Are you surprised to learn that America didn't make the cut? I want to feel surprised, but honestly, I am not. Additionally, this new study aimed to minimize bias as much as possible. The NY Post reported that the study collected data globally and asked 1,800 Americans about their travels and where they felt safest. Combining all the data yielded the final list of the safest countries in the world for tourists.
What Are The Safest Countries In The World For Tourists?
Shutterstock photo from maxbelchenko
The study combined various factors to determine a safety score. Travel + Leisure magazine reported that factors included terrorism, weather emergencies, health concerns, and the safety of underrepresented groups. With all these factors, the safety ratings were not based solely on crime rates. Many people shared that when rating a country on its safety, they now consider things such as access to health care and climate stability. Many individuals have travel anxiety, fearing that they may fall ill or get injured while on a trip. Therefore, a country with strong health accessibility could make those individuals feel safer. With all of those factors in mind, it is no surprise that the Netherlands stole the number one spot.
The Netherlands improved its safety rankings from last year, rising to the 14th spot. Now, the survey shows that the "peace-loving place" has many people feeling warm and fuzzy. It was ranked one of the safest countries in the world for its "near top-marks for health measures, overall safety," as well as safety for underrepresented groups such as LGBTQIA travelers or travelers of color. You know a country is safe when its most significant danger is fast-moving bikes. Yes, you read that correctly. The most dangerous part of visiting the Netherlands is the risk of being hit by someone riding too fast on a bike. However, even those odds are low as bikes have their own lanes in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities. As long as you look both ways before crossing the street, your trip should be uneventful.
The Official Rankings
I will admit that the second-place country surprised me a bit. Australia took silver in the world's safest countries, and I am honestly shocked. Not because I think that Australians are deadly or have high crime rates, on the contrary, it was the wildlife that I assumed was dangerous. I swear, everything in Australia wants to eat you or kill you. Creatures like the great white shark, box jellyfish, and the saltwater crocodile are just a few, and that is just in the water. Let's not forget their plethora of venomous snakes and terrifying spiders. Despite its varied and sometimes ominous wildlife, Australia scored highly for "health measures and is near the top for safety from terrorism." Seems like people are willing to brave the spiders as long as they don't need to worry about their health or human attacks - makes sense.
Below is the official ranking of the top 15 safest countries in the world. Be sure to jot them down for your next traveling adventure.
- Netherlands
- Australia
- Austria
- Iceland
- Canada
- New Zealand
- United Arab Emirates
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Ireland
- Belgium
- Portugal
- France
- United Kingdom
- Denmark
