Canada ranked first in the ranking of the world's safest countries for tourist travel in 2027, according to the American insurance company Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP), rising from fifth place in the previous study. Among cities, Montreal topped the ranking, moving from 16th to first place in one year.
This is evidenced by the results of the annual Safest Destinations 2027 study, published on October 28, 2026. The Experts Club information and analytical center analyzed the ranking results, changes in the positions of countries and cities, and the specifics of the methodology used to assess tourist safety.
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has been conducting research on international travel safety for ten years. The study is based on assessments by American tourists who have personally visited the respective countries and cities. The survey results are supplemented by international statistical safety indicators.
Ranking of the World's Safest Countries for Travel in 2027
Rank | Country | BHTP Score |
|---|---|---|
1 | Canada | 82.47 |
2 | New Zealand | 81.31 |
3 | Australia | 80.82 |
4 | Iceland | 78.85 |
5 | Japan | 78.73 |
6 | Austria | 78.48 |
7 | Ireland | 77.87 |
8 | Netherlands | 77.09 |
9 | Denmark | 76.63 |
10 | Portugal | 75.63 |
11 | Norway | 75.39 |
12 | Switzerland | 74.73 |
13 | Italy | 74.27 |
14 | Spain | 74.06 |
15 | Germany | 73.94 |
Canada received 82.47 points, ahead of New Zealand with 81.31 points and Australia, which scored 80.82 points.
The study's authors note that respondents highly rated Canada for its level of personal safety, particularly for women, members of ethnic minorities and LGBT travelers.
Additional advantages of the country included strong results in international studies of peacefulness, counterterrorism and human rights protection.
At the same time, BHTP analysts draw attention to natural risks. In particular, large-scale wildfires in recent years have caused air quality problems in major Canadian cities and could affect travel conditions.
New Zealand took second place, rising from sixth position in the previous ranking. The study's authors highlight the low level of threats from violent crime and terrorism, as well as favorable healthcare indicators.
Australia dropped from second to third place, while Iceland retained fourth position. Japan showed an improvement, rising from ninth to fifth place.
Significant changes were recorded among European countries.
The Netherlands, which topped the ranking for 2026, fell to eighth place.
Meanwhile, Norway moved from 23rd to 11th position. Italy rose from 18th to 13th place, Spain from 21st to 14th, and Germany from 16th to 15th.
Denmark also demonstrated a notable improvement, climbing from 15th to ninth position.
Overall, ten European countries are represented among the 15 safest tourist destinations according to BHTP, indicating Europe's significant presence in the ranking.
Montreal Tops Ranking of the World's Safest Cities
A separate part of the BHTP study is devoted to the safety of international tourist trips to major cities.
In the 2027 ranking, the Canadian city of Montreal took first place with 82.18 points.
Second place went to Zurich, Switzerland, with 81.03 points, while Amsterdam, Netherlands, ranked third with 80.81 points.
Tokyo and Reykjavik also entered the top five.
Ranking of the World's Safest Cities for Tourists in 2027
Rank | City | BHTP Score |
|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal, Canada | 82.18 |
2 | Zurich, Switzerland | 81.03 |
3 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 80.81 |
4 | Tokyo, Japan | 79.91 |
5 | Reykjavik, Iceland | 78.90 |
6 | Oslo, Norway | 76.45 |
7 | Singapore | 76.41 |
8 | Venice, Italy | 75.39 |
9 | Sydney, Australia | 75.34 |
10 | Honolulu, USA | 75.31 |
11 | Dublin, Ireland | 74.58 |
12 | Copenhagen, Denmark | 73.52 |
13 | Barcelona, Spain | 73.44 |
14 | San Francisco, USA | 73.15 |
15 | Paris, France | 72.45 |
Montreal demonstrated the greatest improvement among the leading cities: it ranked 16th in the 2026 ranking and sixth in the 2025 ranking.
According to the study's authors, Montreal stands out for its relatively low crime risks and high safety indicators in urban neighborhoods.
Zurich rose from third to second place. Researchers highlight the safety of public transportation, the high standard of urban infrastructure and favorable personal safety indicators.
Amsterdam moved from fourth to third place.
Tokyo rose from ninth to fourth place thanks to high assessments of neighborhood safety, public transportation and accessibility of medical care.
Reykjavik, which topped the previous ranking, fell to fifth position.
Other notable changes include Oslo's move from 17th to sixth place and Copenhagen's decline from second to 12th.
Singapore rose from 14th to seventh place, while Paris, which was not among last year's top fifteen, took 15th position.
Methodology: How BHTP Determines the Safest Countries and Cities
The Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection ranking is based on a combination of a sociological survey and statistical indicators.
The greatest weight in the assessment of countries is given to the results of its own survey of American tourists who personally visited the respective countries during the previous five years.
International peace indices, crime statistics, terrorism risks, healthcare indicators and the protection of the rights of different population groups are also taken into account.
In 2026, the organizers expanded the methodology by adding statistics from the World Health Organization, the Equaldex legal equality index and the Global Terrorism Index.
To compile the city ranking, researchers initially selected 38 cities around the world that are popular among American tourists.
More than 1,500 respondents reported which of these cities they had visited. Only participants who had personally visited a particular city could assess its safety.
The survey results were supplemented by indicators from Numbeo, The Economist and GeoSure Global.
In particular, the assessment covered safety from violent crime and terrorism, transportation safety, health risks and conditions for different categories of travelers.
The city survey was conducted in August 2026.
The organizers emphasize that the ranking reflects perceptions of safety at the time of the study rather than the current situation in real time.
What the Ranking Means for International Tourism
The BHTP results indicate that safety remains one of the important factors in choosing a tourist destination.
At the same time, travelers assess not only crime levels but also the availability of medical care, transportation safety, social stability and the risks of emergencies.
For the tourism industry, such studies can serve as an additional indicator of how countries and cities are perceived by potential visitors.
The rise in the positions of Canada, Norway, Japan and certain European cities demonstrates changes in assessments of tourist safety, while the decline in the positions of other destinations does not necessarily indicate a corresponding increase in actual crime.
At the same time, Experts Club draws attention to the limitations of the study.
First of all, BHTP assesses tourist safety from the perspective of American travelers. Therefore, the final results cannot automatically be applied to the safety of permanent residence, doing business or investing in real estate.
In addition, the study is not an exhaustive ranking of all countries and cities in the world.
The publicly available part of the ranking presents 15 countries and 15 cities with the highest results. For the city ranking, the initial sample is limited to 38 tourist destinations.
Ukraine and Serbia are not represented among the 15 published leading countries, while Kyiv and Belgrade are not among the leading cities. Their individual positions and scores are not provided in BHTP publications.
The absence of a country or city from the published list of leaders does not in itself constitute an assessment of its safety level.
Experts Club Conclusions
The Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection ranking for 2027 demonstrates high assessments of tourist safety in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Iceland and Japan.
Among cities, Montreal, Zurich, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Reykjavik were recognized as the safest for tourist trips according to the study.
At the same time, significant changes in the positions of individual destinations indicate that tourists' perceptions of safety may change under the influence of social, economic and other factors.
For tourism businesses and public authorities, the results of such studies can be a useful additional source of information about the international reputation of tourist destinations.
However, when making travel decisions, it is necessary to take into account current government travel advisories and the security situation immediately before a trip.
Experts Club is a Ukrainian information and analytical center that conducts research on the international economy, investment, and social and societal processes.
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