Finland has reason to be proud. Not only is the Nordic country celebrating 100 years of independence, according to the World Economic Forum's 2017 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, but Finland can also boast the fact that it's the safest country in the whole world.
"[Finland] remains the safest destination globally, despite rising concerns in most [of] Europe, including Finland, regarding terrorism," the report reads. The report collected data from a total of 136 countries, looking specifically at "sustainable development of the travel and tourism sector, which in turn, contributes to the development and competitiveness of a country."
That means that the World Economic Forum focused on the tourism industry, which makes sense, since safety is a major factor in deciding where to book a vacation. The survey also looked at how open a country is to tourism in general, the state of infrastructure within a country's borders, and even things like environmental sustainability and price competitiveness.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Brides magazine adds that Finland's top spot isn't surprising. After all, it — and much of Scandinavia, in fact — is a land of hygge, natural hot springs, a laid-back attitude, and snow-capped vistas. Its neighbors also earned high rankings, with Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Switzerland all in the survey's top 10. But those looking to green up their vacation plans should definitely head to Finland; the country also earned the highest rank for environmental sustainability.
If you're not looking to head to Europe, there are a slew of other destinations that rank high on the safety list. The United Arab Emirates, Quatar, and Oman also got top marks. And if you're looking for an Asian getaway, Hong Kong and Singapore are great picks, too.
Anyone interested in checking out the entire survey — which also includes the world's least-safe countries — can click over to the World Economic Forum for the full list.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT