The reputation around both luxury travel and expense seems to follow particular cities, countries, and destinations.

Switzerland, Dubai, Bora Bora, and Turks and Caicos have all both benefited from and struggled with deep-seated connotations of luxury that are precisely what bring in some types of travelers but also push out others.

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Even so, the places that actually end up costing the most are not always what one would assume. One report from Faye Travel Insurance looked at thousands of trips that its U.S.-based travelers looked to insure with the company in 2025 and found that African countries dominated the list when it came to cost.

A particular type of trip is the most expensive to insure

With an average trip cost of $18,417, the East African nation of Rwanda was the destination where travelers spent the most and so was also most expensive to insure.

As most travelers come there to experience activities like gorilla trekking and wildlife safaris, travelers from the U.S. typically purchase an all-inclusive package with private guides and all meals and tours prepaid. 

Related: A country just went visa-free for visitors with any passport

Other countries that offer safari experiences similarly dominated the top 10 list; Botswana had an average trip cost of $15,619.

Kenya was not far behind with $15,251, while Namibia, Tanzania, and South Africa came in with a respective $14,147, $13,092, and $12,725.

In total, eight out of the 10 countries with the highest trip cost totals were in Africa; the Seychelles came in second place with $15,775, and Zimbabwe was in eighth with $13,925.

Related: All-inclusive hotels are once again having a moment (thanks to Gen Z)

Out of the non-African countries, Antarctica came in fifth place with an average trip cost of $14,491, while the Falkland Islands landed seventh with $14,037. 

All the places in the top 10 ended up there for similar reasons — remoteness and the need for organized trips rather than individual city exploration means that both the initial amount travelers put down to book and their total spend trend upward.

“Think luxury safaris, private island escapes and remote destinations”

“What’s driving the cost?” the insurance provider summarized. “Think luxury safaris, private island escapes and remote destinations that require longer — and pricier — journeys to reach.”

Travelers to European countries such as France, Italy, and Spain sought to insure significantly less expenses; the average cost for a trip on the European continent came down to just $5,832 per traveler.

Even so, several African countries have been seeing a spike in middle-class travelers interested in exploring the country in ways other than a luxury safari.

More on travel:

• United Airlines places big bet on new flights to trendy destination
• Government issues new travel advisory on popular beach destination
• Another country just issued a new visa requirement for visitors

United Airlines  (UAL)  and Delta  (DAL)  have in the last year either launched or brought back routes to countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa. 

In addition, low-cost airline Norse Atlantic Airways  (NRSAF)  now has a 5,188-mile route between London and Cape Town.

A separate report from travel booking platform Kayak identified Africa as the region seeing the greatest spike in bookings and searches last year.

While travel trends shifted somewhat in 2025 amid lower consumer confidence, long-term travel industry strategists are still predicting tourism interest that continues to move toward countries or regions that may have previously gone ignored.

(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a trip.)

Make a free appointment with TheStreet’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.