Article Highlights:

  • Visiting new countries or regions is the top 2026 travel resolution, driven by a global appetite for exploration.
  • Women and non-US travelers lead interest in discovering lesser-known destinations and hidden-season travel.
  • US travelers prioritize traveling more frequently rather than focusing solely on new destinations.
  • Off-peak travel is increasingly popular but introduces new safety and infrastructure considerations.
  • Growing global mobility heightens the need for destination-specific risk awareness and preparedness.

 

 

International travelers are setting ambitious new year resolutions that reflect a renewed appetite for exploration, global mobility and meaningful travel experiences. But unlike pre-pandemic travel booms driven largely by convenience and familiarity, today’s resolutions are shaped by a more complex global environment, one that blends opportunity with heightened awareness of travel safety, infrastructure limitations and geopolitical uncertainty.

New data from the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey reveals a clear picture: travelers are eager to go farther, explore more deeply and venture beyond traditional tourism corridors. At the same time, they recognize that international travel now requires more preparation, smarter decision-making and stronger safety nets than ever before.

 

Exploring Somewhere New Tops 2026 Travel Resolutions

Visiting a new country, destination or continent is the top travel resolution for 2026, according to the survey, signaling a strong appetite for exploration and global mobility despite ongoing uncertainty in the travel environment.

Overall, 41% of respondents say their most important 2026 travel resolution is to visit someplace new. This desire for discovery is especially pronounced among women, with 46% ranking new destinations as their top priority compared to 40% of men. The divide becomes even more striking when viewed geographically: 54% of non-US travelers prioritize visiting new destinations, compared to just 38% of US travelers.

These findings underscore a shift in how travelers define value in international travel. Rather than returning repeatedly to familiar destinations, many are seeking cultural novelty, personal growth and experiences that feel distinct from mass tourism.

“Travelers are clearly prioritizing discovery in 2026,” 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. “Whether it’s a first-time destination or an entirely new region, that sense of exploration comes with added complexity , and it reinforces why medical, security and evacuation preparedness remain essential.”

 

US Travelers Aim To Travel More Often, Not Just Farther

While global exploration dominates overall resolutions, US travelers stand apart in one important way. Rather than focusing primarily on new destinations, US respondents are more likely to prioritize increasing the frequency of travel. Twenty-one percent of US travelers say their top new year resolution is to “travel more,” compared to 15% of non-US travelers.

This difference likely reflects structural realities such as limited vacation time, long international flight distances and higher costs associated with overseas travel from the United States. For many Americans, traveling more often, whether through shorter international trips or more frequent regional travel, feels more attainable than constantly adding new countries to their itinerary.

Even increased frequency introduces cumulative risk, however. More trips mean more border crossings, more exposure to unfamiliar healthcare systems and more opportunities for disruptions ranging from weather events to labor strikes or political unrest. Travel safety planning, therefore, becomes a recurring necessity rather than a one-time consideration.

 

Off-Peak and Hidden-Season Travel Becomes the New Normal

Another defining trend shaping travelers’ 2026 international travel resolutions is when people choose to travel. While most respondents say they expect to travel internationally during off-peak or “hidden” seasons about the same as before, a meaningful 34% say they are more likely to do so in 2026.

Women are leading this shift, with 39% saying they are more inclined toward off-peak travel compared to 33% of men. Non-US travelers show even greater confidence in hidden-season travel, while US travelers express more hesitation: 10% of Americans say they are less likely to travel off-peak, compared to just 1% of non-US respondents.

“Hidden-season travel offers fewer crowds and often better value, but it can also mean limited infrastructure and reduced local services,” Richards said. “Travelers need to balance opportunity with risk awareness.”

Off-peak travel can affect everything from flight availability and road access to hospital staffing and emergency response times. In destinations with developing infrastructure, these seasonal fluctuations can significantly impact traveler safety and access to care.

 

Lesser-Known Destinations Gain Strong Preference

Destination choice further highlights how international travel is evolving in 2026. More than half of all respondents, 52%, say they prefer lesser-known international destinations with fewer crowds. Only 12% favor well-known destinations with established tourism infrastructure, while 27% report no strong preference.

Women overwhelmingly favor lesser-known destinations, with 63% selecting this option compared to 49% of men. Non-US travelers, at 55%, also show a stronger preference for emerging or less crowded destinations than US travelers, at 52%.

This trend reflects growing traveler confidence and curiosity, but it also raises important considerations around travel safety. Lesser-known destinations often lack the redundancy of transportation, healthcare and security resources found in major tourism hubs.

“Travelers are pushing beyond traditional hotspots,” Richards said. “That trend increases the importance of having rapid access to medical care, evacuation services and real-time security intelligence, especially in destinations where resources may be limited.”

 

Exploration in 2026 Is Paired With Risk Awareness

What distinguishes 2026 travel resolutions from those of past decades is not just ambition, but awareness. Today’s travelers understand that global mobility comes with layered risks, health, security, political and environmental. As travelers venture farther off the beaten path and into less predictable seasons, the margin for error narrows.

International travel safety is no longer just about insurance coverage or emergency contact numbers. It involves proactive intelligence, destination-specific risk assessments and the ability to respond quickly when local systems fall short. This reality is shaping how travelers plan, what services they value and which partners they trust.

 

The Global Rescue Connection

As travelers pursue ambitious new year resolutions in 2026, whether visiting new countries, exploring lesser-known destinations or traveling during off-peak seasons, the importance of comprehensive traveler safety support becomes clear.

A Global Rescue membership provides critical services that extend far beyond traditional travel insurance. Members gain access to medical evacuation, field rescue, security extraction and 24/7 medical and security advisory services. These capabilities are especially valuable when traveling to emerging destinations where local infrastructure may be limited or unreliable.

Equally important are Global Rescue’s Destination Reports, which offer in-depth intelligence on medical facilities, security conditions, transportation reliability and regional risks for new destinations worldwide. For travelers embracing global mobility and exploration in 2026, these insights enable smarter decisions before departure, and faster responses when conditions change.

In an era where international travel rewards curiosity but demands preparation, Global Rescue helps ensure that bold travel resolutions are matched with the confidence, protection and expertise needed to travel well.