The most dangerous destinations in 2022: A new report has identified the ten countries and regions most likely to pose a risk of harm to business travelers in 2022. The Risk Outlook 2022 study published by International SOS, a medical and security services company, reveals that many of the same places which were found to be problem hotspots last year remain on this year’s list, although there are some notable changes too.
Norway is named as the safest destination currently with Iceland coming second, followed by Finland, Switzerland, Denmark and Luxembourg. ‘In 2022 organisations must be aware that perennial security concerns such as crime, civil unrest, terrorism or other geopolitical issues have not gone away due to the pandemic. In many cases the risks from these threats have simply changed or evolved,’ said Dr Neil Nerwich, group medical director at International SOS.
The report highlights that the Hong Kong-China border will be one of the riskiest regions in 2022 due to heightened tensions between mainland China and Hong Kong. The disputed area is likely to remain a flashpoint for protests and even terrorist attacks.
North America (apart from Canada) will join Europe as the second safest region overall in 2022 but there are some safety concerns to watch out for closer to home. Between now and 2022, business travellers should expect civil unrest, increased crime rates and increased severity of natural disaster threats in regions like Central Europe (Czech Republic), South East Asia (Thailand) and Southern Europe (Spain).
Covid-19 has continued to affect the top ten most dangerous destinations in 2022, with Nigeria and Venezuela appearing on the list of problem countries again. The number of countries with confirmed cases of Covid-19 decreased by one this year (Ethiopia), while the number without any cases has fallen sharply (from 22 to nine). Ethiopia’s absence can be explained by a change in government policy; it no longer reports on incidents related to Covid-19, meaning it is likely that there are continued outbreaks across the country.
Nigeria faces an uphill battle if it wants to appear off the list next year as security threats continue to rise amidst deepening political tensions between ruling party All Progressive Congress (APC) and the opposition.
The number of countries on the list with confirmed cases of lockdowns has risen this year (from five to eight). These pandemics will continue to be a problem for 2022 and it is likely that their reach will increase as international travel becomes more frequent.
Of the countries and regions which made the top ten most dangerous destinations in 2022 list, Pakistan’s threat level decreased compared to last year but Uzbekistan’s risk increased, thanks to an economic crisis fuelled by falling exports, limited social spending and growing public dissatisfaction linked to government corruption. The report claims that businesses are keenly aware of the country’s risks but travellers are becoming less concerned about its dangers due to space opening up between other risky business travel destinations.
The full list of the top ten most dangerous destinations in 2022 is:
1. Hong Kong-China border
2. North America (apart from Canada)
3. Europe (excluding Norway, Iceland, Finland and Switzerland)
4. Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico)
5. South East Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand)
6. Eastern Africa (Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia)
7. Southern Africa (Namibia, Zimbabwe)
8. Pakistan
9. Uzbekistan
10. Venezuela