How tourists are reacting to war, fuel prices and geopolitical strife in 2026
Regional conflicts and high fuel prices are affecting travel patterns as people prioritise flexibility and bypass trouble spots
Geopolitical volatility and uncertainty have become an all-too-common part of life.
The world is experiencing more active wars than at any point since World War II, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Perhaps the most high-profile conflict this year has been the US-Israel attack on Iran, but it is hardly the only example of the violence and disruption affecting people and locations around the world.
One in seven people globally is living with the threat of armed conflict, according to the IRC.
That reality, in turn, is reshaping global travel patterns, altering airline economics and testing the resilience of tourism markets, according to a report from the consulting firm McKinsey & Company.