In a year poised for bold adventures and ticking off bucket-list items, international travellers, particularly Australians, are planning to pack their bags more often and for longer in 2025. But in a twist that could rival the unexpected detours of a budget airline, shifting U.S. international policies are casting long shadows over some of those travel dreams.
A new Spring 2025 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey by Global Rescue, a respected authority in travel crisis response, reveals a somewhat paradoxical portrait: more enthusiasm, but also more caution. Over half of all respondents said they plan to take more trips in 2025 than they did in 2024, while nearly 30% expect to spend more money and enjoy extended getaways.
But there’s a catch—and it’s wearing a stars-and-stripes badge.
“Traveller enthusiasm for 2025 is strong, but it’s being tempered by the real-world impact of U.S. policy abroad,” says Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board member. “There’s a clear appetite for travel, but policies that affect mobility and perceptions of safety are making some people hesitate.”
It’s the classic case of wanderlust meeting world affairs.
📉 Hesitation on the Horizon
The survey didn’t just ask where people are going, but how they feel about getting there. When asked whether recent U.S. international policies make them more or less likely to travel, a full third (34%) admitted they’re now less inclined to venture overseas. Of that group:
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6% were “much less likely” to travel
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18% were “somewhat less likely”
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10% were just “less likely”
Meanwhile, 55% said these policies wouldn’t sway them, which may sound reassuring—until one considers that one in five respondents are still undecided. That uncertainty has real consequences in the travel economy.
“It’s telling that over a third of travellers feel dissuaded by U.S. policy,” Richards notes. “The data highlights a simmering concern about the ease, affordability, and safety of going abroad.”
And in today’s world, even a simmer can boil over if left unattended.
✈️ Where the Policy Hits the Road
Among respondents, 18% confirmed that they have already changed their travel plans due to U.S. international moves, while 22% are still considering adjustments. That’s no small margin, particularly as the travel industry banks on stability and forward bookings.
For those who’ve already shifted gears:
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55% have rerouted to different countries
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34% postponed their travel entirely
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24% pulled the plug on international travel altogether for 2025
Those figures tell a story of destination dominoes falling quietly in boardrooms and at kitchen tables across the world.
“Policies don’t operate in a vacuum—they influence real travel decisions,” adds Richards. “When we see this volume of travellers cancelling, postponing, or rewriting their itineraries, that’s a red flag for policymakers.”
And he’s right. It’s not just a question of policy—it’s one of perception. A single visa restriction here or diplomatic row there can shake confidence across continents. Travellers, after all, are a prudent bunch—keen to explore but not without running a cost-benefit analysis worthy of an MBA graduate.
🌍 Australia’s Outlook
For Australians—long accustomed to long-haul hops and international escapades—the implications are clear. While the Pacific routes remain stable, destinations with U.S. connections or perceived policy complications may now lose their shine. That doesn’t mean Aussies are staying home, mind you—just that they’re getting choosier.
This kind of hesitancy may well draw more Australians towards countries with open arms and fewer bureaucratic hurdles, such as Japan, Portugal, and emerging destinations like Uzbekistan and Colombia—destinations that have been wooing Aussie adventurers with digital nomad visas, sustainable tourism incentives, and, crucially, a warm welcome.
As the old saying goes, “It’s not just where you go—it’s how you feel when you’re going.” And in today’s geopolitical climate, that feeling is everything.
By Jason Smith, Business Travel Correspondent
