IF the tragic scenes of wildfires in Greece or a rise in violent muggings in some countries make you wonder where you can enjoy a safe and relaxing holiday, then you might look closer to home.
A new survey has shown that West Berkshire is one of the safest places in the UK for a staycation. It came sixth in a poll of 20 British regions ahead of holiday hot spots such as Bath, Cumbria and even Norfolk.
On an international level, Japan is regarded as the safest country in the world to visit, with Slovakia and Cyprus close behind.
But if your purse strings will not stretch that far, then a stroll along the north Wessex Downs or a visit to Newbury or Thatcham could be ideal for that annual – and safer – two-week break.
The survey, conducted by security experts at ADT studied crime rates of the UK’s most popular staycation destinations to determine the safest, and most dangerous, holiday hotspots.
West Berkshire showed a rate of 596 crimes per 100,000 people while North Worcestershire came first with just 365 per 100,000. Closer to home, South Oxfordshire was third with a rate of 452 and West Oxfordshire scored 505.
If you do plan to seek warmer climes, the research by ADT showed that despite its beautiful beaches and incredible wildlife to world-class cuisine and spectacular views, South Africa is the world’s least safest country.
An incredible 77% of people stated that they were worried about being mugged or robbed in South Africa. What’s more, the country not only has a high crime rate of over 76 out of 100 but also a burglary rate of 852.8 per 100,000 people.
Jamaica followed close behind with 70% of people admitting that they have worries about being mugged or robbed. Though the country attracts millions of tourists every year, it seems to have a relatively high burglary rate of 94.5 per 100,000 people.
Japan came out as the world’s safest country with less than 20% of people expressing worries about being mugged or robbed.
