Safety has moved from footnote to front page in the way Australians plan holidays. New research from Redion's 2026 Holiday Barometer, run by Ipsos across 26 countries, has found a record 50 per cent of Australian travellers say the risk of terrorism or armed conflict is now an essential factor in choosing where to go. That's not a fringe worry — it's half the market.
The effect stretches well beyond the destinations actually in the news. Some 57 per cent of Australians say wars and conflicts around the world are dampening their desire to travel in general, and among those who skipped a trip entirely, 9 per cent pointed to safety and security as the reason. In other words, global instability isn't just redirecting demand to lower-risk spots — it's stopping a small but meaningful share of people from booking anything at all.
One of the clearest findings is who travellers turn to when the map looks uncertain. The research found that human advice is proving harder to replace with DIY research, with people leaning on experts for real-time context and a clear plan if things change mid-trip. Redion Australia and New Zealand CEO Justin Sebire puts it simply: trust matters most when volatility is high, and customers want itinerary flexibility and real-time support alongside their booking.
The shape of the booking conversation is changing too. Safety now enters the discussion at the planning stage rather than as an afterthought, and travellers are more willing to commit when they know plans can flex if a situation deteriorates. Importantly, caution isn't killing demand — it's redirecting it. Globally, eight in 10 travellers are still enthusiastic about taking a trip this year, and 80 per cent of Australians say having a trip booked lifts their mood, even with cost-of-living pressure firmly in the mix.
The report also flags that AI has become a genuine planning tool for a growing share of travellers worldwide, which raises the stakes for advisors: the value isn't information, which is everywhere, but judgement, accountability and someone to call when things go sideways. As the data shows, when half of travellers are effectively running a risk assessment before picking a destination, a professional who can read the latest government advisories, build in cancellation flexibility and monitor a situation while you're overseas offers something a search engine can't.
For travellers themselves, the takeaway is practical: ask about cancellation and change policies up front, check your government's current travel advisories before booking, and consider travel insurance that covers disruption — Redion's own travel insurance and assistance chief Virginie Babinet notes decisions are increasingly shaped by risk considerations. Demand for travel isn't fading; it's just getting more considered.
