If you’re already making travel plans for next year, these emerging trends might provide some inspiration. Here’s what is going to be popular in 2026.
1. Astro-tourism
Forget views of great landscapes or mountains, the latest travel trend is a view of the night sky. As we build up to the total solar eclipse on August 12 2026, the increased interest might also be fuelled by recent aurora and lunar eclipse sightings in Ireland and the UK.
Some of the best places to experience dark skies around the world are Chile’s Atacama Desert, New Zealand’s Aoraki Mackenzie Reserve and Arizona, but Utah is home to the largest concentration of certified International Dark Sky Parks, with 26 in total.
Intrepid says its Solar Eclipse Tours in partnership with New Scientist for Spain 2026 are sold out, and capacity has been doubled for Egypt tours in 2027 due to demand. Bookings are mostly coming from midlife travellers, as well as multi-generational families.
"Astro-tourism allows people to connect with nature at a time when the world feels more online than ever," says Joanna Reeve, UK director at Intrepid.
"Many find it peaceful to view how small we are in connection to the rest of the universe. It also allows travellers to get off the beaten path – skies are darker and less polluted in remote destinations – which, in turn, brings tourism and positive benefits to remote communities."
2. Nostalgic travel
We all love an experience that brings us back to childhood, and now travellers are seeking the same, trying to recreate childhood memories as adults.
James Turner, Founder of 360 Private Travel, says: "We’re finding that our clients are increasingly drawn to trips that spark that same sense of wonder they remember from childhood – whether it’s sleeping in a treehouse under the stars or having a cowboy adventure on horseback.
"They’re craving experiences that genuinely make them laugh, take their breath away and remind them of what it feels like when anything seems possible. Nostalgia is something that I think will continue to be a big influence on people’s travel plans in the coming years as well, as it’s connected to deep emotion and the simpler things in life."
3. Community experiences
Travellers are looking to trade tourist traps and traditional sightseeing for more authentic experiences that avoid overcrowded hotspots. Bookings for 2026 trips focusing on cultural and community experiences have already doubled compared to 2025, for tour operator Timbuktu Travel.
Co-Founder Johnny Prince says, "Culturally, immersive travel is going to be one of the most influential trends going forward because people are no longer content with just ticking off landmarks or viewpoints that they’ve seen a hundred times online.
"We’re finding that people are looking for travel experiences that feel genuinely meaningful, something that will stay with them forever because they’ve really connected with the place and the people who live there.
"Recently, we’ve facilitated travellers to learn a weaving technique guarded by Andean communities for more than 5,000 years and sleep out in the Kalahari with families who have passed down survival skills across countless generations.
"These encounters give people a deeper sense of place, because you’re not just observing a culture from the outside. You’re welcomed into it, even if only for a short time. And in a world where travel can sometimes feel rushed or surface-level, this sense of connection and grounding is exactly what people are craving."
4. More solo travel than ever before
Whether it’s because more people are choosing to stay single or deciding they don’t want to wait for friends or partners to be free to travel with, solo holidays are on the rise.
True Traveller has seen a steady increase in purchases for individual travel insurance across all age groups, whether for weekend breaks or gap years. "Travellers are increasingly confident going it alone," MD Tim Riley says.
"Destinations that are slightly off the beaten track but where the infrastructure is good, such as Bali, Thailand and Japan, are leading the charge amongst solo travellers."
The company is also seeing an increase in solos heading to Albania.
Meanwhile, cruising is no longer seen as just a couple’s holiday. Will Sarson, product director at Riviera Travel, says: "Demand for solo river cruises has surged, with solo travellers now accounting for almost 13% of all our bookings. Of those journeying independently, 64% opt for an itinerary designed exclusively for solo guests, showing that more people are seeking the independence of solo travel within the comfort and camaraderie of a group of like-minded explorers."
The travel company is even launching a ship created solely for solo travellers in 2027.
5. Considering the impact of over-tourism
"We’re seeing a shift in the way people want to travel," Reeve says. "There’s a growing sense of awareness of how we, as travellers, impact the local communities in the places we visit. People want to discover lesser-known spots away from the crowds and the typical overcrowded selfie spots you see on social media.
"We’ve seen that shift reflected in our bookings. Bookings to Southern Europe in July and August have softened by 15%, while we’ve seen an increase in bookings in the quieter shoulder season of May and October."
The company is responding by expanding shoulder-season options in Southern Europe and introducing new trips to emerging destinations such as Bosnia, Romania and Albania.
