China and America are Some of The Surprising Countries Global Travelers Are Avoiding
Wanderlust is here, and it’s not going anywhere. In 2024, 64% of global travelers say they’ll reduce other areas of their spending to prioritize trips. However, some destinations will never make it to people’s wish lists, while explorers are taking a wait-and-see approach.
North Korea
“North Korea. For obvious reasons.”
“There have been instances where tourists have been thrown into their labor camps for years for minor infractions (for example – took a bad picture of a Kim Jong statue).”
Israel
“Israel. Dangerous, for one, given the obvious. Also, I fundamentally disagree with many values of that country’s leadership and am entirely unwilling to pour my money into that particular economy. My government is already doing plenty of that in my name.
I wouldn’t want to visit the UAE, Saudi Arabia, China, and others for the same reason.”
Egypt
“I got sent to Egypt for work, a living hell. I hated everything about it.”
“I just made a similar post about Egypt. It was honestly the only country that I felt unsafe in. I was only 15 when I went there, but it didn’t stop the men from touching, leering, and calling out to me. It was disgusting.”
Somalia
“Look at the U.S. travel advisory. It’s funny and sad at the same time.
Under the list of things to do if you travel there (after a big blurb saying don’t), it lists drafting a will, discussing with loved ones plans in who will take care of kids and pets after you die, and making sure your funeral wishes are documented.”
China
Travelers have returned from China shocked by the level of air pollution in cities such as Beijing. Despite their efforts, China is still the 13th most polluted country in the world. And that’s only the start of why many people won’t go.
“It would be my luck to see something the government does, blurt out “That was stupid,” and get sentenced to a labor camp until I turned out as a match for someone. Then, they’d shoot me in a non-lethal location and pay some poor surgeon to harvest my organs while I’m still alive.”
Dubai
The epitome of opulence, Dubai can be polarizing despite being voted the #1 place to go in the world in TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards. Some find its over-the-topness off-putting, overshadowing the the awe that others love it for.
“Dubai. Fake worlds of luxury and shopping built on slave labor don’t appeal to me.”
Saudi Arabia
“Saudi Arabia. It’s the total antithesis of what I consider good in life – freedom of thought, freedom of (and from) religion, free access to information, equality between the genders (and people of various orientations), and, oh yeah, they murder people for tweets.”
Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo comes to mind pretty quickly. I read a book about ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Places’ in about 1998, and Congo was near the top of the list at the time.”
Governments advise their citizens to avoid travel due crime, civil unrest and the risk of kidnapping.
India
“India’s kind of a heartbreaker. Some of it is wonderful, some of it is genuinely horrific. Usually, a state advances technologically and socially at roughly the same level, but India is like two nations crammed into one, and they’re not on par with each other.”
Pakistan
The U.S. State Department currently has Pakistan on a “reconsider” travel advisory due to terrorism activity.
“Pakistan. Dangerous, chaotic, and permeated of radicalism and backwardness.”
United States of America
New research by the U.S. Travel Association reveals that America ranks last in competition for global travelers in 2024. The World Economic Forum Safety and Security Pillar, which considers various factors such as the prevalence of violence and crime, was used to rank the safety category, placing the U.S. toward the bottom. Current gun laws and gun violence are causing some global travelers to stay away.
“The USA. With the amount of road rage incidents I’ve heard about and all the mass shootings, I don’t think I’ll be able to roam any places without shaking with anxiety and fear of being shot. They have beautiful scenic places, but I can find them in another country. I want a pleasant experience, not a looming fear of being killed through the trip.”
Hawaii was once a top vacation spot for Japanese travelers, but not in 2024.
Here’s The Safest Places to Travel in the World
International travel is booming. One-third of Americans said they are more interested in vacationing outside the U.S. But when news reports show U.S. State Department warnings about travel to certain countries, violence in some international destinations, or individual travel horror stories, it can put your dreams of exploring the world on the back burner.
Well, get your passport back out. Here are the safest countries and cities around the world for you to explore without worry.
Here’s The Safest Places to Travel
Travelers Beware: The 8 Most Common Travel Scams Around The World
A shocking 52% of Americans surveyed by Scams.info have either lost money to travel scams or know someone who has, with the average amount lost totaling $380. So keep your money in your pocket by preparing to face these most common scams targeting tourists around the world.
Travelers Beware: The 8 Most Common Travel Scams Around The World
