Feeling of safety when traveling abroad lower than ever since the Covid pandemic
The tense global situation is making people feel insecure when traveling. This is shown by the results of the tenth TCS travel barometer. However, this does not detract from the basic desire to travel. However, people are increasingly traveling to European countries instead of overseas.
Geopolitical crises and conflicts also have an impact on the travel behavior of the Swiss. This finding is shown by the results of the tenth travel barometer commissioned by the TCS from the research institute gfs.bern. 1004 adults from the Swiss population and 810 TCS members took part in the representative survey, which was conducted between February and March 2026.
Compared to the previous year, respondents rated trips abroad as significantly less safe. 33% stated that they considered traveling abroad to be rather unsafe, compared to 19% in the 2025 Travel Barometer. Only in 2021, the year of the pandemic, was uncertainty about traveling abroad even higher. The need for safety is also noticeable when traveling. 89% stated that safety and security is the most important aspect when traveling. There is similarly strong demand for online travel information and safety advice, as well as good and short communication channels to Switzerland to obtain medical advice.
European travel is gaining in popularity
Nevertheless, the actual willingness of the Swiss to travel is still high. The proportion of those who never travel at all fell from 19% in 2026 to 9% in the current survey. 40 percent travel less than before. 38% travel the same amount as before and 11% more frequently than before. This shows a stabilization of the desire to travel, which was characterized by a catch-up effect in the first few years after the coronavirus pandemic. A look back also suggests this. 84% of respondents stated that they had taken a trip abroad with at least three overnight stays in 2025. Although this is slightly less than in the previous year, it is at a similar level to two years ago.
So people still like to travel, but political instability and wars have a strong influence on travel behavior. Two thirds of survey participants cited this factor as a decisive factor in their travel plans. As a result, Europe is gaining in importance as a preferred travel continent. In particular, European countries outside the neighboring countries as well as Spain and Portugal have gained in popularity. North America, on the other hand, has become less attractive as a travel destination.
Your own car is becoming less important when traveling
When it comes to choosing the preferred means of transportation, a trend that has been in place for several years has become even more pronounced: Owning a car is still the preferred means of transportation for travel for 51%. In the 2023 Travel Barometer, it was still the first choice for 67%. Cars, airplanes (51%) and trains (50%) are now practically on a par. Other means of transportation such as bus, rental car, overnight train, camper and cruise ship are much less popular.
When TCS members travel, they often do not differ significantly from the rest of the population - with one exception. City trips are less popular with TCS members, but they are more likely to go on adventure trips and camping vacations.
Source: TCS
