Survey Finds American International Travel Confidence High

Published on Aug 2, 2025, 12:17 pm CDT

4 min read

A fresh traveler-sentiment index from EF Go Ahead Tours indicates that most Americans still feel warmly received overseas, even as travel advisors report spikes in client anxiety linked to U.S. politics. The findings complicate a mid-July American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) poll that logged rising cancellations tied to tariffs and travel bans. Together the datasets paint a fuller picture of how perception, rather than reality, may be shaping trip decisions this year.

Key Points

Why it matters: Conflicting surveys could sway winter booking trends.
Travel impact: 70 percent of recent U.S. travelers abroad felt welcomed by locals.
What's next: Advisors push small-group tours for nervous clients.
Tour operators report a business surge driven by "safety in community."
EF Go Ahead says interest in Mexico and the Caribbean remains strong despite political rhetoric.

Snapshot

In EF Go Ahead's July Traveler Index, which polled older millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers, 7 in 10 Americans who crossed a border after January 2025 said local residents were friendly or neutral toward them. Only 8 percent sensed open hostility. Meanwhile, 54 percent of respondents planned an international vacation in the next 12 months, up six points from January. Canadians scored nearly identical confidence levels, underscoring a North American trend toward renewed globe-trotting.

Background

ASTA's July 10 sentiment snapshot painted a darker mood: 68 percent of member advisors labeled international leisure their "most affected" segment. Roughly 28 percent cited new tariffs as a booking deterrent, while 12 percent said ongoing travel-ban headlines were spooking clients-both figures up from spring. Zane Kerby, ASTA's president, warned that misinformation was "forcing advisors to work overtime to protect travelers." Some agents told TravelPulse they had lost summer sales after customers fretted about chilly receptions abroad, particularly in Europe and Latin America.

Latest Developments

EF survey counters political-risk fears

Brian Hoyt, vice-president of communications for EF World Journeys, said respondents "overwhelmingly" reported positive interactions overseas and that locals "can distinguish between an American traveler and the American government." Hoyt added that destinations from Mexico to the Caribbean "value the tourism dollars" visitors bring, noting a rebound in bookings for both regions despite their prominence in recent political disputes. He also credited a renaissance for full-service tour operators: "There is safety in community," he told TravelPulse, with first-time clients embracing curated group itineraries as a perceived buffer against uncertainty.

Analysis

The divergence between ASTA's advisor-side data and EF's traveler-side responses highlights the complex feedback loop between perception and behavior. Advisors are frontline interpreters of fast-moving policy shifts-visa rules, tariff threats, or rhetoric that grabs cable-news airtime. Their caution is understandable: one viral incident of unfriendly treatment can spark multiple cancellations, and the immediate business cost lands on the agent's balance sheet. Travelers, conversely, judge risk on lived experience. A warm welcome at a Lisbon café or Cancún resort quickly overrides what they heard in a pundit's soundbite. The two perspectives converge, however, on the value of guided travel. Packaged tours and escorted groups offer logistical support, vetted suppliers, and on-call assistance-comforting features when headlines turn sour. The sector's growth therefore acts as a barometer: if tour bookings keep rising into 2026, it will suggest that concern persists even as actual hostility remains rare. For now, the empirical evidence-70 percent positive reception-supports the narrative that Americans abroad continue to enjoy largely hospitable encounters, reinforcing international travel confidence.

Final Thoughts

Advisors should address client anxieties with fresh, traveler-side data rather than news-cycle noise. The EF Go Ahead index shows that locals overseas still greet visitors with smiles, not scowls, while sheltered group itineraries offer added peace of mind. With winter planning under way, reinforcing these realities could convert hesitation into bookings and keep international travel confidence on an upward trajectory.