In the Americas, travellers faced a range of challenges in 2025, including the Bolivia fuel crisis, Colombia insurgency, U.S. wildfires and flooding in Texas Hill Country, as well as Hurricane Melissa affecting the Caribbean. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, post-election unrest in Cameroon and Tanzania, conflicts in DRC and South Sudan and disease outbreaks, including Ebola, mpox and Chikungunya, disrupted travel and local safety.

In the Middle East and North Africa, tensions between Iran and Israel and ongoing regional conflicts highlighted the complex security environment. In Europe, key events included nationwide opposition protests in Türkiye, anti-government demonstrations in Serbia, power blackouts in Spain and Portugal and updates to the UK ETA and Schengen systems. Northern Ireland also experienced riots and anti-immigrant violence. 

Across Asia-Pacific, the region faced extreme weather events such as devastating floods and Australian bushfires, major earthquakes in Myanmar and Russia, widespread protests in Indonesia and Thailand-Cambodia border clashes, alongside India-Pakistan tensions.

Several events affected multiple regions, including the major earthquake in Russia, triggering tsunami across the Pacific. Health-related risks were also significant, with cholera and polio outbreaks across multiple countries and mosquito-borne virus activity in the Americas affecting travellers’ plans.

The 2025 Lookback provides an essential overview of how global events shaped travel in 2025 and offers practical guidance to help travellers and organisations plan more safely in the year ahead.