Before we travel, several factors are considered to help us determine whether a destination is the right choice. Our budget, the attractions we can visit and the food options available to us pervade our decisions.
Understandably, safety is significant too. It makes sense: we want to ensure that while we enjoy our time abroad, we are able to stay out of harm’s way in the process.
You may decide to avoid a specific location that has a crime rate substantially higher than others.
However, from over twenty years of travelling and nearly five years of working in the travel industry, I have noticed that safety is often based on other factors than just the official crime rate.
The power of storytelling
For instance, other people’s stories and experiences can influence our idea of safety. As the founder of Melanin Travel, a platform that creates events, guides and content for the African diaspora, I regularly engage in conversations about my personal travel experiences.
One cannot travel as…