As locals, we'll happily proclaim we feel safe living in Melbourne. Of course, like many big cities, it's important to have street smarts and use common sense to avoid precarious situations. But as residents of the fourth most liveable city in the world, we haven't felt like safety is an issue (cost of living, however, is another story). But what about people who are new to Melbourne, for whom the Hoddle Grid is an unfamiliar maze? Well, they're in safe hands too – as our city has been dubbed one of the top ten safest in the world for tourists.
Forbes Advisor has put together a guide with its latest travel tips and recommendations, including a list of destinations ranked by variables that impact safety for tourists. The publication reviewed a total of 60 cities, basing the rankings on risks like the overall level of crime; the impact of crime, violence, terrorist threats, natural disasters and economic vulnerabilities on personal security; the level and quality of healthcare services and infrastructure; the availability and quality of city infrastructure; and digital security risks. Each risk factor was given a ranking to determine a total overall score for each location – so the lower the score, the better the safety.
Melbourne ranked as the ninth least-risky city for tourists across the globe with a score of 26.17, and was the second Aussie destination to make the top ten, with Sydney coming in fourth after scoring 22.28. Singapore topped the list as the safest city in the world, with its low-risk level for health security, natural disasters and digital security, and having the best travel safety rating from the United States Department of State. Tokyo and Toronto followed in the rankings to round out the top three.
The other cities that scored a spot in the top ten on the list were Zurich in fifth, followed by Copenhagen, Seoul, Osaka and Amsterdam.
The top ten least risky cities for tourists in the world:
- Singapore
- Tokyo, Japan
- Toronto, Canada
- Sydney, Australia
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Seoul, South Korea
- Osaka, Japan
- Melbourne Australia
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
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