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The most dangerous and safest places to travel in 2024 / How Albania is categorized

2023-12-23 08:56:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The most dangerous and safest places to travel in 2024 / How Albania is

Are you planning a trip abroad in the coming months? International SOS ranks the countries that pose the greatest risk to travelers in 2024, and also the safest.

According to the map compiled by the risk assessment company, the ranking of countries is based on several data, including safety, medical risks, as well as the impact of climate change.

Albania, which welcomed about 10 million tourists in 2023, is presented with "medium medical risk" and "low security risk."

It also has a low impact in terms of climate issues.

While in the fourth factor, which takes into account "mental health", 10-12.5% ??of the population suffer from mental health problems (including depression, anxiety, eating disorders and schizophrenia).

REGION

Regarding health risks, Serbia and North Macedonia are in the same category as Albania, while Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina are included in the "very high risk" category.

All countries in the region present a low risk in terms of security, impact on climate change and mental health.

Security risks

African states such as Libya and South Sudan have emerged as countries with "extreme" security risks, which are linked to countries with "minimal or non-existent government control, law and order and barely functioning government services and transport, according to International SOS.

Countries with a "high" security risk suffer from protests that are often violent and can harm foreigners. Venezuela, Pakistan and Burma fall into this category.

In contrast, Scandinavian countries are among the safest countries in terms of security. The metric assesses the threats posed by political violence and social unrest, alongside the spread of violence and petty crime.

Iceland, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Greenland are all classified as having "insignificant" security risks.

Switzerland and Slovenia are also among the countries with the least security risks.

Health risks

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, along with several African countries, including Sudan and Libya.

Countries with the least medical risks include the US, Canada, Japan, Australia and Singapore.

Accessing healthcare while traveling is a top concern for people - with 60% of travelers saying the potential to face a medical emergency during a trip is a major factor in purchasing travel insurance.

Primary health care providers typically do not cover the cost of injuries or illnesses suffered overseas, which can lead to significant out-of-pocket expenses, said James Clark, a specialist at insurance company Squaremouth.

International SOS also ranked countries based on climate change and how it could lead to humanitarian crises and disasters. Although for travelers, this may not be a matter of concern yet.

"We are seeing that these risks are becoming more interdependent. For example, worsening climatic conditions can lead to an increase in medical risks, in particular the development of new diseases, or the increase in the frequency of existing diseases," said Noriko Takasaki, director of security at International SOS./Monitor