Most Travel Advisors Are Concerned About Government Impact on Business

Most travel advisors are feeling the effects of recent actions by the Trump administration, according to a new survey by TravelAge West, part of the Need to Know research series.

In the survey of 460 advisors, 54% say they are “very concerned” about recent government actions impacting their travel business, and another 25% say they are “moderately concerned.” 

In addition, 82% of respondents are either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the possibility of a recession or major economic downturn in the near future — with more than half of agents (65%) describing consumer confidence as “low” or “very low.”

Most advisors (69%) say they have noticed a “slight” or “significant” decrease in bookings related to the current political climate, while about a quarter (26%) have seen no change.

About one-third (30%) of respondents report that clients are increasingly anxious about recent policy changes but have not yet canceled international plans. About the same number (28%) say clients are avoiding specific regions and countries, and 21% have seen no change in client interest. An additional 14% say that clients are avoiding all international travel. 

"We have seen consumers holding back on big extended trips, such as world cruises for 2027, due to concerns about political developments — specifically that regions currently listed on world cruise itineraries will be changed or eliminated by then,” said Daniela Harrison a travel advisor and director of marketing for Avenues of the World Travel. “We have also noticed a lot more last-minute booking inquiries within 60 days of travel. However, 2026 and 2027 are tracking well for new reservations, and all our group bookings for 2026 are performing well.”

We have seen consumers holding back on big extended trips, such as world cruises for 2027, due to concerns about political developments — specifically that regions currently listed on world cruise itineraries will be changed or eliminated by then.

Advisors are mixed on their clients’ top concerns about traveling in the current political environment. 

The top concern (62%) is general economic uncertainty, followed by worries about the treatment of Americans abroad (60%); safety and security (51%); increased costs due to tariffs (49%); immigration or border policies (41%); and travel restrictions or regulations (38%).

“We have not had any cancellations for travel in 2025 due to political concerns, or how travelers will be treated abroad,” Harrison said. “We have been in business for 33 years this year, and we know that election years always cause turmoil. Bookings tend to be down for the first six months after elections as people are adjusting to new policies and a new government. We are monitoring trends and consumer booking patterns closely and are prepared to pivot as needed to continue to serve our travelers’ developing needs.”

While there seems to be a considerable amount of wariness on the part of advisors, so far this has not translated into action for most agents. 

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Despite concerns, more than two-thirds of advisors (69%) say they have not taken any precautions or changed anything in their business in anticipation of an economic downturn, and 42% of advisors report making no changes to their marketing or business strategy. 

"We are adding more educational consumer events to our calendar this year, giving consumers the chance to meet face to face with supplier partners and our advisors,” Harrison said. “Travelers are encouraged to ask questions about products and destinations and get reassurance that travel abroad is very much still happening. We also decided to participate in more local community events this summer to have a more visible presence in the community and give travelers an opportunity to engage with us outside of the office. We are hoping this will give us a more accurate pulse of travel-related ambitions and concerns within our community.”