Italy has been named the world’s safest destination for teenage travellers, thanks to low crime rates, strong healthcare provision and political stability, according to a new study.
The research, conducted by student travel company Rustic Pathways, analysed a range of indicators including US State Department travel advisories, homicide and traffic fatality rates, healthcare quality and spending, government effectiveness, and corruption levels. These were combined into a safety index to identify the best destinations for teen travel.
Italy topped the list with an overall safety score of 70.6 out of 100. Despite holding a Level 2 travel advisory, the country’s low homicide rate of 0.64 per 100,000 people and accessible healthcare helped secure its position at number one.
The United Kingdom took second place, scoring highly for its healthcare spending of $6,266 per capita and a relatively low traffic fatality rate of 2.39 per 100,000. The country also carries a Level 2 advisory but maintains strong overall safety standards.
New Zealand ranked third, benefitting from a Level 1 travel advisory and a high corruption index score of 83. It reported a homicide rate of 1.22 per 100,000 and healthcare spending of $4,754 per person, though higher road fatality rates (6.59 per 100,000) prevented a higher placing.
Iceland and Canada rounded out the top five, both scoring highly on government stability, healthcare and low crime.
Seven of the top 10 safest destinations were in Europe, with Germany, Spain, Greece and the UK joining Italy and Iceland in the upper ranks.
Rustic Pathways chief executive Shayne Fitz-Coy said the findings underlined the importance of safety in shaping travel decisions.
“The analysis shows that the safest countries to travel to combine low crime rates, stable governments, strong healthcare, and access to it as the main factors,” he said. “Countries on this list have an average homicide rate of 1.10 per 100,000 people, compared to a global average of 5.76 – making them over five times safer than the global norm.
“Safety is the foundation of good travel experiences and often dictates where we choose to go. When you travel to these destinations, you can focus on enjoying your trip rather than worrying about safety concerns. It is also striking how many European countries dominate the list, suggesting the continent is particularly well placed for teen travellers this summer.”