(Lebanon, NH – May 6, 2026) Luxury and adventure travel are surging in popularity and new findings from the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey show how travelers are redefining what those experiences mean today. The survey data reveal how travelers themselves define luxury and adventure travel and what they believe would meaningfully improve business travel, against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving global travel landscape.

Luxury travel is one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry, driven by affluent consumers prioritizing personalized, experiential journeys over traditional displays of opulence. That shift is clearly reflected in the survey data. Nearly 40% of respondents define luxury travel as upgrading every aspect of the journey, making it the most common interpretation by a wide margin. About 20% say luxury means traveling less often but exceptionally well, reinforcing a deliberate, quality-first approach to travel.

Privacy and discretion rank next at roughly 14%, while about 10% associate luxury with replacing sightseeing with exclusive access or integrating wellness without sacrificing indulgence. These findings align with broader industry trends toward deeper, more meaningful experiences, as well as growing interest in premium rail, private aviation and highly curated itineraries.

“Luxury travel is no longer about excess for its own sake,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the US Department of Commerce. “Today’s luxury traveler expects seamless execution, personalization and confidence that every detail, from transportation to medical and security support, has been accounted for.”

Adventure travel is also trending upward, with strong revenue growth and continued market expansion as demand stabilizes at pre-2020 levels. About 35% of respondents say adventure travel means going somewhere truly remote, making it the leading definition overall. Roughly 17% define adventure as pushing a personal physical or mental limit, while about 16% associate it with upgrading to semi-independent adventure travel.

Men are more likely than women to define adventure in terms of remoteness, while women more often associate it with personal challenge. Travelers outside of the US (24%) are significantly more likely to define adventure as pushing personal limits, compared with roughly 16% of US-based respondents. US travelers place greater emphasis on remote destinations supported by professional infrastructure.

“Modern adventure travelers want meaningful challenge and access to extraordinary places, but not unnecessary risk,” Richards said. “They are choosing capability, preparation and contingency over bravado.”

Business travel remains in a state of transition, while generally trending upward and surpassing pre-pandemic spending levels in nominal terms. Nearly 30% of respondents say combining business travel with personal time would be the most meaningful improvement, underscoring the continued rise of bleisure travel. About a fifth of respondents (20%) want business travel optimized for productivity and efficiency. The majority (33%) say no changes in business travel are needed, suggesting a broad acceptance of current practices or travel fatigue after years of disruption.

“Business travel is still recovering, but it is also evolving,” Richards said. “Travelers want trips to be purposeful, efficient and flexible with the option to add personal value when appropriate. The emphasis is on intention, not volume.”

Taken together, the findings suggest that across luxury, adventure and business travel, travelers are prioritizing optimization, reliability and meaningful experiences. As travel markets continue to grow and normalize, expectations for preparedness, support and seamless execution are becoming central to how travelers define value.

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About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 1,400 current and former members between January 13 – 17, 2026. Respondents shared their attitudes, behaviors and preferences related to travel safety, technology and global mobility.

About Global Rescue

Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue maintains exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. The company has provided medical and security support during every major global crisis over the past two decades.