More than one in five experienced international travellers (21%) say losing or having a smartphone, laptop or other device lost or stolen while abroad is their greatest travel technology concern, according to the latest Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey.

The finding reflects travellers’ growing dependence on digital devices that now store nearly every aspect of an international trip, from passports and boarding passes to reservations, payment methods and emergency contacts.

Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the US Department of Commerce, said: “Today’s traveller carries an entire trip inside a single device. When that device is lost, stolen or compromised, the disruption extends far beyond replacing a phone. Travellers can suddenly lose access to transportation, accommodations, financial accounts and critical communications when they need them most.”

While device loss ranked as the leading concern overall, the survey revealed meaningful differences between US-based and non-US-based international travellers regarding other technology threats.

US-based travellers were significantly more concerned about malicious public Wi-Fi networks and “juice jacking” attacks at public charging stations, with 14% identifying that as their greatest worry compared with just 1% of non-US respondents.

“Cybercriminals increasingly target travellers who connect to unsecured public networks or charging stations in airports, hotels and transportation hubs,” Richards said. “Using a VPN, avoiding sensitive financial transactions on public Wi-Fi and carrying your own charging equipment are simple precautions that dramatically reduce digital risk.”

US-based travellers (4%) were also more likely to worry about voltage and electrical plug incompatibilities damaging electronics, compared with 2% of non-US-based travellers.

Among non-US-based travellers, the leading concern after device loss or theft was corporate or banking security lockouts triggered by foreign IP addresses, nearly twice the level of concern compared with US-based travellers. Non-US-based travellers also expressed greater concern than their US counterparts about device confiscation or digital border searches (12% vs. 8%), geographic blocking of essential apps, websites and search engines (11% vs. 9%), and failure of two-factor authentication text messages while abroad (11% vs. 6%).

“As governments strengthen border inspections, financial institutions tighten fraud protections and cyber threats continue to evolve, international travellers need to think beyond physical safety,” Richards said. “Preparing your digital life before departure–backing up devices, enabling secure authentication methods, notifying financial institutions of travel plans and carrying redundant access to critical information–is now an essential part of responsible international travel.”