(Lebanon, NH – October 27, 2025) – As the holiday season approaches, new data from the Fall 2025 Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey reveal that travelers worldwide are preparing to travel — but with clear distinctions between men and women, and between U.S. and international respondents.

More than half of travelers (54%) said they will travel both internationally and domestically between November and February. However, non-U.S. travelers are more than three times as likely as Americans to travel internationally only (21% vs. 6%), underscoring the stronger global appetite for long-haul travel. Men are also slightly more likely than women to take both domestic and international trips (57% vs. 51%), while women were more inclined to stay home altogether (17% vs. 14%).

“The data show that enthusiasm for global travel remains strong heading into winter, with men and international travelers 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.

Japan Tops the Travel Wish List

When asked to name one dream destination if they could receive a trip as a gift, Japan was the clear favorite, selected by 24% of all respondents and an even higher 31% of non-U.S. travelers. Italy (14%) and New Zealand (11%) followed, rounding out the top three global wish-list destinations, ahead of France (3%) and Spain (4%). Women were somewhat more drawn to France (5%) and Portugal (9%), while men favored Japan and Italy nearly equally.

Travel Gifting Reflects Gender — and Family — Differences

When it comes to gifting travel, men and women diverge sharply. Nearly half of men (48%) said they would give an international trip to their spouse, compared to just 25% of women. Women were four times more likely than men to choose a friend or neighbor (18% vs. 6%) and more than twice as likely to select “other” recipients (20% vs. 8%), suggesting a broader or more altruistic approach to travel giving. Across all demographics, children were evenly chosen as travel gift recipients (17%), while a notable 39% said they would gift a trip to a sibling — highlighting the growing trend of family-based travel experiences.

Where They’d Send First-Time Travelers

Asked where they’d send someone who has never traveled abroad, respondents most often chose New Zealand (21%), followed by the Amalfi Coast, Italy (16%), Kyoto, Japan (9%), and London (8%). Non-U.S. travelers were significantly more likely to pick Asian or South American destinations such as Kyoto (15%) or Machu Picchu (8%), while Americans favored the Amalfi Coast (19%) and New Zealand (23%). Women showed stronger preferences for romantic or scenic European destinations, including Amalfi (20%) and Provence (12%), whereas men leaned slightly toward adventurous options such as Kyoto (11%) and Machu Picchu (5%).

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For more information, contact:

Bill McIntyre | Email: bmcintyre@globalrescue.com | Phone: +1 202.560.1195

About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 1,600 current and former members between October 7–13, 2025. The respondents revealed a variety of behaviors, attitudes, and preferences regarding current and future travel.

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 has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor, and respond to client medical and security crises. Global Rescue has provided medical and security support to its clients — including Fortune 500 companies, governments, and academic institutions — during every globally significant crisis of the last two decades. For more information, visit www.globalrescue.com.