(Lebanon, NH – August 11, 2026) — Artificial intelligence (AI) use among experienced international travelers for trip planning has increased 64% in just six months, while resistance to the technology continues to soften, according to the latest Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.

Since January 2026, the percentage of experienced international travelers using AI to help plan international trips has risen from 22% to 36%, a 14 percentage-point increase, representing 64% growth in traveler adoption. During the same period, the share of travelers unwilling to use AI declined by 12%, falling from 40% in January to 35% today, while many previously undecided travelers have begun experimenting with the technology.

Today, 36% of experienced international travelers report using AI to help plan international trips, including 14% who use it frequently, 11% occasionally and 11% once or twice. Another 29% have not yet used AI but are interested, while 35% remain uninterested.

“Experienced travelers are becoming more comfortable with AI, but they’re embracing it on their own terms,” 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. “Over the past six months we’ve seen a significant shift from curiosity to adoption. Travelers increasingly trust AI to research destinations, compare options and build itineraries, but they still want to make the important decisions themselves.”

AI adoption varies significantly between US-based and non-US-based travelers.

Among US-based travelers, 33% have used AI to plan an international trip, while 31% are interested but have not yet tried it and 36% remain uninterested.

Non-US-based travelers are adopting AI much more rapidly. Nearly 48% have already used AI for trip planning, compared with 19% who are interested but have not yet used it and 32% who are not interested.

“The adoption gap is striking,” Richards said. “Experienced travelers outside the United States are leading AI adoption, particularly for information-intensive tasks such as destination research, itinerary development and navigating international entry requirements.”

Travelers overwhelmingly use AI as a planning and research tool rather than an automated booking agent. The most common application is destination research (30%), followed by building itineraries (22%), flight or hotel recommendations (19%), visa and entry requirement research (18%) and transportation planning (14%). Additional uses include restaurant recommendations (11%), translation assistance (10%) and travel budgeting (3%).

Non-US-based travelers consistently report greater AI use across nearly every planning function. They are more likely than US-based travelers to use AI for destination research (37% versus 27%), building itineraries (28% versus 21%), flight or hotel recommendations (26% versus 17%), translation assistance (15% versus 8%) and visa or entry requirement research (23% versus 17%).

When asked which AI capability would be most valuable during an international trip, respondents again favored information-driven assistance over automation. The most valuable AI feature is destination research (18%), followed by building itineraries (16%), translation assistance (10%), visa and entry requirement research (7%) and flight or hotel recommendations (5%). Even so, 26% say they still would not use AI for travel, underscoring that many experienced travelers remain cautious about relying on artificial intelligence.

“The evolution over the past six months has been remarkable but the story isn’t that AI is replacing travel advisors or traveler judgment,” Richards said. “It’s becoming another indispensable planning tool. Experienced travelers are finding it useful for research and planning while recognizing that international travel often requires experience, context and human judgment that technology alone cannot provide.”

“AI is becoming another valuable tool in the travel planning process,” Richards added. “But when conditions change unexpectedly due to severe weather, geopolitical tensions or infrastructure collapse, experienced travelers still rely on professional advice, real-time intelligence and expert human support to make the right decisions.”

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About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed the world’s most experienced international travelers between June 30 – July 6, 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.