THREE-QUARTERS of Aussies are “less likely” to visit the United States this year based on political and safety concerns, a new report from Southern Cross Travel Insurance has claimed.
In a further breakdown of responses, the US was also shown to be losing its muster even amongst ardent fans of the country, with 51% of Aussies who have “always wanted to visit” now feeling less inclined to book a trip in 2026.
The report summarised the survey data as a “significant shift in [US] sentiment”.
Heightened political tensions or instability was listed as the primary deterrent for Aussies shying away from certain destinations, followed by high crime rates (42%), expense (32%), health risks (32%), and negative word-of-mouth (30%).
On the other side of the ledger, Japan is still king, topping the travel wish list year with 31%. The popular Asian market ranked ahead of Europe (27%) and New Zealand (22%).
Further findings showed that two in five Aussies who have travelled in the last 12 months used AI for their travel plans, with the most common application of being for comparing hotels, airlines and insurance plans.
