(Lebanon, N.H. – December 11, 2023) More than a third of the world’s most experienced travelers (34%) are planning to take more adventurous or riskier trips in the future, according to the Global Rescue Fall Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey. Most respondents reported that the possibility of travel restrictions in the future and the YOLO maxim – you only live once – drives them to get as much adventure travel in as possible before they no longer can.

“Travelers are exhibiting behavior consistent with a mounting desire for immersive experiences,” 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. Most travelers responding to the survey (65%) want to go to destinations they have never been to, while 17% want curated trips to new, unusual destinations where they can have completely new experiences. New Zealand, Australia, Antarctica, Iceland and Japan were the most frequently mentioned places survey respondents listed as bucket list travel destinations.

“Revenge travel demand initially contributed to the growing adventure travel boom. We anticipate increasing interest in adventure travel like African safaris, hiking trips, camping excursions and motorcycle tours,” Richards said.

Not everyone, however, is seeking more risk or adventure in their travel itineraries. More than half of respondents are taking the same number of adventurous or risky trips since the end of the pandemic, reporting they enjoy the way they travel and do not see a need to change. More than a tenth (13%) said they would take fewer adventurous trips to minimize health and safety risks while traveling. Some reported they were scaling back their level of risk-taking after learning about high-profile disasters involving adventure travel.

With increasing desires for more risk and adventure travel coupled with elevated international war and violent conflict, most survey respondents welcome the technological advances like adding satellite connectivity to smartphone capabilities. Most respondents (82%) said they would feel safer with satellite connection abilities on their smartphone. They liked knowing they could call for help if they lost cell coverage, even though only 13% said they had lost cell coverage in the past. Many liked the peace of mind it would give their friends, family or colleagues.

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Contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or 202.560.1195 (phone/text) for more information.

About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 2,300 of its current and former members from October 5-12, 2023. The respondents revealed a variety of behaviors, attitudes and preferences regarding current and future travel.

About Global Rescue

The Global Rescue Companies are 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.