2026 is going to pose a number of challenges for millions of Britons planning on travelling, according to the latest YouGov survey. The main issue appears to be cost with two out of five Britons plan to limit foreign travel in 2026, according to a survey by the YouGov platform. The reason? Rising costs and economic uncertainty are reshaping the way consumers approach international travel.
The most sensitive to price increases affecting travel are Gen Z (56%) and Millennials (54%). The rate drops to 45% for Generation X and to 41% for Baby Boomers.Despite the timeless desire for exploration, financial pressures are pushing British travellers toward more restrained choices. One in three travelled less in 2025, while nearly half (48%) state that the rising cost significantly affected their plans.
“As we move into 2026, international travellers are approaching trips abroad with a more deliberate and value-focused mindset. The desire to explore the world remains strong, but rising costs and ongoing financial uncertainty mean many people are rethinking how, when and why they travel,” said Sarika Rana, Head of Consumer Insights, YouGov UK.
According to the report, 42% of Britons travel abroad once a year, with just one in five saying they never do so. If we add in Britons who travel abroad at least once every 2-3 years, this group becomes a clear majority (57%), and a powerful consumer segment. Outside of “personal reasons”, rising costs were the single most chosen reason for reducing global travel plans among globetrotting Britons. Economic factors were close behind.
Four in ten intend to reduce their global travel plans or refocus on domestic trips in 2026. If it’s too expensive to go to classic destinations holidaymakers may turn to other kinds of holidays such as domestic city breaks. And Spain did not poll well in the “value for money rankings”.
When asked “Of the following top 10 most popular international destinations for travellers, do you perceive their overall value for money has improved, worsened, or stayed the same in the last 12 months?”, 26% percent said that Spain offers worse value, only 8% said better value and that comes as Spanish hoteliers have said they intend to increase prices again next year.