Holidays 2024: The 'safest destinations' to travel to next year - including the top 15 countries and cities

When choosing a holiday destination safety is a top concern for many. Given the current climate including the landscape in the Middle East with the Israel-Hamas war and the travel warning to those looking to go to Iceland as fears of a volcano erupting mount, safety is a priority for travellers.

To help pinpoint safe countries to travel to next year, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has published its ‘Safest Destinations’ report for the ninth year in a row which ranks both the top safest countries and the top safest cities globally. Safety in the context of travel can include a variety of different factors from places that are free of terrorism, destinations that are the least likely to see severe weather events or regions that are LGBTQ+ friendly.

The insurance company surveyed 1,702 travellers for its list and also considered data points from third-party sources to evaluate safety concerns such as terrorism, weather emergencies and health measures. The travellers must have visited the countries they’re rating within the last five years. 

The survey also includes data from the Global Peace Index and the State Department’s travel safety ratings as well as GeoSure Global scores of the major cities in each country. The scores take a number of factors into consideration including women’s safety, theft, basic freedoms, and health and medical factors.

The report emphasises that its ratings are “predictive” - they do not account for the possibility of natural disasters. The surveys were conducted in August and September and so the earthquake fears in Iceland this month have not been taken into consideration. 

Berkshire Hathaway’s list has traditionally been dominated by Scandinavian countries, Northern Europe, and destinations such as Australia and New Zealand. However, this year Asian and South American nations broke into the top 15 safest countries. Japan and Brazil both made the list - Brazil had ranked number 42 last year. 

Where are the Safest Countries to Travel to in 2024?

Listed are the 15 safest countries to travel to in 2024 according to Berkshire Hathaway’s report.

1. Canada

2. Switzerland

3. Norway

4. Ireland

5. Netherlands

6. United Kingdom

7. Portugal

8. Denmark

9. Iceland

10. Australia

11. New Zealand

12. Japan

13. France

14. Spain

15. Brazil

Where are the Safest Cities to Travel to in 2024?

Listed are the 15 safest cities to travel to in 2024, according to Berkshire Hathaway’s report.

1. Honolulu

2. Montreal

3. Reykjavik

4. Sydney

5. Amsterdam

6. Dubai

7. Copenhagen

8. London

9. Seoul

10. Venice, Italy

11. Tokyo

12. Berlin

13. Paris

14. Barcelona

15. Orlando