(Lebanon, NH – June 22, 2026) – Civilian trips to the moon may represent the most compelling vision of the future of extreme travel, especially following the successful Artemis mission, but such adventures remain a niche interest among travelers. According to new data from the Global Rescue Spring 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, lunar surface tourism ranks as the most appealing currently unavailable extreme travel experience, attracting just over 9% of respondents.

That modest level of interest underscores a broader reality: even the most ambitious and high-profile future travel concepts fail to generate widespread demand. Following lunar tourism, under-ice Arctic and Antarctic submersible expeditions rank second at 6%, alongside similar levels of interest in orbital hotels and stratospheric balloon voyages.

“Even the most imaginative and technologically advanced travel experiences are struggling to break beyond niche appeal,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies. “There’s curiosity, but not commitment.”

Despite these high-profile and often futuristic experiences, the dominant response is disinterest. Nearly two-thirds of travelers (63%) say they are not interested in any currently unavailable extreme travel experiences, reinforcing that these offerings remain niche rather than broadly appealing.

When looking at currently available extreme travel, interest improves slightly, but reluctance still dominates. Antarctic expedition trekking stands out as the clear leader, drawing 20% overall. Arctic polar bear trekking follows at 13% with Mount Everest climbing attracting limited interest overall (5%). Nearly half of travelers (45%) say they are not interested in any existing extreme experiences including running with the bulls of Pamplona, swimming with Great White Sharks, BASE Jumping and volcano boarding.

Among travelers aged 44 and younger, interest in extreme travel is notably higher—though still far from universal. For currently available experiences, Antarctic expedition trekking leads decisively at 29%, followed by Arctic polar bear trekking (19%) and climbing Mount Everest (12%). Notably, fewer younger travelers opt out entirely (23%) compared to the broader population, indicating a greater willingness to engage in physically demanding, remote adventures.

Interest in future extreme travel is even more pronounced among this younger cohort. Lunar tourism ranks as the top choice at nearly 20%, more than double the level seen in the overall survey, followed by volcano interior exploration (14%) and a range of emerging concepts including orbital hotels, deep-sea trench dives and stratospheric balloon voyages (each around 10%).

However, even among younger travelers, limits are clear. More than a quarter (27%) still say they are not interested in any currently unavailable extreme travel experiences, and the most extreme concepts, such as a one-way trip to Mars, attract minimal interest (2%).

Taken together, the data highlights a fundamental disconnect between the rapid expansion of extreme travel possibilities and the relatively narrow audience willing to pursue them.

“The industry is pushing boundaries, from space to the deep ocean, but most travelers are not following,” Richards said. “Extreme travel, whether available today or envisioned for the future, remains a niche market driven by a small subset of highly motivated individuals.”

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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 1,100 current and former members between April 7–13, 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.