NEWS

(Lebanon, NH – May 11, 2026) — Flight cancelations and geopolitical instability have reached near parity as the two most important factors shaping international travel decisions in 2026, according to new Global Rescue survey data. The findings show that travelers are weighing air travel reliability and global risk almost equally, while rising travel costs play a more segmented role depending on the traveler.

According to the Spring 2026 Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, 79% of travelers rate flight cancellations and airline reliability as important or very important, compared to 77% for geopolitical instability, a narrow gap that underscores how closely aligned these concerns have become.

“Travelers are telling us that what disrupts their trip is just as important as what threatens it,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies. “Airline reliability has narrowly overtaken geopolitical instability as the top concern for most travelers, signaling a shift toward practical, experience-driven risk assessment. At the same time, geopolitical instability remains nearly as influential, which shows travelers are balancing both disruption and danger in their decision-making.”

This convergence holds across all segments, with only marginal differences between groups. Among women, 85% rate geopolitical instability as important or very important, nearly identical to the 84% who say the same about flight cancellations. Among men, airline reliability holds a modest edge, with 75% prioritizing it compared to 70% for geopolitical instability, but both factors remain clearly top-tier concerns.

A similar pattern appears geographically, where differences are also minimal. Among US-based respondents, 79% rate airline reliability as important or very important compared to 75% for geopolitical instability. Among non-US-based respondents, the ranking is essentially reversed, with 76% prioritizing geopolitical instability and 75% flight cancellations—effectively demonstrating that both issues carry nearly equal weight regardless of location.

Beyond these two leading concerns, the survey reveals a second tier of factors that influence travel decisions differently depending on the audience. Cost pressures remain significant but clearly secondary, with 57% of travelers overall rating rising airfare as important or very important. That figure climbs to 61% among non-US-based respondents, compared to 52% among US-based respondents, indicating stronger economic sensitivity outside the United States.

Anti-American sentiment abroad falls into a more polarized category. Overall, 50% of travelers rate it as important or very important, but this masks a sharp geographic divide. Among US-based respondents, 58% consider it important or very important, reflecting heightened awareness of how Americans may be perceived overseas. In contrast, just 28% of non-US-based respondents assign it the same level of importance, with a majority placing it in lower-importance categories.

Gender differences also emerge on this issue, though less dramatically than with geopolitical risk. 56% of women rate anti-American sentiment as important or very important compared to 49% of men, suggesting women again exhibit greater sensitivity to perception-based and situational risks.

Taken together, the data shows that international travel planning in 2026 is no longer driven by a single dominant concern but by a combination of equally weighted risks. Operational reliability and geopolitical instability form the core of this framework, while cost and perception-based factors exert more targeted influence depending on who the traveler is.

“The modern traveler is balancing multiple variables simultaneously,” Richards said. “What’s changed is not just what they worry about, but how much weight they assign to each factor—and that balance varies significantly across different groups.”

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.

(Lebanon, NH – May 6, 2026) Luxury and adventure travel are surging in popularity and new findings from the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey show how travelers are redefining what those experiences mean today. The survey data reveal how travelers themselves define luxury and adventure travel and what they believe would meaningfully improve business travel, against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving global travel landscape.

Luxury travel is one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry, driven by affluent consumers prioritizing personalized, experiential journeys over traditional displays of opulence. That shift is clearly reflected in the survey data. Nearly 40% of respondents define luxury travel as upgrading every aspect of the journey, making it the most common interpretation by a wide margin. About 20% say luxury means traveling less often but exceptionally well, reinforcing a deliberate, quality-first approach to travel.

Privacy and discretion rank next at roughly 14%, while about 10% associate luxury with replacing sightseeing with exclusive access or integrating wellness without sacrificing indulgence. These findings align with broader industry trends toward deeper, more meaningful experiences, as well as growing interest in premium rail, private aviation and highly curated itineraries.

“Luxury travel is no longer about excess for its own sake,” 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. “Today’s luxury traveler expects seamless execution, personalization and confidence that every detail, from transportation to medical and security support, has been accounted for.”

Adventure travel is also trending upward, with strong revenue growth and continued market expansion as demand stabilizes at pre-2020 levels. About 35% of respondents say adventure travel means going somewhere truly remote, making it the leading definition overall. Roughly 17% define adventure as pushing a personal physical or mental limit, while about 16% associate it with upgrading to semi-independent adventure travel.

Men are more likely than women to define adventure in terms of remoteness, while women more often associate it with personal challenge. Travelers outside of the US (24%) are significantly more likely to define adventure as pushing personal limits, compared with roughly 16% of US-based respondents. US travelers place greater emphasis on remote destinations supported by professional infrastructure.

“Modern adventure travelers want meaningful challenge and access to extraordinary places, but not unnecessary risk,” Richards said. “They are choosing capability, preparation and contingency over bravado.”

Business travel remains in a state of transition, while generally trending upward and surpassing pre-pandemic spending levels in nominal terms. Nearly 30% of respondents say combining business travel with personal time would be the most meaningful improvement, underscoring the continued rise of bleisure travel. About a fifth of respondents (20%) want business travel optimized for productivity and efficiency. The majority (33%) say no changes in business travel are needed, suggesting a broad acceptance of current practices or travel fatigue after years of disruption.

“Business travel is still recovering, but it is also evolving,” Richards said. “Travelers want trips to be purposeful, efficient and flexible with the option to add personal value when appropriate. The emphasis is on intention, not volume.”

Taken together, the findings suggest that across luxury, adventure and business travel, travelers are prioritizing optimization, reliability and meaningful experiences. As travel markets continue to grow and normalize, expectations for preparedness, support and seamless execution are becoming central to how travelers define value.

About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 1,400 current and former members between January 13 - 17, 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.

(Lebanon, N.H – May 4, 2026) – Most travelers are not discouraged by new or higher travel fees planned for 2026, but significant gaps remain in awareness of the European Union’s upcoming ETIAS entry requirement, according to the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.

ETIAS requires travelers to complete an online application and pay a €20 fee (about $22 USD) before entering Europe for short stays. It applies to citizens of visa-exempt countries (including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia) traveling to the Schengen Area, with rollout expected in late 2026.

Overall, awareness of ETIAS is mixed. Nearly three in ten travelers, 29%, say they are not at all aware of the new requirement, while a combined 52% report being moderately or very aware. Another 17% are only slightly aware.

Awareness differs notably by gender. Women report substantially higher familiarity with ETIAS than men. Forty-two% of women say they are very aware of the new requirement, compared to 26% of men. Conversely, one-third of men, 33%, say they are not at all aware, compared to 18% of women.

Geography also plays a role. Travelers based outside the US show higher awareness than their US counterparts. Thirty-two% of non-US respondents say they are very aware of ETIAS, compared to 29% of US respondents. Nearly one-quarter of non-US travelers report no awareness at all, versus 32% of US travelers.

“ETIAS is a meaningful change for visa-exempt travelers, and the lack of awareness, particularly among US travelers and men, is concerning,” 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. “Failure to complete the process in advance could result in denied boarding or entry delays, which can disrupt trips before they even begin.”

In contrast, travelers appear largely unfazed by new destination-specific entry and stay fees.

An overwhelming majority, 92%, say Thailand’s new 300-baht entry fee, roughly $10 USD, would not discourage them from traveling there. Only 4% say the fee would deter their travel. Responses are consistent across genders and regions, with 94% of women and 92% of men saying the fee would not prevent travel. Among non-US travelers, resistance is even lower, with 94% saying the fee would not discourage a trip.

Similarly, new overnight stay fees up to $65 per day planned for Barcelona, London and Kyoto appear unlikely to significantly impact travel decisions. Overall, 45% say the fees would not prevent them from traveling or staying in those destinations at all, while another 36% say the impact would depend on the per day fee amount but likely would not deter them. Only 15% say the fees would discourage travel or stays.

Men are slightly less sensitive to the new overnight fees than women. Forty-five% of men say the fees would not prevent travel, compared to 47% of women. US travelers appear more tolerant than non-US travelers, with 49% of US respondents saying the fees would not deter them, compared to 38% of non-US respondents. Still, even among non-US travelers, a strong majority say the fees would either not prevent travel or would only matter depending on the amount.

“Travelers are showing resilience and flexibility when it comes to reasonable fees, but administrative requirements like ETIAS are a different matter,” Richards said. “Fees may be an inconvenience, but lack of preparation can stop a trip entirely. That’s where education and planning become critical.”

About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 1,400 current and former members between January 13 - 17, 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. For more information, visit www.globalrescue.com.

(Lebanon, NH -- April 30, 2026) Travelers remain hesitant about space tourism despite the successful return of NASA’s Artemis II mission, according to new data from the Global Rescue Spring 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.

While Artemis II marks a major milestone in reestablishing human lunar exploration and advancing plans for a sustained presence on the Moon, the survey shows most travelers are not ready to follow. Only 24% of respondents say they are very or somewhat interested in traveling to the Moon. In contrast, nearly three-quarters, 74%, report low or no interest, including 57% who say they are not interested at all.

“The Artemis II mission proves what’s possible,” 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. “But traveler sentiment makes clear that possibility doesn’t equal demand, at least not yet.”

Cost is a major barrier. Only about 10% would consider paying up to $250,000 for a trip, and fewer than 2% would pay $750,000 or more. At the other end of the spectrum, nearly three-quarters of travelers, 74%, say none of the proposed price points, including options exceeding $1 million, are acceptable.

Even with Artemis II’s success, travelers remain focused on risk. A majority, 56%, cite catastrophic mission failure as their primary safety concern. Being stranded ranks second at 17%, while concerns about getting sick or injured during the trip are relatively low at just under 7%.

“Space travel introduces a category of risk that most travelers have never had to evaluate,” Richards said. “The consequences are absolute, and that heavily shapes perception.”

The survey also found that women are less interested in lunar travel than men, with 62% reporting no interest at all compared with 55% of men. Non-US travelers show somewhat higher interest and slightly more pricing tolerance than US-based respondents, though overall sentiment remains cautious across all groups.

Current commercial space travel is operational but remains limited and expensive. Offerings include short suborbital flights and multi-day orbital missions, including trips to the International Space Station. Despite this progress, costs remain a major barrier, with suborbital seats priced in the hundreds of thousands and orbital missions costing several million dollars.

Artemis II represents a significant step forward in human space exploration. But the survey findings suggest consumer readiness still trails technological capability. For now, while returning to the Moon is no longer theoretical, most travelers remain content to stay Earthbound.

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.