(Lebanon, NH – June 8, 2026) — International travel remains resilient in 2026, but a new Global Rescue survey reveals a widening divide in how different groups perceive risk, plan trips and respond to global instability.

According to the Spring 2026 Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey of more than 1,100 experienced travelers, 70% say they are continuing to travel internationally as planned. However, that topline stability masks a more nuanced reality: 16% of travelers are taking a wait-and-see approach, 9% are shifting to domestic travel and 5% are not traveling at all.

“Travelers are still going abroad, but they’re not thinking about travel the same way,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies. “Underneath strong demand, there are clear differences in confidence, risk tolerance and decision-making across demographics.”

Geopolitical instability has emerged as the dominant factor influencing travel hesitation, cited by 37% of respondents who are avoiding or delaying international trips. That concern is significantly more pronounced among women, with 47% identifying geopolitical instability as their primary issue compared to 35% of men. Non-US-based respondents also report higher concern at 42%, compared to 39% among US-based respondents. Cost, often assumed to be the leading barrier, trails far behind at 15% overall, though it rises sharply to 23% among non-US-based respondents versus just 12% for US-based respondents, highlighting a clear economic divide in travel decision-making.

The data also reveals distinct behavioral differences between men and women. While both groups are traveling internationally at similar rates, roughly 73%, their forward-looking attitudes diverge. Men are more likely to express uncertainty about future travel, with 28% saying they are unsure about returning to international travel within the next 12 months, compared to just 14% of women. Women, by contrast, appear more decisive but also more conditional, with 15% saying their return to travel depends on evolving circumstances, versus only 3% of men. This suggests that while women may be more attuned to geopolitical risk, they are also more deliberate in how they factor it into decision-making.

Differences between US-based and non-US-based respondents are equally pronounced. Non-US-based respondents demonstrate stronger intent to resume global travel, with 44% saying they are very likely to take international trips within the next year, compared to 37% of US-based respondents. US-based respondents, on the other hand, show greater hesitation, with 25% reporting uncertainty versus 16% among non-US-based respondents. US-based travelers are also more likely to substitute international trips with domestic travel, reinforcing the role of domestic options as a fallback strategy in the American market.

Despite these differences, overall travel behavior remains largely stable. Nearly 58% of respondents say their travel habits have not changed compared to previous years, while 9% report traveling more. Still, 14% say they are traveling less internationally but continuing domestic trips, and another 14% report traveling less overall. Here again, geographic differences emerge: non-US-based respondents are more likely to reduce travel overall, at 17% compared to 12% of US-based respondents, while US-based respondents are more inclined to shift toward domestic travel.

Encouragingly, 63% of respondents say they are very or somewhat likely to return to international travel within the next 12 months. “The survey makes clear that confidence is no longer uniform,” Richards said. “Instead, it is shaped by a combination of geopolitical awareness, economic pressures and individual risk tolerance, with meaningful differences across gender and geography.”

“International travel demand is intact, but it’s more conditional than it was in the past,” he added. “Travelers are making more informed, more deliberate decisions, and those decisions vary significantly depending on who they are and where they’re based.”

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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 1,200 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.