Travel expertRick Steves offers crucial advice for tourists to ensure both personal safety and the security of their belongings while abroad. While meeting new people and forming connections are often highlights of a trip, Steves warns against the dangers of flirtatious strangers, which can be a common scam. He identifies a European con known as "the attractive flirt," where charming individuals use romantic overtures to swindle unsuspecting tourists.

This scam typically involves a solo traveler being approached by an attractive stranger who invites them for a drink at a seemingly harmless nearby bar or restaurant. The initial interaction is enjoyable, but the tourist is then presented with an exorbitant bill, which the new "friend" conveniently cannot pay, pressuring the tourist to cover the entire amount.

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Steves notes that variations of this scam exist, with scammers sometimes posing as fellow tourists or friendly locals aiming to lure victims to establishments that are often complicit in the scheme. These venues may even employ security to ensure victims pay the inflated bill. To mitigate this risk, Steves advises that if a genuine connection seems to form, the traveler should always choose the location for any subsequent meeting, rather than following the stranger's suggestion.

Similar experiences have been reported by travelers online, detailing instances of bar workers coercing tourists into expensive tabs or elaborate champagne scams. While solo travel offers many benefits, being aware of and avoiding such scams is essential for a safe and enjoyable experience. Steves emphasizes the importance of connecting with locals but urges caution regarding chance encounters on the street.

Beyond personal safety, Steves also provides valuable guidance on safeguarding belongings in hotel rooms, a common concern for travelers carrying valuable devices like laptops, tablets, phones, and cameras. Contrary to the intuitive belief that carrying all valuables in a day bag is safer, Steves suggests leaving expensive items in the hotel room. He explains that such gear is generally safer in the room than carried on the streets, where pickpocketing is a more prevalent threat, especially in Europe, his area of expertise. Steves himself has experienced pickpocketing, highlighting the vulnerability of carrying all valuables while distracted by sightseeing.

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To enhance the security of items left in the hotel room, Steves discusses several options. While hotel safes are available for smaller items like passports, he personally never uses them, noting that hotel staff often have access, which could potentially make items more vulnerable than secured within personal luggage. Instead, he recommends using TSA-approved locks on suitcases. These locks, available with codes or keys, secure luggage not only during flights but also within the hotel room.

For added security against luggage being removed from the room, Steves suggests using a TSA-approved lock with a cable, which can be secured around a heavy piece of furniture like a bed leg. He points out that hotel theft is largely a crime of opportunity, and any barrier to access significantly increases security. Ultimately, while it's ideal to leave precious items at home, adopting these practices can help travelers protect their valuables and ensure a more worry-free trip.