Planning a vacation?
Here are the countries that pose the maximum risk for travelers in 2024 — and also the ones that are the safest — according to International SOS.
The risk assessment firm, in its 2024 Risk Map, has ranked these countries based on several metrics, including security, medical dangers as well as the impact of climate change.
Security risks
African nations Libya and South Sudan have emerged as places with “extreme” security risks, which is associated with countries with “minimal or non-existent government control and law and order” and barely functional government and transport services, according to International SOS.
Countries with “high” security risks suffer from protests that are frequently violent and could target foreigners. Venezuela, Pakistan and Burma fall in this category.
Residential properties stand on the city skyline in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Arnaldur Halldorsson | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Contrastingly, Scandinavian countries are among the safest security-wise. The metric assesses threats posed by political violence and social unrest, alongside the prevalence of violence and petty crimes.
Iceland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Greenland have all been classified as countries with “insignificant” security risks. Switzerland and Slovenia are also among the countries with the least security risks.
Medical worries
Countries with “very high” medical risks, which are assessed based on the prevalence of infectious diseases such as Covid and the standard of emergency medical services, include Afghanistan and North Korea, alongside several African nations including Sudan and Libya.
Nations with the least medical risks include the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia and Singapore.
Having access to healthcare while traveling is a paramount concern for people — with 60% of travelers saying that the potential of facing a medical emergency during a trip being a primary driver to purchase travel insurance.
Primary healthcare providers usually do not cover the cost of injuries or illnesses sustained overseas, which can lead to substantial out-of-pocket expenses, said James Clark, content specialist at insurance company Squaremouth.
International SOS also ranked countries based on climate change and how it could lead to humanitarian crises and disasters. Though for travelers that may not be a matter of immediate concern just yet.
“We are seeing that these risks are becoming more interdependent. For instance, worsening climate conditions may lead to an increase in medical risks, in particular the development of new diseases, or the increase frequency of existing diseases,” Noriko Takasaki, security director at International SOS, told CNBC Travel.
