Whether you keep your holidays simple with a relaxing getaway by the beach, or you seek an adrenaline rush while travelling, travel insurance is essential to keep you covered while abroad. But no matter which kind of traveller you are, there’s no denying that travel of any kind broadens the mind, with exposure to new cultures and cuisines being a wonderful way to give you a new perspective on life.
Some people are more daring travellers than others though, whether they’re visiting far-flung lesser-known destinations, swimming with sharks, or eating scorpions! With this in mind, we wanted to find out which nations consider themselves the most ‘adventurous’, by asking over 3,000 participants from around the world questions from the ‘openness to experience’ section of the Big 5 Personality Test.
What is the Big 5 Personality Test?
The Big 5 Personality Test is based on a psychological model that describes five key personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (Workman & Reader, 2015). The questions in our study are based solely on the ‘openness to experience’ aspect of the personality test, as being more open is linked to a willingness to try new things, like foods or hobbies, as well as being more likely to seek out a variety of experiences, and feel more comfortable with the unfamiliar, for example travelling to a destination they’ve never been to before.
The participants in our study were asked questions to gauge how open they were to new experiences, for example, whether trying something unfamiliar is exciting for them, whether they spend time learning about unfamiliar topics, and how much they enjoy straying from the same routine. Respondents were asked to state how strongly (or not) they agreed with each statement.
The higher a participant’s score, the more adventurous they are deemed to be. People who score highly on the test are generally more curious about their surroundings and tend to enjoy travelling and learning new things. Participant scores from countries around the world were averaged to reveal the nationalities with the most adventurous travellers.
Which Nationalities Are the Most Adventurous?
Europe dominates the list of the top 10 most adventurous nationalities, with seven of the 10 hailing from the continent. The close proximity of European countries to one another, coupled with the ease of travel to and from other countries in the EU, likely contributes to this openness to new experiences and cultures that citizens across the continent exhibit.
The 15 Most Adventurous Nationalities
| Ranking | Country | Continent | Average ‘Adventurous’ Score (out of 40) |
| 1 | South Africa | Africa | 36.50 |
| 2 | France | Europe | 35.19 |
| 3 | Mexico | North America | 34.99 |
| 4 | Greece | Europe | 33.98 |
| 5 | USA | North America | 33.56 |
| 6 | Portugal | Europe | 33.43 |
| 7 | Italy | Europe | 33.26 |
| 8 | Belgium | Europe | 33.12 |
| 9 | Germany | Europe | 33.10 |
| 10 | UK | Europe | 33.01 |
| 11 | Australia | Oceania | 32.99 |
| 12 | Poland | Europe | 32.96 |
| 13 | Canada | North America | 32.89 |
| 14 | Ireland | Europe | 32.17 |
| 15 | New Zealand | Oceania | 32.05 |
1. South Africa – ‘Adventurous’ score of 36.5
Scoring an impressive 36.5 out of 40, it’s no surprise that South Africa – a country famous for shark cage diving, bungee jumping at Bloukrans Bridge, and safari adventures – tops our list of adventurous nationalities, with an average of 350,000 South Africans jetting off abroad every month. Compared to all the other nationalities of people participating in the study, people living in South Africa were revealed to be the most likely to push their boundaries and seek out unique activities when visiting other countries, crowning them as the most adventurous nationality.
2. France – ‘Adventurous’ score of 35.19
With a score of 35.19, France ranks as the second most daring nation. The study’s French participants not only scored incredibly highly in the ‘Openness to experience’ personality test, but also came out as one of the nations with the highest percentage of people who have taken part in an adrenaline-filled activity (86% of French participants claimed to have tried daring activities such as skiing, shark diving or paragliding).
From scaling the Alps to navigating the remote corners of Corsica, people living in France have an abundance of opportunity to develop a taste for adventure within their own borders, which could be contributing to their sense of adventure abroad and a willingness to try something new.
3. Mexico – ‘Adventurous’ score of 34.99
Study participants from Mexico had an overall score of 34.99 – showing that they are more willing and open to new experiences, have a strong appetite for adventure and are comfortable with uncertainty.
From the ancient practice of a temazcal (a traditional sweat lodge ceremony) to swimming in cenotes, there are plenty of experiences intrepid minds to try within Mexico, and the country’s incredible beaches, jungles, canyons and mountains can certainly help foster an incredible sense of adventure.
4. Greece – ‘Adventurous’ score 33.98
In fourth place with a score of 33.98, participants from Greece showed a remarkable willingness to embrace new experiences. With the country enjoying simple access to multiple destinations in Europe, travellers from Greece can easily satisfy any urges to try something new by visiting either their celebrated islands or venturing to Italy, Malta or further afield. Greece’s opportunities for hiking, sailing and historical discovery could all be contributing factors to the nation’s high position in the adventurous rankings.
5. USA – ‘Adventurous’ score of 33.56
Rounding out our top five most adventurous nations is the United States of America, with a score of 33.56. American travellers often embrace challenging experiences, frequently seeking out travel that introduces them to something new – in fact, US citizens have been noted in the past as one of the nations who travel the most.
With such a large and diverse landscape within their own country, American citizens are surrounded by plenty of different cultures and habits within home-grounds, and the nation’s emphasis on individuality and finding your own stride certainly seems to go a long way when it comes to developing an attitude of openness to new and different experiences.
6. Portugal – ‘Adventurous’ score of 33.43
Portugal ranks sixth with a score of 33.43, with the study’s Portuguese participants showing a willingness to step outside of comfort zones, embrace unfamiliar situations and seek out novel experiences – all crucial traits for bold travellers. Home to some of the world’s best and biggest waves, which attract surfers from all over the world, as well as both rugged coastline and beautiful mountainous regions which allow for world class hiking, paragliding and climbing – it’s no surprise that Portuguese travellers are some of the most open to adventure.
7. Italy – ‘Adventurous’ score of 33.26
In seventh place, Italian travellers show a strong spirit of adventure, with 33.26 points out of a possible 40. Their willingness to engage with unfamiliar customs and learn about new topics earns them top marks, translating into being naturally adventurous globetrotters. Not to mention their iconic love for food boosts their curiosity for international cuisine.
8. Belgium – ‘Adventurous’ score of 33.12
In the centre of Europe, Belgium’s location offers easy access to plenty of European destinations, making frequent travel far more accessible than it is for many other nationalities. It’s hardly surprising then that Belgian participants scored a strong 33.12, placing them eighth in our adventurous rankings. Despite their country’s relatively small size, Belgium’s citizens want to explore far and wide, being open to new experiences and discovering new cultures.
9. Germany – ‘Adventurous’ score of 33.1
German participants in the study scored 33.1, making them the ninth most adventurous nation on the list. German citizens consistently top the rankings when it comes to international travel statistics, and the nation’s love for outdoor sports such as skiing and hiking also seems to help foster their love of exploring.
10. UK – ‘Adventurous’ score of 33.01
Completing our top 10 are British travellers with a score of 33.01. Despite their reputation for seeking home comforts abroad, our study reveals that UK citizens have a surprisingly strong appetite for adventure. From the Scottish Cairngorms to the picturesque Cotswolds, Brits have a strong tradition of heading outdoors, no matter the weather, and land themselves firmly in our top 10 most adventurous nationalities.
Whilst our personality study was designed to reveal which nations are the most open to new experiences, we also asked participants if they’d ever taken part in any more daring activities, at home or abroad, to find out which nationalities are most likely to seek out an adrenaline rush while travelling.
Top 10 Adrenaline-Seeking Nations
| Rank | Country | Continent | % who say they’ve participated in adventurous activities |
| 1 | Belgium | Europe | 95% |
| 2 | New Zealand | Oceania | 94% |
| 3 | Canada | North America | 87% |
| 4 | France | Europe | 86% |
| =5 | Germany | Europe | 85% |
| =5 | Australia | Oceania | 85% |
| 7 | Ireland | Europe | 83% |
| 8 | Poland | Europe | 82% |
| 9 | South Africa | Africa | 79% |
| 10 | UK | Europe | 77% |
In first place, and home to the nationality most likely to take part in an activity that fills them with adrenaline, is Belgium – with 95% saying they’ve done some kind of adventure activity in the past. Not only does the country have long-standing traditions of outdoor sports, from biking to hiking, neighbouring countries like Germany and the Netherlands also offer plenty of opportunities for thrilling extreme sports, offering no end of exploring opportunities for Belgians.
Following closely behind is New Zealand at 94%. New Zealanders ranked in 15th spot when it comes to being open to new experiences, which could be due to the geography of the oceanic country making it harder for citizens to travel abroad compared to Europeans (who topped the rankings), however they certainly are one of the most eager when it comes to adrenaline-fuelled activities. Perhaps no surprise with popular tourist favourite Queenstown often referred to as the adrenaline capital of the world!
Canada ranks third, with 87% of travellers admitting to taking part in adventure activities in the past. While Canadians scored at the lower end of our study on openness to new experiences, they’re clearly eager to embrace adrenaline-pumping activities like skiing, snowboarding or even hot air ballooning.
The top five is completed by France, and Germany and Australia who tie for fifth place among the most thrill-seeking nationalities.
Whether you’re planning to lounge by a pool, or have fun on the slopes, travel insurance is essential to cover unexpected events when you are away. Read more here about the kind of insurance policy you need if you’re planning to include any adventure activities in your next trip.
Methodology:
Using Prolific, we tested 3,086 participants from countries around the world on the ‘openness’ trait of the Big 5 Personality Test, a globally recognised and standardised personality test. We used a simplified version of the ‘openness to experience’ section of the Big 5 Personality Test to score participants, asking them questions that gave them a score of between 1 and 40 as to how much of a risk-taker they are as travellers.
The higher respondents scored on the test, the more daring they were classified. We then calculated the average score of people in each country to ascertain an average ‘adventurous’ score for each nation.
All data is correct as of October 2024.
Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/tests/personality/openness-to-experience
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)