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Travel in 2026 will revolve around authenticity, discovery, and sustainability. Travelers are seeking unique experiences, far from traditional tours, and favor destinations offering both cultural immersion and environmental respect.
Leading experts and platforms, Skyscanner, Expedia, Hilton, and Booking, have already identified the key trends that will shape the year ahead. Discover which experiences, destinations, and travel practices will make a difference in 2026.
In 2026, reports from Booking.com, Expedia, Skyscanner, MSC Cruises, Hilton, Virtuoso, and many other industry players show that travelers are seeking increasingly personalized, immersive experiences that align with their values, including slow travel, wellness, tailor-made stays, and alternative destinations. The coming year will be marked by the rise of ‘me-centric’ tourism, where artificial intelligence, customization, and the need for calm are reinventing trips, from destination selection to on-site micro-experiences.
Travelers are seeking trips that reflect their identity, habits, and passions, rather than standardized packages. Reports from Booking.com, Expedia, and Skyscanner highlight a growing interest in trips focused on specific themes such as reading, beauty, sports, gaming, and wellness, enhanced by artificial intelligence and recommendation algorithms. Thus, 71% of travelers are drawn to ‘romantasy’ destinations, and 78% by AI-based suggestions or filming locations.
Skyscanner and Expedia predict that customization will move from niche to norm, with flexible itineraries, layovers, extensions, upgrades, and private activities, built primarily around the ‘why I travel’. Online tools and artificial intelligence make it easy to combine flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and experiences, thus facilitating complex trips optimized for points and miles. Thus, 21% of travelers will choose accommodation that directly influences their destination.
BBC Travel and Hilton highlight the rise of ‘quietcations’ and ‘hushpitality’: peaceful retreats, digital detoxes, secluded accommodations, and rooms designed to limit noise. Rest, mental health, and disconnection are becoming priority motivations, well ahead of the rush to discover tourist sites.
Travelers are favoring longer, quieter stays, often in temperate climates, or ‘coolcations’, favoring train travel, road trips, and rural or lesser-known regions. According to Air Journal, interest in the United States is decreasing in favor of Japan, Central Asia, and other regions perceived as more natural, authentic, and pleasant. Thus, 40% of travelers plan to go hiking, according to Skyscanner.
Wellness is becoming a true immersion: optimized sleep, longevity programs, specialized spas, nature immersions, cold baths, breathing exercises, and much more. Booking.com and other observers also highlight the rise of travel focused on beauty and natural radiance, targeted treatments, skincare routines, and dedicated technologies, particularly popular with younger generations.
Discover 6 wellness experiences for a trip to Los Cabos, Mexico.
Trips inspired by series, films, video games, or viral content, or ‘set-jetting’, continue to strongly influence destination choices. Reports also highlight the rise of sports-focused travel, events, marathons, active stays, as well as ‘literary getaways’, retreats focused on reading and literature, driven by online communities.
Discover our selection of hotels inspired by The White Lotus series.
MSC Cruises and Hilton note that children are increasingly influencing the choice of destinations, activities, and even all-inclusive resorts. Multi-generational travel continues to grow, both to share costs and to multiply shared experiences, thus stimulating demand for family cabins, suites, villas, and adapted services. Thus, 26% of travelers will travel with family, including in a multi-generational setting, and 23% will explore local grocery stores.
In the high-end segment, luxury is defined by emotion, privileged access, and personal transformation, rather than ostentation. Virtuoso, Forbes, and others highlight immersive experiences, ‘regenerative’ accommodations, off-season stays, private access to exceptional sites, and a strong cultural and gastronomic dimension.
Technology and artificial intelligence are becoming essential at all stages of travel: inspiration, planning, translation, real-time itinerary optimization, and contextual recommendations. Hilton evokes the concept of ‘intentional travel’: travelers start with a precise motivation—to rest, reconnect, or challenge themselves—and AI helps align destination, pace, accommodations, and activities with this ‘why’.
Even if price remains an important criterion, 2026 reports confirm an increased sensitivity to sustainability: off-season travel, less crowded destinations, eco-responsible accommodations, longer but less frequent stays . The concept of ‘alternative destinations’ continues: it involves offering places with a similar ambiance to iconic sites, but with fewer crowds and often more advantageous rates.
Hilton predicts a strong comeback for road trips, with particular attention to comfort—a good bed, included breakfast, pool, and space—during stops. Travelers are seeking more ‘home-like’ amenities in their accommodations, such as a kitchen, laundry facilities, or living areas, to reduce travel fatigue and better manage their budget. Thus, 79% prioritize spontaneity and flexibility, 77% enjoy meeting new people, 76% share driving, and 68% plan to buy dishes or provisions during their trip.
Read our guides on road trips in Canada and driving through Mallorca:
Skyscanner’s report highlights the destinations that have seen the largest increases in flight searches for 2026. Leading the way is Cascais, Portugal (+460%), which captivates with its seaside charm, golden sandy beaches, and historic elegance on the Atlantic coast. Additionally, 40% of travelers plan to go hiking, favoring natural and immersive destinations to experience authentic slow travel.
Skyscanner’s report, meanwhile, reveals different but equally attractive destinations for the 2026 traveler. Here are some of its top destinations:
With a travel points credit card, you can use these points to reimburse part or all of your vacation expenses, no matter what trend you follow in 2026.
Among the most popular loyalty programs in Canada are:
The best strategy to quickly accumulate points is to:
Let’s take the example of American Express Membership Rewards points. It is possible to use them on any purchase by exchanging 1,000 points for a $10 statement credit.
The American Express Cobalt® Card stands out as one of the most advantageous options in Canada for quickly earning points. Indeed, the main advantage of this card is the ability to earn 5 points for every dollar spent on food and beverages, including restaurants and bars nationwide.
Furthermore, you can also transfer your Membership Rewards points to another loyalty program such as Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton, if the value is worthwhile.
Other excellent credit cards with generous welcome offers include: the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card.
Finally, don’t forget that by using a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, you will save 2.5% on your transactions.
In 2026, travelers will seek authentic experiences, fully immersed in nature, exploring new destinations. Tourism will turn towards creativity and personalization, offering unique and tailor-made adventures that go beyond the standards of traditional stays.
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