TripAdvisor Reveals World's Worst Pickpocket Destinations

LONDON, September 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

- Beware in Barcelona and Look Out in London

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: http://www.tripadvisor.com, http://www.airfarewatchdog.com, http://www.bookingbuddy.com, http://www.cruisecritic.com, http://www.familyvacationcritic.com, http://www.flipkey.com, http://www.frequentflier.com, http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk, http://www.holidaywatchdog.com, http://www.independenttraveler.com, http://www.onetime.com, http://www.seatguru.com, http://www.sniqueaway.com, http://www.smartertravel.com, http://www.travel-library.com, http://www.travelpod.com, http://www.virtualtourist.com and http://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 (http://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

SOURCE TripAdvisor