It seems the global traveller has finally stopped trying to win a race nobody asked them to enter. New research suggests holiday-makers are now favouring longer, slower journeys, the sort where you actually unpack your suitcase rather than live out of it like a travelling salesperson with commitment issues.
According to the latest Global Rescue Traveller Safety & Sentiment Survey, the world has collectively decided it’s had enough of the frantic, “blink-and-you ’ ‘ve-missed-the-museum” approach to travel. A solid 70% of respondents now prefer fewer, longer trips, a change that feels less like a trend and more like common sense catching up with reality.
Women, who usually end up organising half the itinerary anyway, lead the shift at 75%, comfortably ahead of the 68% of men who appear to be warming to the idea of staying in one place long enough to learn the café owner’s name. US travellers, surprisingly, are also leaning into the slower rhythm, with 71% preferring extended stays, while non-US travellers sit just behind at 68%.
You could chalk it up to a post-pandemic recalibration of patience. Or maybe travellers realised that ticking off twelve attractions a day leaves about as much room for reflection as a crowded airport bathroom.
JOMO makes a comeback
The survey also revealed a small cultural triumph: the humble JOMO joy of missing out is gaining ground on its loud, hyperactive sibling, FOMO. A comfortable 35% of respondents now identify with JOMO, opting for more profound, more intentional experiences over the usual “race to the next photo opportunity”.
Nearly half (48%) try to strike a balance between the two, which is perhaps the most honest answer in the entire report. Humans have never been particularly good at choosing one philosophy and sticking to it.
Women again lead the thoughtful middle path, with 53% balancing JOMO and FOMO, compared with 47% of men. And in an unexpectedly philosophical twist, 12% of men say neither label applies to them, far outstripping the 5% of women who said the same. One imagines these gentlemen are the type who “don’t do labels” but will, without fail, complain about airline baggage labels.
Non-US travellers nudge slightly higher on the JOMO scale (36%) than US travellers (35%), suggesting the rest of the world’s more generous annual leave policies may be paying cultural dividends.
Crowds? Not if they can help it
If the past few years taught travellers anything, it’s that rubbing shoulders with strangers isn’t nearly as charming as guidebooks made it sound. The survey shows that 73% intend to avoid crowded destinations actively in the coming year.
Non-US respondents are the most cautious, with 78% planning to steer clear of tourist-thick hotspots, compared with 72% of US travellers. Men (75%) are slightly more determined than women (68%) to dodge the throngs, though women are more inclined to say it depends on where and when they’re going. Anyone who has stood in the Trevi Fountain crush in July knows precisely why.
A quieter, steadier way of seeing the world
The broader picture is unmistakable: travellers are no longer impressed by itineraries packed tighter than a budget airline’s overhead bins. They want time, real time to sit, to stroll, to discover the back street that never appears in glossy brochures.
As Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies, put it:
“Longer trips, slower pacing and selective destination choices are replacing the old drive to see it all… It’s about creating meaningful connections and avoiding the crowds along the way.”
Richards is right, though anybody who has ever returned from a holiday needing a holiday could have told us this years ago.
Perhaps we’re witnessing a quiet rebellion against busyness, a collective decision to put down the guidebook and pick up a bit of perspective. If so, it’s long overdue.
By Jason Smith – (c) 2025
Read Time: 4 minutes
About the Writer
Jason Smith has the kind of story you can’t fake, built on long flights, new cities, and that unmistakable hum of hotel life that gets under your skin and never quite leaves. Half American, half Asian, he grew up surrounded by the steady rhythm of the tourism trade in the U.S., where his family helped others see the world long before he did.
Eager to carve out his own path, Jason packed his bags for Bangkok and the Asian Institute of Hospitality & Management, where he majored in Hotel Management and found a career and a calling. From there came years on the road, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, each stop adding another thread to his craft.
He made his mark in Thailand, eventually becoming Director of Sales for one of the country’s leading hotel chains. Then came COVID-19: borders closed, flights grounded, and a new chapter began.
Back home in America, Jason turned his knack for connection into words, joining Global Travel Media to tell the stories behind the check-ins written with the same warmth and honesty that have always defined him.
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