Johannesburg - South Africa tops the list of dangerous destinations for holidaymakers, according to a study conducted by security services company, American District Telegraph (ADT).
The study revealed that SA had a safety score of just 0.81 out of 10, with more than 77% of people saying they were worried about being mugged and robbed.
Renowned for its cultural diversity and breathtaking scenery, the country’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.
What’s more, the country also had a burglary rate of 852.8 per 100 000 people.
The quarter-two crime statistics for 2022/2023 also raised concerns about safety in South Africa.
The stats revealed that 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 United States followed SA in holiday destinations that present the most threat to people.
"When it comes to the holiday destinations that present the most threat, the United States follows behind with a score of 2.17 out of 10. Majorly popular for its iconic landmarks and tourist attractions, the United States is a popular holiday destination."
"Despite this, it only has an average of 224 police officers per 100 000 people, while 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."
Not too far behind was Sweden, running in third place with a total score of 2.05 out of ten.
Said to be a dream destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with over 29 national parks and over 100 000 lakes, Sweden ranked alongside the most dangerous countries as far as safety was concerned.
Though it is home to incredible nature and wildlife, the country has a whopping burglary rate of 1,094.2 per 100 000 people. This is considerably higher than the number of police officers per 100 000 people, which is approximately 191.
ADT revealed that to research the holiday destination for each country, they used a list of popular travel destinations from ONS, specifically looking at the most visited areas from 2017–2019.
The Star