Europe continues to be the safest region in the world for travel, according to Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection's (BHTP) 11th annual State of Travel Insurance (SOTI) Safest Destinations report.
Taking into account a variety of important factors, including American travelers' attitudes toward safety, the research reveals the Netherlands to be the safest country to visit for 2026, followed by Australia, Austria, Iceland and Canada.
The Netherlands ranking first is significant in that the country came in just 14th a year ago. Meanwhile, Austria is making its debut on the list for 2026.
View from Mittelberg towards the valley in Austria's Vorarlberg region. (Photo via Österreich Werbung / Dietmar Denger) (Photo Credit: Österreich Werbung / Dietmar Denger)
Rounding out the top 10 are New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Japan and Ireland.
BHTP first began surveying travelers on their attitudes toward travel safety in 2016, compiling annual rankings of the world’s safest destinations since 2018.
Experts gathered insights from a large group of American travelers who have visited specific countries within the past five years to rate them on safety and then augmented those ratings with other information to evaluate safety concerns, including terrorism, weather emergencies, health concerns and the safety of underrepresented groups.
From there, BHTP calculates a weighted score that reflects each country’s overall safety.
Top 15 Safest Countries for 2026
- Netherlands
- Australia
- Austria
- Iceland
- Canada
- New Zealand
- United Arab Emirates
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Ireland
- Belgium
- Portugal
- France
- United Kingdom
- Denmark
BHTP also revealed the world's safest cities for 2026, with Iceland's bustling capital, Reykjavik, taking the top spot for the second consecutive year, followed by Copenhagen, Zurich and Amsterdam.
PHOTO: Street in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo via Hans Brunk)
The U.S. is represented by fifth-place Honolulu and San Francisco, which rounded out the top 15 for 2026.
Other notable cities to make the list include Sydney, Barcelona, Lisbon, Tokyo and Dublin.
Top 15 Safest Cities for 2026
- Reykjavik
- Copenhagen
- Zurich
- Amsterdam
- Honolulu
- Sydney
- Barcelona
- Lisbon
- Tokyo
- Dublin
- Venice
- Seoul
- London
- Singapore
- San Francisco
"With global uncertainty and safety concerns top of mind this year, travelers are more thoughtful than ever with where they choose to explore," Carol Mueller, Head of Marketing, said in a statement. "Our annual report not only highlights the destinations that travelers perceive as safest, but also serves as a valuable resource for planning trips with confidence."
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