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The Benefits of Traveling 'Gray'

undefined and VP of Tactical Analysis
Scott Stewart
VP of Tactical Analysis, Stratfor

Sep 4, 2018 | 09:00 GMT

A tourist is a little too obvious as he walks away from Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

A tourist arriving from Paris walks away from Rafiq Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

(JOSEPH BARRAK/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

  • Being gray, or not drawing attention to oneself, on trips can help reduce the chances of being targeted by criminals and terrorists or singled out for untoward government attention.
  • Presenting a neutral facade is not just a matter of racial or ethnic appearance. It also involves demeanor, dress and possessions.
  • Being gray while traveling abroad means fading into the crowd, appearing neither valuable nor vulnerable.

Before I took a recent vacation trip to Beirut, a friend asked whether I was concerned about being targeted by jihadists or Hezbollah during my trip to the "pearl of the Middle East." I had done my due diligence research, so I wasn't worried. Besides, I explained, I was going to "be very gray" during the trip. I first became aware of this concept, which involves travelers blending in with the local environment, during my work at the U.S. State Department. Other travelers should consider it when visiting potentially hostile regions....

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