How to Choose a Safe Travel Destination

So you’ve decided it’s time for a holiday – but where will you go?

There are so many different places to choose from, deciding which one is the perfect place for your next trip can seem like a difficult task!

Of course, there are the restrictions of budget and time to consider, and these can whittle down your potential list of destinations. But there’s also one other essential factor that’s important to consider, and that’s your safety at your intended travel destination.

Whether you’re travelling solo or with a partner, family, friend or group of friends, safety should always be a priority.

You can never be one hundred percent certain you won’t get unexpectedly sick or injured. Cameras, phones and other personal belongings can also be lost, damaged, or snatched by an opportunistic thief anywhere in the world.

Some travel destinations pose more risks than others. It’s important to be aware of the most common risks at a particular destination before you travel so that you are properly prepared to manage them.

Safety risks to consider when choosing a travel destination

There are a few general things to consider when choosing a safe travel destination:

The most common risks around the world

There’s different risks in every travel destination, but here are a few examples of the most common risks from each region:

Southeast Asia:

• Food poisoning and water contamination
• Petty theft
• Higher chance of traffic accidents
• Lack of access to quality hospital care in various areas
• Language barrier to medical care

Europe:

• Medical care can be expensive in some areas
• Petty theft

Pacific:

• Petty theft
• Food poisoning and water contamination
• Diseases such as Malaria and Zika Virus

Middle East:

• Security threats
• Laws in some areas can be quite different to Australian law

United States:

• High cost of medical care
• Petty theft

Always research your chosen region and destination on Smartraveller before you book your flights or a cruise to get an update on any other risks, such as civil unrest or security threats.

What safety precautions should I take before I travel?

Whichever travel destination you choose, there’s a couple of steps you can take to better ensure your safety.

Why travel insurance is important wherever you travel

Travel insurance does not prevent travellers from running into problems overseas, but it can provide valuable assistance in emergency situations.

Travel insurance can provide cover for various unexpected emergency expenses, and connect you to a professional emergency assistance team.

Some of the things travel insurance can do:

• Provide cover for unexpected hospital expenses like emergency surgery, treatment or even medical evacuation if required.
• Cover the costs of flights, accommodation and tour bookings if you have to unexpectedly cancel your trip due to a medical reason.
• Provide cover for lost or stolen personal belongings.
• Provide cover for lost, stolen or damaged travel documents such as passports.
• Help organise emergency flights home if you become injured or seriously ill.
• Monitor your medical care or organise transfer to a different hospital.
• Organise a translator if required.
• Get in touch with your family and workplace if you’re involved in an accident or are in hospital overseas.

You can never predict if something will go wrong when you’re travelling. But if it does, travel insurance may be able to provide you with cover.

Safety is an essential aspect to travel anywhere, even if you’re travelling domestically within Australia.

Wherever and whenever you decide to travel, remember to invest in your safety and do a bit of research first. This could help you to potentially avoid dangerous situations, so you can relax and enjoy your holiday without incident.