Geopolitical challenges are becoming ever more disruptive to travel operations. Rather than isolated incidents, they now serve as a stress test for a new operational baseline in which macro shocks – geopolitical, socioeconomic, and climate-related – are increasingly frequent and prone to cascading through global systems. In this era of polycrisis, resilience, corridor diversification, and digital seamlessness must become central to travel and tourism businesses’ growth strategies. The US/Israel-Iran war and its spillover effects on GCC countries is illustration of this disruptive risk.

Global passenger EV growth is decelerating. The 49% volume CAGR of 2020-2025 is expected to moderate to 2030, shifting the agenda from premium niches to affordable scale. In 2025, 63% of consumers agreed/strongly agreed that EVs’ initial purchase price is a significant barrier. They demand quality, safety, charging reliability and residual value.

Despite lagging behind European adoption rates, heat pumps in the US have outsold traditional gas furnaces annually since 2021, according to RMI (formerly Rocky Mountain Institute). Since 2015, the Energy Information Administration has reported higher residential HVAC activity each year. With cooling rates increasing due to higher average global temperatures, heat pumps have two points in their favour.

Industrial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are entering a transformative era. The global market is accelerating towards electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) systems, reshaping operational models and industry priorities. This shift is significant and urgent, influencing logistics, safety, and infrastructure strategies worldwide.

As we step into 2026, global markets face a complex landscape shaped by resilient but restrained growth, evolving trade dynamics, cost volatility, widening consumer market polarisation and the emerging influence of Generation Alpha. The new Trump tariffs, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and persistent economic uncertainty will continue to shape business decisions worldwide. The big question is what does this mean for luxury and fashion in the months ahead?

Listen to our experts, Fflur Roberts (Gloabal Insight Manager: Luxury Goods) and Marguerite LeRolland (Global Insight Manager: Fashion) discuss the key trends in luxury and fashion in 2026, and strategies to build growth and resilience.