Forget generic bucket lists and cookie-cutter itineraries, travel in 2026 is set to be bolder, deeply personal and unapologetically purpose driven. Whether you are chasing adventure, nostalgia, serenity or a storyline from your favourite series, the world is ready, and increasingly tailor-made, for you. Here are the key travel trends shaping how we will explore the world next year.
Set-jetting, screen-inspired travel
Screens are steering the suitcase. Thanks to blockbuster series and viral streaming hits, destinations seen on screen are turning into real-world hot spots. Travellers will flock to filming locations, iconic landscapes and city scenes that feel instantly familiar. If it trended on screen, it is likely to trend in real life.
Sustainable and regenerative travel
Beyond sustainability, travellers are leaning into regenerative tourism with slow itineraries, local-first experiences that support communities, stays in upcycled or salvaged hotels and conservation-minded choices that aim to leave places better than we found them. Road trips are being rewired, with more people open to lift sharing on holiday, using apps to connect and planning scenic, lower-emission routes.
Wellness and glow-cations
Wellness is levelling up, with a focus on skin health, wellness tech, thermal rituals and personalised treatments. Retreats offer more than rest, combining high-tech diagnostics, such as DNA or microbiome testing, with restorative experiences that help you return feeling truly reset.
Purpose-driven and personalised travel
More people want trips that align with their interests or identity. Travellers are chasing passion pursuits, from music and food pilgrimages to sport-led fan voyages. Increasingly, travel is seen as a way to celebrate yourself, not only to mark traditional milestones.
Nostalgic travel
Nostalgia is growing as a driver. Many are revisiting places tied to personal memories, especially now that technology can pinpoint exact photo locations and recreate moments from years past.
Multi-generational and family travel
Family travel is shifting, with rising demand for multi-generational holidays where grandparents, parents, children and extended family travel together. Accommodation, transport and experiences are adapting, from family suites and child-friendly activities to simpler logistics that make moving as a group easier.
The flexible foundation
Underpinning it all is flexibility. Longer stays, open-date bookings, hotel hopping within a single city and itineraries that respond to mood rather than rigid plans are becoming the norm. The world is opening up in ways that feel more meaningful and more you than ever—time to plan your next big adventure in 2026.
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