BBC Selects Countries Safe for Solo Female Travelers
Slovenia, Rwanda, UAE, Japan, Norway Among Top 5
Based on Women’s Safety Index and Gender Gap Reports
As COVID-19 enters a full-fledged endemic era, travelers seeking so-called 'honhaeng (solo travel)' are on the rise. Interest in countries that are good for women to travel alone is also growing, with neighboring Japan, Norway in Northern Europe, and Rwanda in Africa being highlighted as such destinations.
On the 3rd (local time), the UK’s BBC selected and reported on five countries that are safe for women traveling alone. BBC stated that the countries were chosen based on safety and equality indicators for female travelers. The selection criteria referenced data such as the Women’s Peace and Security Index (WPS) from Georgetown University in the US, the World Economic Forum (WEF) Gender Gap Report, and data from the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
As a result, the five countries considered safe for women traveling solo were ▲Slovenia ▲Rwanda ▲United Arab Emirates (UAE) ▲Japan ▲Norway. South Korea did not make the list.
First, Eastern European Slovenia is famous for its high level of public safety. Slovenia is evaluated as having a strong safety awareness, with 85% of local women responding that they feel "safe."
Besides the high level of safety, convenient transportation is also a factor attracting visitors. One female traveler said about the country, "Public transportation is reliable and reaches every corner, making it convenient." She added, "During my trip, no one bothered me, and other potential fears of solo travel such as geography or language were not an issue."
Meanwhile, Rwanda in Africa was also named as a good country for women to travel alone. Rwanda is known as the world’s number one country in parliamentary gender equality, with 55% of its parliament composed of women.
Additionally, Rwanda ranked 6th globally in the Global Gender Gap Index, which measures how equitable a country is in terms of economy, education, healthcare, and political participation, and it also scored high in community safety indices.
The Middle Eastern UAE also made the top five, scoring high in women’s education. Furthermore, 98.5% of women aged 15 and older in the UAE said they feel safe walking alone at night in their city or area, ranking the country highest among all nations in community safety, according to BBC.
In particular, Dubai was selected as the safest city for solo female travelers in an index published by the travel insurance specialist Insure My Trip.
Among Asian countries, only Japan was selected. Japan is known for its women-only subway culture and well-equipped women-only traveler accommodations, as well as a culture of solo dining and solo activities, making it a popular destination for 'honhaeng' travelers.
The final recommended country is Norway in Northern Europe. BBC reported that Norway ranked first in the WPS survey for financial inclusion of women, absence of legal discrimination, and community safety for women.
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