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After years of flight cancellations, border checks, and the collective muscle memory of hand sanitiser, travellers are back, and this time, they mean business.

The Fall 2025 Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey suggests the world’s appetite for travel is far from sated. In fact, it’s positively roaring. The twist? Men and non-US travellers lead the charge, passports are ready, and credit cards are pre-warmed.

Dan Richards standing in operations room.

Dan Richards is standing in the operations room.

“The data show that enthusiasm for global travel remains strong heading into winter, with men and international travellers leading the way,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The survey of frequent flyers and seasoned suitcase-hauliers found that 54 per cent plan to travel both domestically and internationally between November and February. But look closer: Non-US respondents are three times more likely than Americans to embark on international-only adventures (21 per cent vs. 6 per cent). In other words, the world beyond the U.S. border feels more footloose.

Men also edged out women regarding mixed domestic-and-international plans (57 per cent vs. 51 per cent). And yes, more women admitted they’d rather stay home altogether (17 per cent vs. 14 per cent). Perhaps they’ve earned the right to enjoy a quiet cuppa in peace after organising everyone else’s travel plans.

Japan Tops the Global Wish List

If Santa were in the travel business, he’d need a few extra Tokyo flights this year. When asked to name a dream destination if gifted a trip, Japan emerged as the runaway favourite. 24 percent of all respondents chose it, and among non-US travellers, that figure jumps to 31 percent.

Hot on Japan’s heels are Italy (14 per cent) and New Zealand (11 per cent), a trio that tells you everything about 2025’s blend of adventure, cuisine, and Instagrammable landscapes. France and Spain trail behind, while Portugal sneaks in as a quiet achiever among female travellers.

Women in the survey showed a soft spot for France (5 per cent) and Portugal (9 per cent), perhaps lured by croissants and coastal tiles, while men divided their hearts almost evenly between Japan and Italy.

How We Gift Travel Says a Lot About Us

’Tis the season to be generous, and travel gifts, it turns out, say plenty about who’s doing the giving.

Nearly half of men (48 per cent) would surprise their spouse with an international holiday, compared with just 25 per cent of women. The ladies, meanwhile, showed a warmer streak toward friendship: 18 per cent said they’d gift a trip to a friend or neighbour, compared with 6 per cent of men.

When asked about “other” recipients, a diplomatic category that might include everyone from in-laws to friends you like, women again led the charge (20 per cent vs. 8 per cent).

Children, interestingly, featured evenly at 17 per cent across genders. Yet 39 per cent of respondents said they’d treat a sibling to a holiday, confirming that “family travel” now stretches beyond the nuclear model into the sibling-selfie era.

Where We’d Send a First-Time Traveller

It’s a fascinating insight into cultural empathy: When asked where they’d send someone who’s never travelled abroad, respondents ranked New Zealand top, at 21 per cent, as a gentle, welcoming gateway to the broader world.

Next came the Amalfi Coast in Italy (16 per cent), Kyoto in Japan (9 per cent), and London (8 per cent).

Non-US travellers showed greater curiosity about the East and South America. Kyoto (15 per cent) and Machu Picchu (8 per cent) both scored high, while Americans leaned on the cinematic safety of Europe and Oceania (Amalfi Coast 19 per cent, New Zealand 23 per cent).

Women tended toward the romantic and scenic Provence (12 per cent), with Amalfi as a favourite, whereas men leaned slightly toward the bold and exotic, with Kyoto (11 per cent) and Machu Picchu (5 per cent) claiming their imaginations.

The Bigger Picture: Travel’s New Confidence

For all the percentages and pie charts, the underlying message is clear: confidence in global travel has not only rebounded, it’s matured. The pandemic years have led to a more purposeful sort of wanderlust shaped by experience rather than spontaneity.

Airlines from Sydney to Seattle are already feeling the lift. With Japan, Italy, and New Zealand dominating the wish lists, expect full flights, packed ski resorts, and that comforting sense that, at last, the world is on the move again.