The Philippines has been named the world’s most dangerous country for tourists, according to a global travel safety index released by UK-based financial comparison site HelloSafe.

The index, based on 35 data points grouped into five key categories — natural disaster risk, societal violence, conflict involvement, health infrastructure, and militarization — assigned scores from 0 (safest) to 100 (most dangerous). The Philippines topped the list with a score of 82.31, followed by Colombia (79.21), Mexico (78.42), India (77.86), and Russia (75.65).

The ranking comes amid a spate of violent incidents targeting tourists in the Philippines. This year alone, two South Korean nationals were shot and killed in separate robbery incidents in March and April. Another South Korean visitor was kidnapped by armed assailants last month and later rescued by Philippine police, who also arrested two Chinese suspects involved in the abduction.

Despite the concerning safety indicators, the Philippines recorded 1.93 million tourist arrivals between January and April 2025 — a slight year-on-year decrease of 0.83%, according to data from the Department of Tourism. In 2024, the country welcomed a total of 5.4 million international visitors.

The report has sparked debate over safety in Southeast Asia, particularly as the region aims to revive tourism in the post-pandemic era.