Not so long ago, Ukraine and Iran were considered secrets among travelers looking for a special destination. Vacations in both countries should be avoided at all costs at the moment: Ukraine has been waging a bloody war from Russia for almost a year. And in Iran, people are defending themselves against the authoritarian regime – the rulers, in turn, have the protests mercilessly crushed and people executed in summary proceedings.
Where is it safe to drive and where might it be dangerous? The German company A3M wants to answer this question with its risk map.
There are five color gradations on the map, ranging from dark red “very high risk” to dark green “very low risk”. They show how a country is currently assessed. Along with some other European countries and Canada, Germany is one of the comparatively few dark green countries. The United States is colored light green, as are Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia, Morocco (excluding Western Sahara), Japan, Spain, France and some other countries.
Other popular travel destinations such as Turkey or South Africa are yellow. Yellow means: A trip is associated with increased risks, but possible without special precautions. Dangers can arise, for example, from increased violent crime or a particular health situation or natural disasters.
According to the experts, red or dark red countries can only be visited with major or significant restrictions – if it is possible at all. In any case, thorough precautions must be taken for a trip to such an area, such as a security concept.
The Risk Map is freely accessible to users, but what A3 actually offers is much more comprehensive: the analysts scan relevant data and information on a daily basis and provide current risk assessments for all regions of the world. A3M customers include companies from the travel industry that need to be up to date with the latest developments. Because: “Something happens all year round,” says an A3M employee on the phone. And it’s not just wars that make travel countries unsafe: “It can also be demonstrations and political unrest. Of course, the last few years have also been heavily influenced by the pandemic.” There are also natural events such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes or severe flooding, violent crime, terrorism and a number of other factors.
Quellen: A3M
