Geopolitical anxiety has eclipsed the economy as the top barrier to travel, according to data from a new Travel Weekly reader survey.
In a pivot from the trends that closed out 2025, 72% of advisors report that clients are hesitant to book due to global conflict, outstripping concerns over rising travel costs by a wide margin.
Fielded online in March, the survey of 239 advisors found that the category of geopolitical unrest, conflicts and wars overtook others that had ranked higher in previous surveys -- including the economy and the rising price of travel -- for the first time since readers were posed the question last summer. They were asked to identify the primary concerns of clients who are hesitant to travel.
The next-highest concern was the rising price of travel, indicated by 55.2% of respondents -- more than 17 percentage points less than geopolitical anxiety.
In an open-ended survey question, advisors specifically mentioned the Iran war and the day of drug cartel violence in Mexico on Feb. 22 as contributing to clients' overall outlook on travel. Turmoil in America was mentioned as a factor, too.
"The state of affairs of this country is negatively affecting our business as well as many others," said Christine Cronin, an advisor based in Woodland Hills, Calif., who listed factors like the Iran war, anti-American sentiment and the Department of Homeland Security shutdown affecting TSA operations.
Susan Sheats of World Exposures in Arlington, Va., called her clients "generally well-educated and well-traveled," who typically are "not phased by much going on in the world." But even they are changing their viewpoints, she said.
"Now that the U.S. is the instigator of the chaos taking place in multiple locations across the globe, they are more cautious about investing in expensive trips abroad, especially since their travel insurance may not cover disruption [due to war]," Sheats wrote.
That experience isn't universal, though. Verma Brown of Traveling with V's in Kansas City, Mo., wrote that her clients are still excited to travel, and "not many even mention the war."
Anti-American sentiment
Travel Weekly reader surveys
Clients appear to be more concerned about anti-American sentiment abroad than they have before. In the survey, 65.9% of advisors said clients were concerned about how they would be received in other countries, while 31.4% said clients have canceled because of anti-American sentiment.
Travel Weekly surveys have asked readers about anti-American sentiment since March 2025, and the number of clients expressing concerns has remained relatively steady, between 59.3% and 64.9%.
However, the number of cancellations due to anti-American sentiment in the most recent survey is nearly 11 percentage points higher than the December survey.
An advisor based in Farmingdale, N.Y., wrote, "A few have asked about the perception of Americans abroad, but I really do not want to get into a political debate. I tell them I've had no issues myself. As always, just don't be an ugly American and you will be welcomed!"
Luxury travel still strong
While the rising price of travel and the economy are still among clients' concerns, many are traveling.
Nearly 46% said they've seen a slight or significant increase in bookings compared to the same time last year, while bookings are on par for 18.4%. Conversely, 23% reported a slight decrease in bookings, and 13% reported a significant decrease.
Price sensitivity, while still a concern, appears to be easing to a degree.
In the March survey, 68.2% said clients are slightly or significantly more price-sensitive than they were at the same time last year, similar to the results of the December survey (67.6%).
Breaking that down, however, 21.8% in the March survey said clients were significantly more price-sensitive, down from 31.7% in December.
Still, pricing is a "big factor," especially among the plethora of last-minute customers, said Courtney Feiock of Enchanted Travel Company in Pottstown, Pa.
"Clients want flexibility but are still very cost-conscious," Feiock said.
Marley Gibson of Exploration Point in Savannah, Ga., is concerned that high prices at the gas pump and grocery story will force clients to pull back on travel. Gibson recommended a domestic destination like Savannah, which could offer a less expensive but still fulfilling option.
Heather Straight of Key to the World Travel in Caledonia, Mich., said middle-class clients and, in some cases, upper-middle-class clients have been impacted by high costs. Luxury guests haven't slowed down. In fact, Straight said, bookings have increased among her high-net-worth clients.
Conversely, an Aiken, S.C.-based advisor said, "The phone is just not ringing as much as it should be this year. Sales for me are lower than normal."
Advisor optimism has taken a slight hit since December, when 66% reported being extremely optimistic or optimistic about profitability and growth of their business in the year ahead, and 17% were slightly or very pessimistic. In March, 54% were extremely optimistic or optimistic, with 17% again reporting being slightly or very pessimistic.
The bad and good of AI
Nearly one in three travel advisors have found themselves spending more time correcting inaccurate recommendations from generative AI tools that clients have used to research trips.
It was the most common way advisors' workflow has been impacted by clients using AI, according to Travel Weekly's reader survey, with 30.5% of respondents reporting extra time spent debunking false AI information.
Additionally, 38.1% of survey respondents reported that managing clients who bring AI-generated ideas has slightly or significantly increased their workflow. Conversely, 18.8% said it has slightly or significantly reduced their workflow.
Survey responses were fairly mixed in terms of other impacts AI has had on their workflow.
Nearly a quarter (23%) of travel advisors said clients now expect significantly faster response times because of the speed of answers provided by AI tools.
However, AI seemingly has its upsides, too: 14.6% of advisors said clients arrive better informed, enabling them to skip basic research, and another 14.6% said AI has made their job easier thanks to providing clear inspiration/starting points with clients.
Just over 17% of survey takers opted to write in responses about how AI has impacted their workflow. Many said neither they nor their clients are using AI.