and about.

Female Business Travel and the Employer

Evidently, North Africa is a complex region where female travellers are at considerably greater risk compared to their male colleagues and more likely to face discrimination. This mirrors global sentiment, as expressed in a 2023 Survey by World Travel Protection, where 71% of women agreed business travel was less safe for them than for a man and 12% had experienced negative incidents during travel, including theft and assault, which in many cases went unreported back to their workplaces.

On the other hand, there remains a significant discrepancy between the realities of female business travel and the actual duty of care most companies provide. Efforts to implement additional protections for female employees have been slow, with only 18% of corporate travel policies explicitly addressing female business travellers’ safety concerns, according to the Global Business Travel Association.

Having clear safety policies and procedures in place that are specifically geared towards women is important to mitigate potential negative experiences. These could include a standard for consulting female employees to confirm they are comfortable with booking-related decisions and disseminating tailored advice regarding local customs, political issues and business etiquette prior to travel. Companies can also safeguard female employees and increase their travel confidence by maintaining channels of communication throughout the trip and offering the use of a safety app with check-in and panic button features, for example.

The following section provides a framework for potential advice with reference to the North African context to help companies manage their female employees’ expectations, assist them in circumventing potential faux-pas and reduce the risk of their exposure to avoidable danger.

Recommendations: What to Expect When Travelling to North Africa

Considerations for Transport and Accommodation

• In order to maximise employee safety and comfort, companies can ensure flights arrive during daylight hours, preventing the need for travel to accommodation after dark.
• Pre-arranging private airport transfers via hotels or a third-party security provider is also essential due to local taxis being unreliable. In Morocco, for example, taxi drivers at international airports are known to be involved in scams and ride-hailing apps such as Careem are not authorised to pick up passengers from airports.
• Pre-booked transport is advisable for the course of the stay, as taxi drivers can be uncommunicative, arrive late for pickups and tend to collect various customers at once. While travelling, sitting in the backseat can help prevent unsolicited touching and some public transport, such as Egypt’s Cairo metro, has female-only carriages that female travellers may find are more comfortable to use.
• Women have in the past been denied entry into Egyptian and Moroccan hotels without male accompaniment, however, this has mainly affected locals and authorities have repeatedly emphasised these bans are not permissible. It must also be kept in mind that, given low female employment rates, most hospitality workers are likely to be male. Reading reviews prior to booking can help flag any potential issues involving the above and researching safe neighbourhoods, ideally close to meeting venues will aid in with the selection of the most suitable accommodation.
• If possible, requesting a room upon booking that is between the third and sixth floors is best for shielding against intruders while remaining sufficiently close to the ground for escape in case of an emergency. Other safety advice includes keeping doors locked at all times and the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the handle to make a room appear occupied. Supplying female employees with safety devices, including a portable doorstep, whistle or personal safety alarm can be useful to temporarily inhibit an attacker who may be physically stronger.

Considerations When Doing Business

• When greeting a local business partner, physical contact, including kisses or handshakes with the opposite gender, should be avoided unless initiated by the male. A nod, smile or placement of the right hand on top of the heart is, in most cases, considered a sufficient acknowledgment. There are no such restrictions for persons of the same gender, where a firm handshake and questions regarding the partner’s wellbeing and that of their family is polite.
• In terms of professional attire, neat, high-quality clothing makes a positive first impression and can reflect a high social status emphasised in North African societies. Long (below the knee) and loose dresses, skirts or trousers, a light scarf for the shoulders, as well as close-toed shoes are appropriate. Tops that are opaque, show undergarments or reveal the midriff are best avoided and opting instead for high necklines and covered shoulders is recommended.

Considerations for Leisure Time and Walking in Public

• If, on the other hand, venturing into touristy areas during down time, wearing branded and expensive looking clothing may result in extra harassment from street vendors. A wardrobe change is advisable in this case and may take inspiration from local women’s styles to better blend into crowds. At the same time, wearing sunglasses can help deflect direct eye contact, especially if visiting one of the Souks, where travellers may be hounded by shopkeepers at the show of slight interest. Wearing a head covering is not mandatory, unless visiting a religious site and may confuse locals if the traveller is not a practicing Muslim. Nevertheless, carrying a suitable scarf at all times is recommended in case of an unplanned visit.
• One of the most significant culture shocks female travellers may experience in North Africa is an increase in male attention. Due to the laws and norms previously described, men are not accustomed to seeing females travel unaccompanied and may interpret this as a sign of promiscuity and availability. They also do not typically associate much with women prior to marriage and some, influenced by the sexualisation of women in western media, assume foreign women will oblige any requests.
• Staring, catcalls and attempts to initiate conversation, including the following of female travellers, are, unfortunately, not uncommon. This is regardless of how modestly the woman may be dressed and blue eyed, curvier body typed and black women tend to attract especial attention.
• While it may be difficult to avoid drawing looks and such experiences can initially be overwhelming, there are ways to minimise uncomfortable encounters. Some female travellers have found that wearing an engagement ring or wedding band, as well as having a cover story about a husband and children, can help keep unwanted interest at bay. Other recommendations include walking behind a small tour group or another male tourist in public.
• Smiling or engaging in small talk with strangers may be considered friendly in Western culture, but this can be misinterpreted and result in unwanted advances. Similarly, looking a man in the eye or allowing even seemingly innocent physical touch, such as to the shoulder or forearm, should be avoided as this can indicate flirtation. In the event of being approached by a local man, politely but firmly saying “lo shukran” (no, thank you), ignoring any angry reactions and continuing onwards should suffice.
• Due to the risk of scams, accepting invitations from strangers is best avoided –regardless of whether this may feel impolite. Common scams include strangers offering their services carrying luggage outside hotels and drivers suggesting visits to attractions in addition to those already on the itinerary, both of which will likely end in the expectation of a generous tip. Morocco, for example, is also famed for the “tout” scam, where fake tour guides will claim travellers are going in the wrong direction, especially near the Old Medinas in large cities such as Marrakech or Fez. After leading them around in circles, they may demand a tip or in the worst-case scenario, isolate their target in a secluded spot and rob them. Walking with purpose and appearing confident can decrease the likelihood of being singled out as a target and downloading an offline version of Google Maps may also lessen the need to constantly consult a phone on the street, where it is at risk of being stolen.

As the evidence confirms, travel to North Africa as a female professional comes with elevated risks not to be underestimated by employers. Companies can provide better support by adjusting their duty of care policies to reflect the differing gender norms and lack of legal protections available to women in these destinations. This may include special considerations for accommodation and transportation arrangements as well as briefing female employees about the destination prior to travel. Implementing such measures also has the bonus of aligning management strategies with the ISO31030 Risk Management standards, introduced in 2021 as a benchmark for promoting business in higher-risk locations.

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Article produced by NGS Intern – Miriam Evans