Why Go Now? How Travel in 2026 is Defying All the Odds

From some of the headlines, one might assume that this is a year to forgo international travel. But last month, our travelers attended the official ceremony commemorating D-Day in Normandy, went on safari in three southern African countries, cruised the Danube and the Douro Rivers, hiked island trails in Croatia, and explored temples in Japan. June capped off a spring of wonderful travel experiences for Smithsonian Journeys—despite the fact that earlier in the season it looked like Americans would be putting away their passports for the foreseeable future.

In March, a sweeping travel advisory triggered by the Iran conflict discouraged travel to the Middle East and beyond. Reports about jet fuel shortages suggested that canceled flights could leave vacationing American tourists stranded in Europe. And news of little-known viruses dredged up harrowing memories of the early days of Covid.

But the world and its travelers have proven to be resilient, and what many feared would be a blow to tourism has turned out to be more of a blip. Smithsonian Journeys has weathered recessions, wars, terrorism, and natural disasters over the past 56 years. We are veterans in weighing the risks and benefits of travel and reacting nimbly to ever-changing world events, while keeping the safety and well-being of our travelers our top priority. Our plans haven’t changed: we’re still bringing travelers to all seven continents on all kinds of trips. Here are a few reasons you can feel confident in exploring another part of the world right now.

It’s a great time to travel to Egypt.

Throughout the events of the spring—even when Americans in Egypt were urged to leave immediately—the U.S. Department of State travel advisory for Egypt remained at Level 2, on par with other popular destinations such as France, England, and even Costa Rica. Egyptologist Emily Teeter, a longtime Smithsonian Journeys Expert, stresses that Egypt is not only safe, but extremely friendly and welcoming to foreigners. “One of the first things I say to our travelers when they arrive in Cairo is that they probably had friends or family that advised them not to go to Egypt,” Teeter says. “I tell them, ‘After a day here, you will forget all of that.’ There is a reason people have been traveling to Egypt for thousands of years—it remains such a fascinating and hospitable place.”

Along with the opening of the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in late 2024 and its extraordinary collection of King Tutankhamun’s treasures just last year, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has worked to diversify and enhance the tourist experience in Egypt, developing hiking circuits and ecotourism options, and inviting travelers to visit lesser-known parts of the country. And that’s not to mention the constant stream of archaeological discoveries that keep putting a fresh spin on an ancient place: just last month, Smithsonian magazine reported that a marble sculpture of Aphrodite and other priceless artifacts were discovered in the 4,000-year-old capital of Ehnasiya.

Egyptian gastronomy has also come a long way from the days when travelers expected they’d eventually get “Tutankhamun’s curse.” Says Teeter, “On the Smithsonian Journeys trip, we go to these wonderful little local restaurants where veggies are fresh and the meals are beautiful.”

We’re looking forward to kicking off our fall Egypt season this October, with departures planned weekly through the end of the year and well into 2027—each with no more than 24 travelers and accompanied by a Smithsonian Journeys Expert like Emily Teeter, who will lead a sold-out trip in March.

You won’t get stranded (at least when you travel with us).

One of the many benefits of small-group travel is that behind every trip there is a team of travel professionals making sure the experience goes smoothly. Along with our air-inclusive Land Journeys, you can book airfare through our travel specialists on many of our trip types, from cultural stays and river cruises to tailor-made trips. Our trip prices include insurance that covers basic medical expenses and emergency and evacuation assistance while traveling and we offer more comprehensive travel insurance to cover the extras.  On all our land-based, small-group trips, a seasoned travel director leads the group, taking care of logistics on the ground and helping with issues that arise while on tour.

Airfare increases have been relatively modest….and there’s plenty of jet fuel.

With the conduit of oil from the Persian Gulf disrupted, fears of a jet fuel shortage have been in and out of the headlines since April. It has forced the airline industry—particularly in Europe—to get creative. Idle refineries in Spain and elsewhere were revved up to pitch in with production, and for the first time, the European Union allowed for the use of Jet A fuel, the standard fuel used by U.S. airlines, rather than Jet A-1. European companies, once largely dependent on Middle Eastern oil, have begun sourcing their fuel from North America, Asia, and Africa, which has helped stave off a shortage through the summer high season.

As expected, the uncertainty has led to airfare increases, but so far, they have not been as dramatic as initially feared. On most of our land journeys, standard economy airfare is included in the pricing and hasn’t changed. Taxes, additional fees, and upgrades, which are subject to change, have on average seen increases of $200—a change commensurate with shifts caused by pricing algorithms before the jet fuel scare.

Africa is a vast, diverse continent—and more than 99% Ebola-free.

Thanks to an international effort, the rare strain of Hantavirus that broke out on a cruise ship in the southern Atlantic was quickly contained. On its heels came news of an Ebola outbreak in a remote swath of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The seriousness of this health crisis for communities in the DRC (and to a lesser extent, Uganda) should not be downplayed, but for travelers to other parts of Africa, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) considers the risk low. This is in part due to the nature of the rare disease, which is most common in rainforest communities and is transmitted through close contact with wildlife such as porcupines and gorillas, or from human to human only through close contact with bodily fluids. After a slow initial response to the outbreak, the virus has been largely contained in Uganda and international public health efforts have ramped up to keep it from spreading outside the DRC.

Our Africa programs take place far from these conflict-torn regions, in the endless, open savannas of Tanzania and Kenya and in the wilderness regions of southern Africa. On safari, you’ll spend plenty of time observing wildlife, but always at a safe distance and never having any direct contact with them.

You don’t have to follow the tourist crowds.

Over the past year, reports from popular tourist destinations have described water gun-wielding locals in Barcelona and packed streets in Positano. With more than 100 itineraries to 90-plus destinations to choose from, you don’t have to be part of the overtourism challenge with Smithsonian Journeys. Our Active Journeys bring you on trails that lace through lesser-known parts of stunning destinations like Tuscany, Ireland, or Japan. And our new weeklong Discover Getaways feature intriguing destinations like Malta and Jordan where tourists are fewer.

On our Cultural Stays, you stay in one place and get to know it in depth, venturing to sites and savoring the quiet, local atmosphere once day-trippers have gone. You can choose from a daily range of excursions on our river and ocean cruises, perhaps biking through Burgundy or visiting a truffle farm in Croatia. And our land-based journeys are limited to 24 travelers and full of local experiences as well as must-see sites.  Whenever possible, we time our trips to avoid the height of tourist season and the summer heat. You can also design your own itinerary on a Tailor-Made Journey and choose destination or travel dates that others might not consider.

You can beat the heat.

Europe’s heat waves have only gotten worse in recent years, but there are many ways to avoid them. You could explore the northern realms on a small-ship cruise to Norway or the British Isles, go hiking in Iceland or Alaska, or discover the cultural treasures of the Baltics. Head to the southern hemisphere, where it’s winter in July, or explore the hot spots of Europe when temperatures have cooled, experiencing France or Greece as autumn sets in and tourism subsides.

At its essence, travel done right is a keystone of local economies across the world and an incomparable means of understanding our planet—its diverse cultures as well as its astonishing feats of nature. More than that, an enriching travel experience is inherently life-affirming and hopeful, filled with real-life moments that open your eyes, kindle your curiosity, and inspire connections with people from distant lands.  It’s also everlasting, relived in photo albums browsed by generations and weaving into the lore of a lifetime. Perhaps this is why travel has bounced back despite the news this year: it is far too precious to sacrifice.