TripAdvisor Reveals World's Worst Pickpocket Destinations
By Tripadvisor, PRNETuesday, September 14, 2010
Beware in Barcelona and Look Out in London
LONDON, September 15, 2010 - TripAdvisor(R), the world's largest travel site*, today reveals the
world's worst tourist destinations for pickpocketing. For the second year
running Barcelona tops the TripAdvisor Pickpocket Index and London enters the
top ten for the first time.
The 2010 Pickpocket Index is based solely on TripAdvisor site data
calculating the number of times travellers use the term pickpocket (and
translations of) in their TripAdvisor reviews in the last 12 months.
European Cities Run Off With ALL Ten Spots
All ten spots in this year's TripAdvisor Pickpocket Index are snatched by
European cities - with the top two places unchanged from last year.
Global Pickpocket Top Ten (2009 place in brackets)
1. Barcelona, Spain (1)
2. Rome, Italy (2)
3. Paris, France (5)
4. Madrid, Spain (-)
5. Athens, Greece (9)
6. Prague, Czech Republic (3)
7. Costa Brava (Alicante Province), Spain (-)
8. Lisbon, Portugal (-)
9. Tenerife, Spain (-)
10. London, England (-)
"All these destinations offer a great experience for travellers and Brits
should not be put off visiting. This Index simply reinforces that extra care
should be taken, especially in the busier tourist areas. By taking some
simple precautions you'll be able to enjoy a fun and hassle-free holiday
wherever you go," explains TripAdvisor's Emma O'Boyle.
Look Out in London
A new entry this year in the TripAdvisor Pickpocket Index is London, in
the number ten spot. With over 26 million tourists visiting the capital each
year it is perhaps not surprising that pickpockets view its busy tourist hubs
as prime hunting grounds.
"London was crowned the most exciting city in Europe in the recent
TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Destination Awards and while the vast majority
of visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience the Index shows that London
must be on its guard," continued TripAdvisor's Emma O'Boyle.
TripAdvisor's Top Tips To Avoid Being Pickpocketed
- Maintain vigilance, especially in crowded tourist areas and on public transport. - Avoid letting others see where you keep your money - be as inconspicuous as possible when paying for things. - Keep all valuables on your person and close to you at all times, preferably in front of your body. Wear your backpack under your arm rather than on your back. - If you must carry a purse or bag, choose one that you can carry across your chest. - Store money and credit cards in a money belt around your waist or neck. - Place the strap of a purse or backpack under your chair leg to deter pickpockets while you are seated at a restaurant. Never leave a bag hanging on back of your chair. - Leave anything you don't need (ie. passports, tickets) locked in your hotel safe. Take only one credit card and a small amount of cash out each day.
About TripAdvisor Media Network
TripAdvisor(R) is the world's largest travel site, enabling travellers to
plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real
travellers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features
(including Flights search, TripAdvisor Mobile and TripAdvisor Trip Friends)
with seamless links to booking tools.
TripAdvisor(R) Media Group, operated by TripAdvisor LLC, attracts more
than 55 million monthly visitors* across 18 popular travel brands:
www.tripadvisor.com, www.airfarewatchdog.com,
www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com,
www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com,
www.frequentflier.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk,
www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com,
www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com,
www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com,
www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com and
www.kuxun.cn. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel
community in the world, with more than 40 million unique monthly visitors*,
20 million members, and over 35 million reviews and opinions. The sites
operate in 21 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com
(www.daodao.com). TripAdvisor also operates TripAdvisor for Business,
a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to
TripAdvisor's millions of monthly visitors. The division includes Business
Listings, which allows hoteliers to connect directly to millions of
researching travelers, and Vacation Rentals, which helps property managers
and individual home owners list their properties and showcase hotel
alternatives.
TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Group are
operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).
TripAdvisor and TripAdvisor.com are trademarks or registered trademarks
of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product
and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective
owners.
(c)2010 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide, July 2010
For further information please contact: Emma O'Boyle, TripAdvisor, +44(0)20-3320-3210 / +44(0)777-926-2423 / eoboyle at tripadvisor.com
Tags: Europe, London, September 15, TripAdvisor