As in previous years, financial constraints remain the primary reason for not travelling in most regions, closely followed by the desire to save money. However, Redion data shows that this constraint is beginning to ease in some key markets. In India and the United States, the proportion of travelers citing affordability as a barrier has fallen sharply year-on-year, suggesting a gradual rebalancing of priorities as confidence returns.
As in previous years, financial constraints remain the primary reason for not travelling in most regions, closely followed by the desire to save money.
Reasons for not travelling this summer (%)
| Reason | EU | West EU | South EU | East EU | North Asia | India | Oceania | Middle East | North America | South America |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I cannot afford it | 41 | 41 | 40 | 43 | 35 | 23 | 43 | 33 | 42 | 40 |
| I am saving money | 29 | 26 | 31 | 33 | 29 | 19 | 39 | 25 | 35 | 26 |
| I will go at another time of the year | 19 | 21 | 18 | 10 | 27 | 34 | 36 | 25 | 24 | 22 |
| I prefer to stay home, I do not enjoy traveling | 15 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 19 | 12 |
| My health condition does not allow me to travel | 12 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
| I don’t have a companion to travel with | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| I cannot take vacations from my job | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 17 | 7 | 17 |
| I am in charge of a relative that I cannot leave behind | 7 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| I’m concerned about safety and security in potential travel destinations | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 6 |
| I want to reduce as much as possible my carbon footprint | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Travelling makes me anxious, such as flying or unfamiliar places | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| I had negative past experiences while traveling | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
At the same time, a new dynamic is clearly emerging. Considerations around safety and security, historically a marginal reason for not travelling, have risen meaningfully in importance. In 2026, the share of travelers citing safety as a barrier has doubled in Europe, North America and the Middle East, and in Oceania since 2025.
This shift is most visible in regions directly exposed to the current geopolitical context. In the UAE in particular, safety considerations have increased significantly, illustrating how rapidly geopolitical developments can translate into more careful travel planning.
Taken together, the findings point to a turning point: while affordability still sets the boundary conditions for travel, safety is increasingly acting as the trigger factor, influencing not just where people go, but whether they feel comfortable travelling at all.
Travel budgets in 2026 reinforce the picture of resilient demand adapting to constraints rather than retreating from travel altogether. In Southern Europe and North Asia, average summer holiday budgets have increased year-on-year, reaching €1,775 and €1,904 respectively, signalling that travelers in these regions are maintaining — and in some cases expanding — their travel spending despite inflation and geopolitical uncertainty.
Average summer holiday budget for 2026 (€)
Europe, in chronological order from 2016 to 2026: 2 247, 1 940, 2 243, 2 301, 1 566, 1 805, 1 918, 2 080, 2 089 euros.
North America, in chronological order from 2016 to 2026: 1 892, 2 679, 2 643, 2 373, 1 901, 2 504, 2 491, 2 561, 2 600 euros.
Australia, for the most recent years: 2 808, 2 807, 3 193, 3 035 euros.
Elsewhere, budgets remain at elevated but stable levels. Oceania (€2,900), the Middle East (€2,602) and North America (€2,600) continue to record the highest average travel budgets globally, broadly in line with 2025. In South America, included in the Barometer for the first time, the average budget stands at €1,429, below other regions, while Europe (€2,089) and India (€1,734) sit at intermediate levels. Within Europe, long-standing disparities persist, with Western Europe (€2,491) maintaining the highest budgets and Eastern Europe (€1,412) the lowest, close to South American levels.
As expected, income remains a key driver of travel spending. Across all regions, high-income travelers report significantly higher budgets than low-income groups. In Europe, for example, the average budget among high-income travelers (€2,700) is more than double that of low-income travelers (€1,321), highlighting the uneven capacity to absorb rising costs.
Crucially, anticipated budget evolution confirms that travel continues to be treated as a protected priority. Despite cost-of-living pressures, travelers are more than twice as likely to expect their summer holiday budget to increase rather than decrease. This expectation is strongest in India, the Middle East and South America, where 57% believe they will spend more. Even in North America, a majority of travelers expect their budget to increase this year reinforcing the idea that travel remains insulated, to some extent, from broader economic pressures.
Expected change in holiday budget compared to last year (%)
| Region | Breakdown |
|---|---|
| EU | |
| West EU | |
| South EU | |
| East EU | |
| North Asia | |
| India | |
| Oceania | |
| Middle East | |
| North America | |
| South America |
Search the site
Are you looking for something specific?
Choose your country
and available language
