The Safest Places To Travel in 2022

For eager travelers, 2021 was a year of both progress and setbacks. Some of the premier destinations around the world reopened to tourism over the past 12 months, air travel surged, and cruise ships returned to the seas as COVID-19 vaccination rates climbed. However, the emergence of a new coronavirus variant, Omicron, in late November led to heightened travel advisories and tightened entry requirements. Therefore, in 2022, travelers will once again be seeking out destinations with safety top of mind.

Here's an early look at some of the best options based on the latest U.S. State Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance as well as data from the 2021 Global Peace Index (GPI)-which ranks more than 160 countries around the world based on the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict and the degree of militarization-and travel insurance company Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection.

Boasting coveted destinations such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East is one of just over a dozen countries to receive a Level 1 travel advisory heading into 2022. The CDC also warns of a low level of COVID-19 in the UAE, which ranks a solid 26th worldwide on the GPI.

Like the UAE, the British Virgin Islands begin the new year receiving Level 1 travel advisories from both the State Department and CDC. The islands are open to international travel, of course, with officials recently easing entry protocols for fully vaccinated individuals.

Similar to the State Department's list of Level 1 countries, the Level 2 grouping isn't very crowded to kick-off 2022. However, Jamaica begins the year as one of those countries, with officials encouraging visitors to exercise increased caution due to COVID-19 and crime and the CDC indicating a moderate level of coronavirus within the island's borders.

Travelers eyeing some long-awaited sun, sand and sea in 2022 can also visit The Bahamas with confidence. The islands received Level 2 travel advisories from both the State Department and CDC in December. Tourism officials called the lowered advisories "proof that our protocols and protective measures to combat COVID-19 in The Bahamas are working."

As is the case with the vast majority of countries around the world, the State Department and CDC are advising against travel to Iceland heading into 2022. While COVID-19 continues to be a threat worldwide, the European island country ranks number one on the GPI and tops the list of Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection's list of the safest places to travel to in 2022.

Comprising hundreds of islands in the South Pacific, Fiji is a bucket-list destination for many travelers, and while the country has reopened with COVID-19 testing requirements in place, future visitors will be pleased to know that it begins the year at Level 1 on the State Department's travel advisory scale. Meanwhile, the CDC has also issued a Level 1 travel advisory for Fiji, indicating a low level of the virus in the islands.

Canada is routinely among the safest countries in the world, and while COVID-19 has prompted Level 3 travel advisories from the State Department and CDC heading into 2022, the North American destination just across the U.S. border ranks 12th worldwide on the 2021 GPI and third on Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection's list of the safest places to travel to in 2022.

The State Department is advising travelers to exercise increased caution in Grenada due to COVID-19, and the CDC has issued a similar Level 2 Travel Health Notice for the Caribbean island, indicating a moderate level of coronavirus. Entering 2022, the Spice Isle is open to travelers with COVID-19 vaccination, testing and quarantine requirements in place.

New Zealand has been off-limits to most travelers around the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, but the arrival of 2022 offers hope that international tourists could soon be welcomed back again. The island country ranks third on the 2021 GPI behind only Iceland and Denmark and finished second on Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection's list of the safest places to travel to in 2022.