Men plan to take more trips, spend more money, and explore more international destinations than women in 2025, according to the Spring 2025 Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey. These gender-based differences in travel behaviour point to a clear divide in post-pandemic confidence amongst global travellers.

While enthusiasm for travel remains high across the board, men are driving a surge in travel spending and adventure, whereas women are proceeding with greater caution in both destination selection and budget, says the survey.

Key gender findings:

• Men plan more travel in 2025: A majority of men (54%) say they will take more trips this year compared to 2024, outpacing women (43%) by nearly 11 percentage points. Men are clearly more eager to increase their travel activity in the year ahead.
• Women more likely to postpone travel: 44% of women report postponing international trips in 2025, compared to 32% of men. This points to a more cautious approach among women travellers.
• Men expect to spend more: 31% of men plan to increase their travel spending in 2025, compared to just 21% of women—indicating that men are more willing to invest in travel this year.
• American women avoid Canada, men avoid Taiwan: Women are far more likely to avoid Canada due to perceived unwelcomeness tied to U.S. policy (25% vs. only 3% of men). Meanwhile, men are significantly more likely to avoid Taiwan (35% vs. 19% of women), showing a gender-based divergence in perceived destination receptiveness.
• Men are changing destinations more frequently: Nearly 6 in 10 men (59%) are altering which countries they plan to visit, versus 42% of women. This suggests men are more open to reevaluating travel choices in response to shifting global dynamics.
• Women are more likely to expect a definite increase in travel costs: 56% of women believe prices will “definitely” rise in 2025, compared to just 42% of men.
• Men are more skeptical of steep price hikes: 17% of men say they don’t really expect travel costs to rise, more than triple the percentage of women (5%).
• Minimal belief in price stability across both groups: Very few respondents, regardless of gender, believe travel prices will stay the same or decrease (under 3% for both).

“Travel confidence is rebounding, but it’s doing so differently across gender lines,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies. “Our survey indicates that men are accelerating their travel plans, while women remain more cautious, particularly about where they travel.”

Gender-based distinctions are part of a broader 2025 trend in which traveller decisions are shaped not only by cost and convenience but also by politics, personal security, and cultural awareness. With more than 70% of travellers saying they expect Americans to be perceived more negatively abroad due to recent U.S. foreign policy initiatives, these shifting preferences may continue to evolve throughout the year.

“These numbers don’t just reflect travel behaviour, they reveal sentiment,” Richards added. “Concerns about safety, global perception, and changing international dynamics are driving very different decisions among male and female travellers.”

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