(Lebanon, N.H. – November 13, 2023) The world’s most experienced travelers revealed diverse behaviors when it comes to technology designed to improve airport check-ins, security processing and obtaining COVID-19 booster vaccinations, according to the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.

More than half (58%) of survey respondents have already received an updated COVID-19 vaccination or plan to get one, which is consistent with the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization. However, almost a third (29%) of respondents haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccination booster and do not plan to in the future. The remaining respondents (13%) are uncertain whether they will get a booster shot or not.

Vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers are equally as likely to travel internationally and domestically during the holidays between November 2023 and January 2024, according to the survey. “Travelers feel safe planning and taking trips and vacations regardless of their vaccination status,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies, the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services, and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce. “Confidence in institutions recommending the vaccine and boosters has declined dramatically. We expect vaccine booster acceptance to continue to fall among travelers,” Richards said.

The U.S. Government has discontinued issuing new proof of COVID-19 vaccination cards. A few countries still require unvaccinated travelers to present negative COVID test results before entry, but most are designated by the U.S. Department of State as Level 4 – Do Not Travel regions, including Libya, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Central African Republic.

The threat of other diseases also isn’t appearing to impact traveler behavior. When the Nipah virus, which has a fatality rate between 40% and 75% according to the CDC, broke out in India almost no survey respondents reported delaying, postponing or canceling a trip to the country or anywhere else.

Air travel in 2023 is predicted to be up by nearly a third (29%) compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report by Statista, and international travel may close out the year up by as much as 50%, according to the International Air Transport Association.

To help ease crowding and accelerate traveler processing, the U.S. TSA introduced the Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) system in 2019. More than two thousand CAT systems have been installed in more than 200 airports. Based on survey results, travelers have mixed reports about the system.

Nearly seven-out-of-10 respondents (69%) have not used the TSA Credential Authentication Technology, a fourth (23%) do not know if they have used it, and less than a tenth (8%) said they have used the system. Of those who used the system, about half (49%) said it sped up the security clearance process, 40% didn’t notice a difference, and the rest reported it took as long or longer than the previous system.

Installation of travel hub kiosks at airports and other transportation centers is designed to move travelers through the check-in and ticketing process faster. More than half of respondents (53%) have used the kiosks but nearly as many (47%) have not. Most (61%) said the kiosks sped up the check-in process, but 18% reported they would prefer to check in with a live agent. A minority (3%) said the kiosks were too complicated.

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Contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or 202.560.1195 (phone/text) for more information.

About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 2,300 of its current and former members from October 5-12, 2023. The respondents revealed a variety of behaviors, attitudes and preferences regarding current and future travel.

About Global Rescue

The Global Rescue Companies are the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Global Rescue has provided medical and security support to its clients, including Fortune 500 companies, governments and academic institutions, during every globally significant crisis of the last two decades. For more information, visit www.globalrescue.com.