Planning a vacation?
Here are the countries that pose the maximum risk for travelers in 2024 – and also those that are the safest – according to SOS international.
The risk assessment firm, in its 2024 risk mapranked these countries based on several parameters, including safety, medical hazards as well as the impact of climate change.
Security risks
The African countries Libya and South Sudan emerged as countries with “extreme” security risks, coupled with countries with “minimal or non-existent government control and law and order” and government and transport services. barely functional, according to International SOS.
Countries with “high” security risks suffer from demonstrations that are often violent and can target foreigners. Venezuela, Pakistan and Burma fall into this category.
Residential properties stand on the city skyline of Reykjavik, Iceland.
Arnaldur Halldorsson | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Conversely, Scandinavian countries are among the safest from a security point of view. The metric assesses threats posed by political violence and social unrest, as well as the prevalence of violence and petty crime.
Iceland, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Greenland were all classified as countries with “insignificant” security risks. Switzerland and Slovenia are also among the countries with the least security risks.
Medical concerns
Countries with “very high” medical risksCountries that are rated on the prevalence of infectious diseases such as Covid and the quality of emergency medical services include Afghanistan and North Korea, as well as several African countries, including Sudan and Libya.
Countries with the lowest medical risks include the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and Singapore.
Accessing healthcare while traveling is a major concern for people – with 60% of travelers saying that the possibility of facing a medical emergency while traveling is the main reason for purchasing travel insurance.
Primary health care providers generally do not cover the cost of injuries or illnesses sustained abroad, which can result in substantial out-of-pocket expenses, said James Clark, a content specialist at insurance company Squaremouth.
SOS international also countries ranked according to climate change and how this could lead to humanitarian crises and disasters. But for travelers, this may not yet be an immediate concern.
“We see that these risks are becoming increasingly interrelated. For example, worsening climatic conditions can lead to increased medical risks, including the development of new diseases, or increased frequency of existing diseases,” said Noriko Takasaki, director of security at International SOS, told CNBC Travel.
