The most dangerous moment in travel isn’t a storm, a strike, or a missed connection. It’s the moment a traveler reaches the payment page... and decides not to book.

We call it booking anxiety, and new research sponsored by Protect Group, in partnership with Phocuswright and Web in Travel, puts hard data behind a challenge the industry has long underestimated.

In this episode, Dan sits down with Stephen Joyce, Global Strategy Lead – Travel, Tours & OTAs at Protect Group, to explore why traveler confidence often disappears at checkout. They unpack why today's travelers worry just as much about losing valuable vacation time as they do about losing money, why disruption risk feels more real than ever, and why flexibility has become one of the biggest drivers of conversion. The research shows many travelers would rather pay a little more for peace of mind than choose the cheapest non-refundable fare, and that knowing a full refund is possible if plans change is one of the strongest motivators to complete a booking.