Expedia’s Top 6 Travel Trends and Smart Destinations for 2026

Back at it with predictions for next year! If Skyscanner’s 2026 Travel Trends were all about personal indulgence with purpose, Expedia’s newly released Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel™ takes that idea broader, showing how travellers will explore the world smarter, slower, and with more soul.

Drawing on insights from 24,000 travellers across 18 countries and millions of Expedia Group search results, the report identifies six trends shaping the year ahead, backed by data from Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. The findings range from farm stays and reading retreats to set-jetting and upcycled hotels. And, in a major move toward sustainability, Expedia has launched the industry’s first Smart Travel Health Check, developed with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to spotlight destinations that manage tourism responsibly.

Destinations of the Year: Beyond the Crowds

Forget overcrowded hotspots. Expedia’s Destinations of the Year highlight where demand is growing fast without tipping into overtourism. The list includes Big Sky, Montana (+92%), Okinawa, Japan (+71%), Sardinia, Italy (+63%), Savoie, France (+51%), and the Cotswolds, U.K. (+39%); all areas marked with Expedia’s new Smart Travel Health Check.

Expedia developed the Smart Travel Health Check with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to recognise destinations proactively managing tourism. It’s a first-of-its-kind framework assessing places against six key principles designed to ensure responsible and resilient tourism. These include stewardship, community engagement, data-driven planning, transparent reinvestment of tourism revenue, and meaningful empowerment of residents. Destinations that meet these criteria are better equipped to manage tourism sustainably, protect local environments, and support their communities.

Ariane Gorin, Expedia Group’s CEO, sums it up: “We have a responsibility to shape a future of travel that’s smarter, more sustainable, and deeply respectful of the places we go.”

“We have a responsibility to shape a future of travel that’s smarter, more sustainable, and deeply respectful of the places we go.” –– Ariane Gorin, CEO, Expedia Group

1. Fan Voyage: The Sport of Travel

Sports tourism is no longer about big-ticket games like the Super Bowl or Wimbledon—it’s about sumo wrestling in Japan, Muay Thai in Thailand, or Banana Ball in the U.S. Expedia’s Fan Voyage trend reveals that 57% of travellers are likely to attend a unique local sporting experience while abroad, rising to 68% among Gen Z and Millennials.

It’s less about winning and more about belonging. Whether cheering at a curling rink in Canada or a Capoeira circle in Brazil, travellers are chasing cultural connection through community spirit.

For hotels, that could mean tapping into local fan culture with sports-themed partnerships, viewing parties, or on-site experiences that help guests feel part of the action.

2. Salvaged Stays: Check In, Time-Travel Back

Adaptive reuse is having a design moment. Hotels.com reports a surge in searches for properties with a past life, known as Salvaged Stays. The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu (a former schoolhouse, up 194%), Bodmin Jail Hotel in Cornwall (up 110%), and Union Station Nashville Yards (up 57%) top the list of 2026 Hotels of the Year.

Bodmin Jail Hotel, Cornwall

From abbeys and mints to train stations and banks, travellers are craving character over cookie-cutter experiences. Repurposing historic buildings also supports sustainability goals by reducing new construction and preserving local heritage. For hoteliers, it’s proof that heritage, design, and storytelling are the new luxury, and that authentic spaces with soul are what resonate most with today’s traveller.

3. Hotel Hop: The Multi-Stay Movement

More than half of travellers (54%) now plan to book multiple hotels within one trip. The main motivations are exploring different neighbourhoods (50%) and finding better deals (35%).

Hotel Hop is particularly popular with younger travellers who want variety and flexibility. Example combos include Broadwick Soho and The Petersham in London, or Cyashitsu Ryokan Asakusa and Hotel Indigo Shibuya in Tokyo.

Consider working with local competitors to extend length of stay in your region. Collaborating across hotels and neighbourhoods gives travellers more choice while keeping tourism spend within the local community.

Readaways: Trips That Get “Lit” 📚

If you loved Skyscanner’s Bookbound trend, you’ll adore Vrbo’s Readaways. Ninety-one percent of travellers say they’re planning a trip focused on reading, relaxation, or reconnecting with loved ones. Pinterest searches for “book club retreat ideas” are up 265%, and Vrbo’s reading-related guest reviews have nearly tripled year over year. It’s another reminder that quiet luxury is still trending and that sometimes the best souvenir is finishing a good novel. For hotels, this is an easy trend to tap into—think reading corners, author events, and serene design that encourages guests to unplug and unwind.

Farm Charm: The Slow-Travel Revival

Farm life is officially aspirational. Eighty-four percent of travellers are interested in staying on or near a farm, and mentions of farm experiences in Vrbo reviews are up 300%. Top draws include hiking (73%), animal interactions (62%), and gardening or harvesting produce (42%).

Properties such as Moorhall Farm in Worcester, U.K. and Barakee Homestead in Queensland, Australia are thriving as guests trade Wi-Fi bars for milking barns. For hotels and resorts, this growing appetite for slow travel presents new opportunities to partner with nearby farms or create hands-on, nature-focused activities that bring guests closer to the land.

It’s another sign that wellness in 2026 will be less about spa menus and more about mindfulness in motion...fresh air, meaningful connection, and space to slow down.

Set-Jetting: Screen Dreams, Recast

Expedia first coined set-jetting back in 2022, and it’s officially back in the spotlight. Fifty-three percent of travellers say their desire for screen-inspired trips has grown, and 81 percent of Gen Z and Millennials now plan getaways based on what they’ve seen on screen.

Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey in Newbury, England

The 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast features locations from Yorkshire (for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale) and Tuscany (for Jay Kelly) to the Dalmatian Coast (for People We Meet on Vacation). The potential U.S. market? Roughly $8 billion.

Interestingly, while Skyscanner noted a move away from screens and toward books with its Bookbound trend, Expedia’s data shows that both impulses can thrive side by side—the page-turners and the plot twists. Whether travellers are chasing fictional heroes or cinematic backdrops, the real destination is inspiration.

The Takeaway for 2026

Together, Expedia’s Unpack ’26 and Skyscanner’s 2026 Travel Trends paint a vivid picture of travellers who are both intentional and inspired. For hoteliers, the message is clear: 2026 will be the year of the smart traveller... one who values sustainability, creativity, and emotional connection as much as comfort.