The Safest Countries to Travel to in 2026
5
Intermediate
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
insuranceNounɪnˈʃʊrəns
an agreement in which a business promises to pay for unexpected costs in return for regular payments
My company's health insurance plan covers all my medical costs.
minorityNounmaɪˈnɔːrəti
a small group within a society of a different race, religion, etc.
The Sami people are recognized as an Indigenous minority in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
scoreNounskoʊr
the number of points, goals, etc. achieved on a test, in a game, etc.
Applicants need to have a TOEIC score of at least 800 in order to qualify for this position.
crimeNounkraɪm
an action that is against the law; illegal actions or activities
Traces of blood have been found at the scene of the crime.
factorNounˈfæktər
something that may cause, contribute to, influence something, etc.
The company looked at a number of factors to determine the world's safest airline.
inclusiveAdjectiveɪnˈkluːsɪv
aiming to provide equal opportunities, resources, etc. to people who might otherwise be excluded
Our school has made a big effort to make classes more inclusive for students with different learning needs.
Article
Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.The Safest Countries to Travel to in 2026Every year, insurance company Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) makes a list of the safest countries to visit.
To make the list, BHTP asks thousands of American travelers where they traveled in the past five years and how safe they felt there. The survey also looks at how safe a country is for women, LGBTQ+ travelers and people from other minority groups.
Then, BHTP adds data from safety reports like the Global Peace Index, Numbeo and GeoSure Global. The final score is based on a mix of factors like crime numbers, health care and how safe people feel during their trip.
And according to this year's list, the Netherlands is the safest country in the world, moving up from 14th place last year. It got high scores for safety in cities like The Hague and Eindhoven, and the country also scored well for its health care, low crime levels, and being inclusive and welcoming.
And while you might think of dangerous animals when you think of Australia, it's actually one of the safest countries in the world for travelers — and it was second on the list. The country scored well because it offers good health care for visitors, and has a low crime rate.
The United Arab Emirates is now the safest country in Asia, moving from 18th place last year to seventh this year. Cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai had very low crime and high safety scores.
Japan finished ninth, the same as last year. Except for Canada and New Zealand, all the other top countries were in Europe.
Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.- Where did the Netherlands rank on last year's list? A. 10th place B. 14th place
- 10th place
- 14th place
- What helped Australia rank so highly this year? A. Good health care for visitors and low crime rate B. Strict rules about wildlife encounters
- Good health care for visitors and low crime rate
- Strict rules about wildlife encounters
- Which Asian country had the highest safety ranking this year? A. Japan B. The United Arab Emirates
- Japan
- The United Arab Emirates
Further Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.- What are your thoughts on the BHTP rankings?
- Have you visited any of the countries in the top 15? How safe did you feel traveling there?
- Have you ever felt unsafe while traveling abroad?
- Are there any countries you'd avoid visiting because of safety concerns?
- Which of the places mentioned in the article could you see yourself living in?