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A new study has found South Africa to be the most dangerous travel destination in the world. The same study concluded that Japan is the safest country to visit.

South African newspaper the Star reported on Monday that South Africa was identified as the most dangerous country to visit in a study conducted by security services company ADT. The study gave South Africa a safety score of 0.81 points out of 10.

ADT recently published the results of its study, which was based on the most visited countries between 2017 and 2019 according to data provided by the UK’s Office for National Statistics.

The safety score was calculated from national crime rates tabulated by the World Population Review, which analyzes the incidence of burglary and murder per 100,000 people.

Some countries, including Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, were not included in the survey because of inadequate data. South Korea wasn’t included either.

“Renowned for its cultural diversity and breathtaking scenery, [South Africa’s] attraction is marred by a crime rating of 76.9 out of 100, taking first place as the top holiday spot for experiencing crime in the world,” the Star said.

The study found that the incidence of robbery in South Africa was 852.8 per 100,000 population.

“The quarter-two crime statistics for 2022/2023 also raised concerns about safety in South Africa,” the Star noted.

“Burglaries at residential premises had increased from 35,949 to 40,550 in this quarter alone. Contact crimes also increased exponentially, from 137,145 in the last quarter to 162,518 in this quarter, an increase of over 18%.”

The second most dangerous destination for holidaymakers was the US, with a safety score of 2.17 points.

While noting that the US is “a popular holiday destination” with “iconic landmarks and tourist attractions,” ADT said, “The country’s burglary rate is as high as 714.4 per 100,000 people. This, therefore, is a destination to consider with caution when planning to go on a family holiday.”

Other dangerous travel destinations were Sweden (2.28 points), France (2.40 points) and Jamaica (2.42 points).

The safest country in the world, according to the survey, was Japan, which ranked first with a safety score of 7.51 points. Other countries with a score above 7 were Slovakia (7.46), Cyprus (7.39), Norway (7.25) and Portugal (7.11).

ADT reported that less than 20% of people in Japan were worried about being mugged or robbed, compared to 77% of people in South Africa. ADT suggested that “taking a closer look at the crime rates, burglary rates and more for each country” is important for determining “the must-visit holiday destinations that will put your mind at ease as well as the destinations that may require a little extra caution.”

By Joh Yun-yeong, staff reporter

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