Where are the Safest Countries to travel in 2019?
Check out this report, prepared by Wegoplaces.
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Wegoplaces presents the ‘Solo Travel Safety Report 2019’ – an interactive guide that visualises the safest and riskiest countries for travelling alone and offers tips for staying safe
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Discover the safest countries for solo travel, with Singapore at the top of the list followed by Norway and Iceland
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Learn where solo travellers could be at risk – Venezuela is a country in crisis where a high percentage of residents reported having property or money stolen in the past year (42%)
Interactive solo travel safety report
Wegoplaces.me, a UK travel website, has built an interactive report that visualises the safest and riskiest destinations for solo travel, with a heat map indicating safety levels. It can be used to explore countries where there there is a high and low score on the Law and Order index from Gallup, enabling travellers to compare and contrast countries and their level of safety. The higher the score, the higher the proportion of the population reports feeling safe.
The 20 destinations explored include (top 10 safest and riskiest) with Law and Order index score:
The 10 safest locations for solo travel with index score (starting with safest) –
1. Singapore (97)
2. Norway (93)
3. Iceland (93)
4. Finland (93)
5. Uzbekistan (91)
6. Hong Kong (91)
7. Switzerland (90)
8. Canada (90
9. Indonesia (89)
10. Denmark (88)
The 10 riskiest locations for solo travel with index score (starting with riskiest):
1. Venezuela (44)
2. Afghanistan (45)
3. South Sudan (54)
4. Gabon (55)
5. Liberia (56)
6. South Africa (58)
7. Mexico (58)
8. Dominican Republic (60)
9. Botswana (61)
10. Sierra Leone (61)
The solo travel trend – who is adventuring alone?
Data by Hitwise, the UK’s largest online behavioural research tool, shows there was a 143 per cent increase in “solo travel” searches over the past three years.
According to the Adventure Travel Trade Association 2018, over 80% of millennial travellers are going solo (with one of their members). Also, a May 2018 study by Booking.com found that 40% of Baby Boomers have taken a solo trip in the last year.
And it’s women who are much more likely to travel alone than men, a statistic that is growing. Hitwise says that the audiences driving searches for solo travel have been women (55% of them) aged between 25-34 years old and living in London.
Concern for travel safety and security
Many people are adventuring alone in the new year and there is also a concern for personal safety and security. A recent survey of 2,000 travellers (commissioned by Intrepid Travel) found that 73% of respondents worry about safety. With the recent December tragedy of British backpacker Grace Millan, there are many questions about the safety of travellers abroad.
Although many have fears for safety on a trip alone, they should know that solo travel is a safe option for an adventure and understand that it comes with the same risks as travelling with a companion. Amy Pritchett, Managing Editor at Wegoplaces.me commented:
“Set yourself up for safety by thinking in terms of prevention – preventing problems from arising, being aware of what to do if they do arise and deciding how to manage them if there is an issue. Plan well, be aware of your surroundings, make good choices and enjoy an incredible adventure.
I encourage everyone to travel alone at least once in their life. Once you take the leap to go alone you will faced with decisions you need to make and fears you will need to overcome which will help you discover your true self and how much you are actually capable of. Being totally by yourself will help you gain valuable skills and turn you into a more confident person.”
To view ‘The Solo Travel Safety Report 2019’, visit: http://www.wegoplaces.me/solo-
About Wegoplaces:
Wegoplaces.me is a UK travel website, committed to enriching the lives of travellers by offering them inspiration for their next holiday adventure. Amy Pritchett started her website in October 2014 and has a passion for all things travel.