Harrow Chronicle: TOP 50 COUNTRIES VISITED
Ever wondered how much of the world you’ve really seen? Use this handy tool to find out. By selecting all the different countries you’ve ever visited, it’ll work out a percentage of the planet you’ve managed to explore and how many continents you’ve covered. While you'll also find out how your stats compare against other travellers as well as seeing your footprint on a globe. It follows research which revealed four in 10 adults name-drop the countries they have visited – to ‘keep up with the Joneses’. A poll of 2,000 travellers revealed 43 per cent enjoy comparing the number of destinations they've visited abroad with others. Reasons for mentioning their ‘country count’ include wanting to impress others with their worldliness and sense of adventure, get others to think ‘that’s more than me’ or see them as ‘loaded’ with money. Of those who mention their country count, more than four in 10 (44 per cent) will casually raise the subject in general holiday chatter, while 38 per cent will jump at the chance to name a nation they’ve visited the second someone else mentions it. It also emerged 34 per cent of travellers consider their list of countries visited ‘as a bit of a badge of honour’ and a fifth feel ‘quietly superior’ to those who have been to fewer nations. A spokesperson from travel insurance specialist, Staysure , which commissioned the research and tailors policies for people with health conditions, said: “Travelling abroad is exciting and the memories made with friends and family can last forever. “So, it’s not surprising people love talking about where they’ve been and comparing the number of countries they’ve visited. “Sharing experiences is something we all love to do and it’s great to be able to inspire others to visit somewhere new." The study also found nine per cent bring up a country they’ve travelled to in conversation at least four times a month. However, 39 per cent described other people discussing how well-travelled they are as ‘annoying’. But one in 10 attempt to sound better travelled than they really are by counting countries they visited as a child in their list. And some go as far as including an airport layover or counting a day trip as a full visit. With the average traveller having been to seven countries by the time they’re 30 – the number nearly doubles to 15 by the time they reach the age of 60. New Zealand (24 per cent), Japan (23 per cent) and Australia (18 per cent) were at the top of respondents’ wish lists, along with Iceland, Sweden and Switzerland. While Canada was nearly twice as popular as a future destination than the United States (17 per cent versus eight per cent). But Belgium sat at the bottom of the top 50 list of countries people want to visit for the first time. It also emerged 56 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, wish they were better travelled. On average, respondents said their travel peaked at age 34, while 44 per cent admitted their trips abroad have generally decreased as they’ve got older. And four in 10 consider it important that their list of countries visited keeps growing, with those with a set goal aiming to tick off 30 individual countries. To keep expanding the list 56 per cent would consider a multi-destination holiday such as a cruise. France (77 per cent), Spain (76 per cent) and Italy (58 per cent) are still among the top 10 countries visited. Staysure’s spokesperson added: “Our customers often share where they’ve been and where they’re planning to go next. “It’s good to know people are dreaming big and want to keep ticking off their dream destinations. “Although technically correct to do so, would you include a layover in your country list if you’d not set foot outside the airport? “Wherever people choose to travel, having the right cover and financial protection in place helps them keep ticking countries off their list making the whole experience more enjoyable and worry-free.” TOP 50 COUNTRIES VISITED 1. France 2. Spain 3. Italy 4. United States 5. Germany 6. Greece 7. Portugal 8. Belgium 9. Netherlands 10. Republic of Ireland 11. Turkey 12. Switzerland 13. Austria 14. Cyprus 15. Canada 16. Denmark 17. Czech Republic 18. Egypt 19. Croatia 20. Australia 21. Sweden 22. Norway 23. Poland 24. Mexico 25. Morocco 26. Thailand 27. Tunisia 28. Singapore 29. Hungary 30. United Arab Emirates 31. Iceland 32. China 33. Finland 34. New Zealand 35. South Africa 36. India 37. Malaysia 38. Japan 39. Kenya 40. Vietnam 41. Indonesia 42. Sri Lanka 43. Brazil 44. South Korea 45. Peru 46. Cambodia 47. Argentina 48. Philippines 49. Chile 50. Tanzania TOP 50 COUNTRIES ON THE TRAVEL WISH LIST 1. New Zealand 2. Japan 3. Australia 4. Canada 5. Iceland 6. Norway 7. Italy 8. Switzerland 9. Sweden 10. United States 11. Thailand 12. Croatia 13. Greece 14. Portugal 15. Vietnam 16. Finland 17. Singapore 18. Brazil 19. Egypt 20. Denmark 21. South Africa 22. Austria 23. South Korea 24. Mexico 25. Republic of Ireland 26. India 27. Argentina 28. Peru 29. China 30. Morocco 31. Sri Lanka 32. Kenya 33. Netherlands 34. Germany 35. Poland 36. Philippines 37. Cyprus 38. Malaysia 39. United Arab Emirates 40. Turkey 41. Spain 42. Chile 43. France 44. Tanzania 45. Czech Republic 46. Hungary 47. Cambodia 48. Namibia 49. Indonesia 50. Belgium