New Tool Tracks Visited Countries in Traveler Survey

A new interactive online tool allows travelers to gauge how much of the world they have explored by selecting countries they have visited, calculating the percentage of the planet covered and the number of continents touched. The tool also compares users' statistics to those of other travelers and visualizes their global footprint on a interactive globe.

The tool accompanies a survey of 2,000 travelers conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Staysure, a travel insurance provider specializing in policies for people with health conditions. The research found that 43 percent of respondents enjoy comparing the number of countries they have visited with others, often to impress with their sense of worldliness and adventure or to suggest greater wealth. Four in 10 adults admitted to name-dropping destinations to keep up with peers.

Among those who discuss their travels, 44 percent casually bring up the topic during holiday conversations, while 38 percent seize opportunities to mention a visited nation when others reference one. The survey revealed that 34 percent view their list of countries as a badge of honor, and one in five feel quietly superior to those with fewer destinations under...