In a world where a tweet can tank a currency and a policy pronouncement can close a border overnight, it’s hardly surprising that international travellers are twitchier than ever about what’s going on in Washington. A new Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey has found a clear divide between American holidaymakers and the rest of the world regarding confidence in US policy and its knock-on effects on global travel.
According to the survey, nearly one in four non-US travellers (23%) have already changed their travel plans for the remainder of the year due to American policy announcements. That’s more than double the proportion of Americans (10%) who said the same. Most US travellers (78%) declared their plans “unchanged”, a figure suggesting either admirable resilience or simple denial, depending on one’s outlook.
“Travellers outside the United States are clearly more reactive to US international policies than Americans themselves,” said Dan Richards, Chief Executive of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the Department of Commerce. “For many international travellers, geopolitical decisions and perceived instability are meaningful factors in whether, where and how they travel.”
Different continents, different concerns
While Americans appear largely unfazed, international tourists are carefully recalibrating their itineraries. Some 22% of non-US respondents said they are altering which countries or cities they plan to visit, compared with just 12% of Americans. The gender gap is also striking: 16% of women are adjusting their travel plans, compared with only 10% of men.
It seems women are reading the news with a keener eye, while men, as ever, trust that everything will sort itself out by departure time.
Beyond logistics, perceptions play an even more complex role. Nearly two-thirds of women (65%) believe Americans will be viewed more negatively abroad in the coming year, compared with 59% of men. Curiously, Americans themselves appear the most self-critical, with 61% of US respondents expecting their compatriots to be looked upon less kindly overseas.
In essence, everyone’s a bit uneasy just for slightly different reasons.
Safety fears and political storms
Despite this nervousness, about 63% of respondents worldwide reported being “neither more nor less likely” to travel overall because of US policies. Yet that middle ground masks more profound anxieties. Nearly 14% of international travellers said they are now “much less likely” to travel at all, compared with just 2% of Americans.
Civil unrest within US cities has also become a sticking point for visitors. Fewer than 30% of non-US respondents said their plans to visit the US remain unchanged, while almost one in five (18%) said they have postponed or cancelled their trips altogether. Among Americans, by contrast, nearly 70% shrugged off such concerns entirely.
“Perceptions of safety and political stability are deeply personal and can differ sharply across borders,” Richards observed. “For international travellers, US domestic unrest and global policy shifts appear to have a more direct effect on confidence and behaviour than they do for Americans themselves.”
A ripple across the global travel pond
The findings highlight a persistent truth of modern tourism: confidence is as necessary as currency. In an era when video footage of protests can circle the globe before breakfast, perception often outweighs probability. A minor disturbance in one US city can influence bookings from Seoul to Stockholm.
For tourism boards, airlines, and global operators, that means reputation management has become as critical as route planning. The challenge is to reassure jittery travellers that the world, or at least most of it, remains open for business.
Even amid uncertainty, the majority of respondents remain undeterred. Most plan to continue travelling, albeit more cautiously and selectively. And perhaps that’s the silver lining, a reminder that the appetite for discovery endures, even in a politically charged climate.
Old truth, new reality
Travel has always been shaped by politics, from Cold War visa rules to pandemic border closures. What’s changed is the speed at which sentiment shifts. Today’s tourist makes decisions with one eye on exchange rates and the other on breaking news alerts.
As the US navigates its complex political season, the rest of the world is watching not just from afar but with an eye on their booking confirmations. If Washington sneezes, it seems, the global traveller still reaches for the travel insurance brochure.
By Michelle Warner – (c) 2025
Read Time: 4 minutes
About the Writer
Michelle Warner is a storyteller with jet fuel in her veins — the sort of woman who could turn a long-haul delay into a lesson in patience and prose. She began her career in media publications, learning the craft of sharp sentences and honest storytelling, before trading deadlines for departures as a flight attendant with several major airlines. Years spent at thirty thousand feet gave her a keen eye for human nature and a deep affection for the grace and grit of travellers everywhere.
Now happily grounded, Michelle has returned to her first love, writing, with the same composure she once brought to a turbulent cabin. Her work combines an editor’s precision with a traveller’s curiosity, weaving vivid scenes and subtle humour into stories that honour the golden age of travel writing. Every line is a small act of civility, polished, poised, and unmistakably human.
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