As I write this, I’m getting ready to leave for a Morocco and Tunisia trip. (It will not be published until well after that trip.) A friend – and frequent traveler – asked me if I feel safe going to Tunisia. She said she wouldn’t, especially not as a Jewish woman. This conversation coincided with an article from one of my favorite travel blogs, One Mile at a Time, asking his readers what criteria they use to determine safety.
Safety is obviously an important issue when determining a potential travel destination. If you really think about it, it is probably the most important criterion. After all, if one isn’t safe – or even if one doesn’t feel safe – it really doesn’t matter how incredible the sights of a place might be. Even if one doesn’t have an actual issue, simply being scared for one’s safety all the time would be enough to ruin a travel experience.
But what makes one country – or one city – safe? Is it a feeling? Is it crime statistics? Does one’s gender, religion, ethnicity, or appearance make a difference? What about the system of government in the destination, or that country’s relationship with one’s home country?
The answer is: there is no truly objective scale to determine safety. It is a wholly personal decision. I know, for instance, that I’ve traveled places that others wouldn’t feel safe, and refused to travel to places that others I know feel are totally fine. So while today I am going to tell you the criteria that I personally use to decide whether I feel safe visiting a specific place, if you disagree, that is completely ok. Use your own judgment, and don’t let anyone tell you that you are safe somewhere if you don’t feel it. (At the same time, don’t assume you’ll be safe everywhere without doing any research or considering purely factual elements. We are not all safe everywhere.)
At the bottom, I’ll use the example of Tunisia, and why I decided to visit so you can see my process.
(Note: this article is only about physical safety. Some places I might feel safe are places I would still choose not to visit for other reasons, from cost to logistics to politics.)
Avoid War Zones
This is the easiest category. With few exceptions (visiting family in Israel during times of unrest or specifically going to a place for the purposes of writing about the war as a journalist), I will not go anywhere that is in an actual shooting war where civilians could get caught in the crossfire. And I especially will not visit the instigator of said war. So in 2025, Russia is right out, Ukraine isn’t likely, Myanmar isn’t happening, and so forth.
Crime Statistics
I do consider crime statistics in a country, city, or region before I travel, but not all statistics are created equal. For instance, Barcelona has one of the highest instances of crimes per capita, but it is just about all limited to petty theft. Violent crime is exceedingly rare. On the flip side, the murder rate in Mexico is much higher, but cartel violence doesn’t often take place in areas of high tourist value, especially as those places have higher police presence.
I also try to note the difference between actual statistics and anecdotal “this is happening everywhere” sorts of things. Before going to Buenos Aires, statistics I could find didn’t give actual rates of something I was told was becoming exceedingly common: people on motorcycles snatching purses or cell phones off the street. So, for better or worse, I chalked that up to fear as opposed to genuine reality happening all over.
Safety Google Searches
I always will Google “is xyz destination safe” and see what comes up. I will look for accounts from locals, or from other travelers, and focus on those within the past year or so. I will compare these, giving more weight when testimonials match. And I will make it as specific as possible. “Is Guatemala safe” and “is Guatemala City safe” will yield different results. “Is New York City safe” will be different than “is Spanish Harlem safe” and so on. If I’m planning to visit Cabo San Lucas, it doesn’t matter how safe Juarez is, but if I’m considering backpacking all over France, more wide-view accounts are of value.
If possible, I try to examine accounts of people who have as much in common with me as possible. I’m male, Jewish, cis-het, dual American/German, and prefer walking and taking transit to taxis. I travel on a budget, but it is enough to be able to largely choose what part of a city to stay in, whereas some cannot afford to stay in the touristic center. So a safety account from someone who likes five-star resorts and private drivers is less pertinent to my situation, as is a backpacker willing to stay at the cheapest hostel no matter where it is.
Use Google Maps to Find Good Locations
If I’m still not sure about a specific neighborhood of a city, I’ll use Google Maps. I search for luxury hotels – US/European chain brands if possible – and err toward thinking those are safe areas. Is there a Ritz Carlton or a Four Seasons nearby? Then I’m probably in a safe – at least as far as violent crime is concerned – neighborhood. Those hotels don’t build in unsafe places, and local police are much more visible where the money-spending tourists are. If there aren’t brands I recognize, I’ll use basic nightly rates for whatever date Google Maps puts in as the default. Those that are most expensive are probably in better areas.
You can do the same thing with luxury fashion brands and to a lesser extent, with fine dining restaurants.
Examine Politics
I’m going to divide this into two categories: governmental and attitudes of the population.
The governmental component is easier. I won’t travel to a country that doesn’t have active consular presences of both the US and Germany, at least not without really examining other factors. If something happens, I want an embassy to have my back. Likewise, a country that is exceedingly critical of minorities, the LGBT+ community, Jews, women, etc… is also probably a place I mainly would avoid (with a few exceptions). In 2025, rhetoric demonizing Israel and Jews (not just being critical of the currently Israeli government, which I am as well) is a place I wouldn’t feel safe as a Jew.
A second aspect of governmental politics comes in the form of rights extended to visitors. Is there a basic freedom of speech and expression? If something were to happen, is there due process of law or would I just be imprisoned or worse?
As for population, it is harder to measure. Basically, do I feel that if people were to find out I am an American/German Jew, would I be safe? This is something that can even vary by region. For instance, I feel safe in a city like Istanbul (at least in the center) given how cosmopolitan it is, how it actively voted as a whole against Erdogan, and how many tourists are there from Europe. But I would feel less safe in smaller cities in Turkey that lean more conservative and Islamist.
Method of Travel
Finally, I look at what my expected method of travel in a place is. Will I be on a group tour with a local guide? Then I’m probably a bit safer. Will I be staying mainly in a capital city? Again, probably a little safer. Do I speak the language? That also helps, as does knowing someone locally.
Tunisia as a Case Study
So with all of those things said, let’s examine my decision to visit Tunisia, and what my process was in deciding it was safe enough.
Tunisia is not in an active war, so that part was easy. As for crime statistics, most that targets tourists seems to be petty theft. This is true basically everywhere. Anecdotally, Google tells me that the main tourist areas of Tunis are reasonably safe, and I’m staying at a well-rated hotel.
Examining the government, both of my countries of citizenship have embassies here, and while democratic institutions aren’t as strong as in some places, I am unlikely to be imprisoned without due process. There is a red flag for Tunisia having no official relations with Israel, as far as my safety as a Jew is concerned, but I don’t outwardly dress in a manner that would expose me as being Jewish.
Outside of the capital, safety is a bit more murky, as anti-Israel sentiment seems to be stronger and tourism less common. That can be mitigated by only staying in Tunis, and having any day trip leaving the city done with a private driver and guide.
So that was my process. I decided that I am safe enough to feel comfortable in Tunis, and will be staying at a well regarded hotel and using private guides and drivers to improve my safety while there. (I’m actually doing this for two of my three days in the city, with the third day being a visit to a museum, a safe activity.)
Note: I had absolutely zero safety issues in Tunis, and would even say the city felt SAFER than I had expected. I’d 100% return.
Another Case Study
Let’s examine another country, one that I would probably go in the other direction, in El Salvador.
El Salvador is not in a war currently, check. Safety statistics are actually really great right now after years of nearing leading the world in murders per capita. San Salvador has luxury hotels, and US brands, and both my countries have diplomatic relations.
But, and it’s a big but. El Salvador right now is infamous for not allowing due process, and for rounding people suspected of gang affiliation, drug crimes, or anti-governmental speech up off the street, and imprisoning them without any sort of trial. So while the chances of something happening might be slim, if something were to happen, I don’t believe I’d have any rights, especially as the current Salvadoran administration has actively made fun of US judges ordering Americans released from their prisons. So even with statistics being my favor, this would end up being a pass for me right now.
With either of these case studies, you might feel differently. You might decide that Tunisia isn’t as safe for women, or for other minorities. You might determine that El Salvador would be fine. And that’s ok. Safety is a very personal decision, and don’t let anyone try to goad you into making a trip you don’t feel comfortable with.
Bottom line, safety when traveling is paramount, and there isn’t an objective standard to use, unfortunately. This is the basic process that I follow, and I hope it helps you to create your own.
