TORONTO — You’ll never guess which country topped a new list of safest places to travel in 2024.
According to research conducted by Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, out of a list of 15 world-class destinations considered among the safest in the world for travellers, our very own home and native land – Canada – ranked #1!
The travel insurance company, which has been ranking the safety of countries since 2016, asked people where they’ve travelled in the last five years; only those who’ve visited specific countries were allowed to rate them on safety. The company then augmented those ratings with other indices and information, including the Global Peace Index and the State Department’s travel safety ratings, and also averaged the GeoSure Global scores of the major cities in each country. From there, it calculated a weighted score that reflects each country’s overall safety.
After all that, Canada came out on top, beating out powerhouse destinations like Switzerland (#2), Norway (#3), Ireland (#4) and the Netherlands (#5). And it’s not just inbound travellers exploring Canada; Canadians are still choosing to travel in their own backyard despite the resumption of global travel, post-pandemic.
“Yes, there’s a strong demand among Canadians who are still very much booking trips domestically, even as international travel resumes,” says Andrew Stafford, Location Manager & Network Support at Flight Centre Canada. “Flight Centre Canada has seen domestic bookings jump by 36% from 2022 to 2023, following an impressive 148% increase the year prior.
“This surge isn’t just numbers – it reflects a genuine reconnection with the vastly diverse and rich experiences Canada has to offer, a sentiment that’s been growing since the travel limitations during the pandemic, which first ignited this boost in travelling domestically.”
Stafford also notes that with the cost of international travel going up, ongoing unrest and conflict in parts of the world, and the complexities of travel conditions nowadays, many are finding comfort and value in exploring closer to home and are turning to professionals for help.
“It turns out that more Canadians are turning to travel agents for the hassle-free, expertly planned vacations that take the guesswork out of their adventures, preferring this personalized touch to sorting it all out online by themselves,” he adds.
So where are Canadians travelling to within Canada? Flight Centre Canada’s recent stats show the hottest spots for domestic travel this year are cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary, plus scenic destinations like Kelowna and Halifax. Other trends include fly-and-drive trips, and affordable and unique spots like Hotel Zed in Kelowna and the chic Auberge du Vieux Port in Montreal. Stafford also says that G Adventures’ two-week ‘Canadian Rockies National Parks Expedition’ and Cosmos’ 10-day ‘Canadian Maritimes Adventure’ are top picks for those in search of Canada’s natural gems.
“We at Flight Centre Canada are excited to help travellers dive into the treasures in our own backyard. Nothing beats the spectacular scenery and the safety Canada has to offer,” says Stafford. “Whether you’re from around the corner or crossing oceans to get here, we can’t wait to show the world the alluring charm of Canada.”
The complete Safest Places to Travel 2024 list by Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection is as follows:
- Canada
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Ireland
- The Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- Portugal
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Japan
- France
- Spain
- Brazil
