‘Two in five to cut foreign trips’ amid rising costs and economic uncertainty

Rising costs and economic uncertainty are reshaping the way people approach international travel, a new survey claims.

Two in five people aim to cut foreign trips next year with Gen Z (56%) and Millennial (54%) travellers most impacted by higher prices, according to the YouGov study.

The proportion falls to 45% for Gen X and 41% for Baby Boomers.

Cost-conscious behaviours are increasingly defining the modern travel landscape despite the desire to explore remaining strong, the study of more than 2,000 people in October found.

One in three (32%) who travel for leisure say they did so less this past year and almost half (48%) agreed that increased costs have impacted their plans this year.

Outside of personal reasons, rising travel costs most influenced a reduction in international travel, while environmental concerns were raised by only 3% of respondents.

Transport and accommodation are the areas where travellers feel the sharpest cost increases, with 58% and 50% respectively of international travellers saying these were the factors which felt more expensive this year.

A third say they book flights further in advance as a cost-saving measure, while three in 10 choose cheaper destinations.

More than 40% of Britons travel abroad every year but if it is too expensive to go to classic destinations like Italy or France, they may turn to alternatives such as domestic city breaks, YouGov suggested.

More than half of international travellers (55%) opt for traditional hotels, while short-term rentals such as Airbnb and all-inclusive resorts are most popular for three in 10 people and 11% choose to take a cruise.

But package holiday bookings make up less than half of the preferred travel options across four income groups.

The US was seen as providing the worst value for money by 43% of people out of 10 most popular destinations. This was due to tariffs, distance and perceptions of the country being more expensive.  

Spain topped the 10 most considered destinations for holidays followed by Italy, Greece, Portugal, France, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Norway and Japan.    

YouGov UK head of consumer insights Sarika Rana said: “As we move into 2026, more international travellers are approaching journeys abroad with a deliberate, value-focused mindset. 

"While there is still desire to explore the world, rising costs and financial uncertainty have pushed some globetrotters to rethink how, when, and why they travel.”