Tourism insiders criticize survey that names Philippines world's 'most dangerous destination'

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia questioned the authenticity of the "HelloSafe Safety Index 2025" conducted by U.K. financial comparison site HelloSafe.

"What was presented as an objective safety index was, in fact, based on questionable data, lacked transparency, and was entirely disconnected from the realities on the ground," she wrote in a statement published on her official Facebook page on June 19.

She emphasized the damage caused by the HelloSafe safety index, which undermined the confidence already expressed by foreign travelers toward the Philippines.

"The impact of this false narrative is not abstract. It disrupted bookings and businesses, cast doubt on our destinations, and, worse, harmed the livelihoods of millions of Filipinos who rely on tourism, and entire communities whose economies depend on the confidence of travelers," she stated.

Maria Paz Alberto, president of the Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association and Philippine chapter chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, warned that misleading narratives like the HelloSafe index could "deter prospective visitors and have lasting repercussions on businesses reliant on inbound tourism," Philstar reported.

Arthur Lopez, president of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, also condemned the "misleading" HelloSafe report, calling it "detrimental to the efforts of the tourism and hospitality industry."

HelloSafe said that it compiled the travel safety index based on 35 different criteria, which were grouped into five categories: frequency of natural disasters, societal violence, involvement in armed conflict (internal or external), health infrastructure, and militarization.

Countries were rated on a scale from 0 to 100, with 0 representing the safest and 100 being the most dangerous.

The Philippines scored 82.31 points out of 100, making it the most dangerous place to visit, followed by Colombia (79.21), Mexico (78.42), India (77.86) and Russia (75.65).

As of June 24, HelloSafe has removed the list of most dangerous countries from its website.

Many foreign tourists have praised the Philippines as a safe destination worth visiting.

With a coastline spanning over 36,000 kilometers, the country was named Asia's Leading Beach Destination at the 2024 World Travel Awards.