Canada and New Zealand lead BHTP’s safest travel destinations for 2027

Canada, New Zealand, and Australia have been named the world’s three safest countries to visit in 2027, while Montreal, Zurich, and Amsterdam top the safest cities ranking, according to Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection’s (BHTP) latest State of Travel Insurance (SOTI) report.

The 12th annual study, based on research conducted by Polymath Research + Marketing, combines the experiences and perceptions of thousands of American travellers with external safety indices to produce a weighted assessment of destination safety.

Canada climbed from fifth place in 2026 to take the top spot, while New Zealand rose from sixth to second. Australia retained its position in the top three. Japan also made significant progress, moving from ninth to fifth, while the Netherlands fell from first to ninth.

Among cities, Montreal made its debut at number one, Zurich rose from third to second, and Amsterdam moved up one place to third. Reykjavik, last year’s leading city, dropped to fifth.

The methodology considers a broad range of risks, including terrorism, healthcare, weather emergencies and the safety of underrepresented groups. Its external sources include the World Health Organization, Global Peace Index, Numbeo, Global Terrorism Index, Equaldex Equality Index, and GeoSure Global.

Carol Mueller, BHTP’s Head of Marketing, said: “Travellers are navigating a more complicated landscape, with global uncertainty, higher prices, and other concerns shaping how and where they travel.”

The findings offer a useful snapshot of changing destination perceptions and the safety considerations influencing travel decisions. However, the rankings reflect US traveller perspectives and should be viewed alongside destination-specific risk assessments when advising customers and managing exposure.