"Having the right protections in place prior to sending employees on international business trips demonstrates that a company values its most important asset— the people who are responsible for an organization's stability, success and growth," says Jim Villa, a senior vice president and North American manager for Chubb's Accident & Health business.

Villa has seen the increase this year in business travel, and says that "the old way, the face to face" way of doing business will always be important.

Lane Dublin, vice president of American Express Global Business Travel, said that some businesses who cut their travel expenses by a large margin are realizing it was too severe. "If you want to grow your business you've got to get your people out there talking to customers. If you don't do it the competition will," he said.

To protect employees, Villa says that employers need to have a "well-communicated plan in place that may include third-party resources if an emergency arises."

Part of this plan is providing business travel insurance for employees, which can cover unexpected events, such as a medical emergency, evacuation in the event of a political uprising or natural disaster, and can also provide assistance with lost luggage or travel documents.

Villa gives a recent example of a group of travel-insured university students and professors who went to study in Egypt. When the U.S. issued a travel warning for the country in late January, they were evacuated to Paris, where they continued their studies. The policy paid out $50,000 in the evacuation-related costs.

While many personal insurance plans go with the person when they travel, a lot of times there are gaps, Villa says. And an evacuation due to political reasons can end up costing about $5,000, while a medical evacuation can cost from $50,000 to $100,000. With the added insurance, gaps are filled and extreme circumstances are covered, sparing employees from a financial hardship after the trip.

In addition to insurance, there are other steps employers can take several steps to help protect their employees abroad and ease concerns associated with business travel. Villa suggests:

• Employers thoroughly research the hotels, transportation vehicles and travel routes employees plan to use prior to departing.
• Ensuring that employees have a set itinerary in place.
• Providing employees with a packet of updated travel logistics, such as knowing where to go in a new city, and which areas to avoid, before they leave in case they become stranded without a way to communicate.  

On business travel, a person's "guard is down, because they are not as aware of their surroundings," Villa says. But being equipped with enough information is one way to increase an employee's level of safety.

Villa says it's important that the employer communicate with the employee that the plan is in place, and to make sure they have information at hand. "Sometimes [the information] is very poorly communicated," he said.

While overseas travel is big factor, travel insurance is beneficial for employees traveling domestically, as well. "[Travel insurance] is a lot more than what people think it is," Villa says. "It's not just for employees going overseas on jets." It's just as important for the typical business employee, like a salesperson, who is on the road traveling, he says.

Lynne Sarikas, the executive director of the MBA Career Center at Northeastern University in Boston, says that in addition to personal safety, there are also cultural differences that employees should be aware of, she says, to make their traveling experience that much smoother.

Indeed, when traveling overseas, the differences in customs can be vast, and being seen as a "rude tourist" can simply ruin a business deal. In China, for instance, it is considered rude to discuss business when dining. In Japan, the exchange of business cards is very formal, and not having an ample supply on hand is as shocking as arriving to a meeting barefoot, according to travel experts.

It's important that employees are well-prepared and know "whether they are expected to socialize, bring gifts, or what the eating or drinking customs are," Sarikas said.

"[Employees] don't want to be insulting" when in a foreign country, she said.