‘I am a travel expert – this is why you should never use a colourful suitcase’

It’s a holidaymaker’s worst nightmare – packing up your suitcase ready for your long-awaited and overdue with all your essentials, only to find that it never makes it to your destination. 

You then spend the next few days scrambling at the local shops to load up on suncream, clothing and swimwear in an attempt to still enjoy everything you had planned. 

Shahzad Ali, security expert and CEO of , has shared his for keeping your luggage safe when travelling, starting with splitting your items in order of value.

“When packing, organise your items in three categories: extremely valuable (such as documents, , mobile phones and larger sums of cash), valuable (such as jewellery and other expensive items) and less valuable (such as clothes and self-care products).”

“The extremely valuable items that don’t need to be used often at the should be placed in a money belt that will stay close to your body at all times until you reach your destination.”

Those items that do need to be used regularly at the airport should be put in a small handbag or fanny pack that should stay in front of you at all times, he continued. Once no longer needed, they should also be added to the money belt. Larger items such as laptops and tablets can be placed in your . 

“Valuables such as jewellery should be strategically hidden among less valuable items, such as clothes, in your checked luggage,” Shahzad added. 

However, all of this extra work will be useless if you draw unwanted attention to yourself by bringing a colourful or designer suitcase, Shahzad warned. 

“Although a new and colourful suitcase may look more fashionable, it won’t only be attractive to you. It’s best to choose a more common-looking suitcase, and if possible, a worn-out one – as to not stand out from the crowd – and with it, a high-quality padlock.

“This can make a big difference in keeping your items safe.”

Shahzad recommends instead adding an identifier to a , such as a ribbon or sticker, to avoid your luggage being mistaken for someone else’s whilst remaining subtle. 

If travelling with family or friends, it is also important to count the number of items you’re carrying to make sure you don’t leave anything behind.

Finally, Shahzad recommends keeping all your items in sight at all times: “Make sure all items are placed in front of you and not behind. Consider investing in a tracker for your checked luggage, as it can come in handy in case it gets lost.”

According to recent data by , some 60,000 items are reported as lost at UK airports each year, with smartphones, tablets, iPads and high-value jewellery among the most frequently noted.