Honeymoon Trends 2026: The Biggest Travel Trends Couples Need to Know

We’re seeing a clear shift away from travellers wanting to control every detail of their holiday plans. The rise of decision fatigue, coupled with the constant presence of tech in our lives, means people no longer want to spend their precious time off buried in logistics, researching restaurants or juggling Google Maps and itinerary apps. Instead, they’re seeking the relief of handing over the reins to an expert who can curate something impactful, seamless, and truly restorative. This goes far beyond the traditional travel agent role. It’s about entrusting someone with the entire arc of the experience, from the emotional tone to the hidden details.

There’s definitely an ongoing shift. More and more of our travellers, especially the anti-Instagram brigade, are turning away from overcrowded hotspots that rarely live up to their over-filtered, uncluttered online image. Thankfully, there’s growing awareness that these places, while iconic, often offer less of an experience than expected. This shift is essential for reducing pressure on overcrowded destinations, while giving travellers the deeper, more rewarding connections they crave.

There is a ready audience for this fresh approach to tourism. A 2024 study of global travellers found that 83% of them said that sustainable travel is important to them and 75% wanted to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months. Programmes designed to attract responsible travellers that are easy to find and experience are the real opportunities for 2026 and beyond, because people are actively seeking destinations that align with their values and want this to be a convenient option.

In 2026, travellers will seek out the familiar as they explore new places to gain a sense of ease when they are outside of their comfort zone - from packing their favourite snacks and cooking a beloved meal to keeping up with their weekly TV shows.

More people would embrace the ‘joy of logging off’ (JOLO) and act on their hunger to ‘go dark,’ rejecting the empty overstimulation and sensory overload (all the 24/7 digital, light and noise pollution) that increasingly engulfs us. Within that trend, we’ve been tracking all year how travellers will now go very far to experience dark, quiet, silent and digital disconnected places and experiences, and how destinations are helping them ‘turn off’ and ‘go dark’ in unprecedented new ways.

The sauna’s proximity to the beach enables you to experience the benefits of extremes of cold and hot therapy: proven to boost energy, aid recovery, and support the immune system. A truly immersive wellness experience. The sauna is set above the waves, so it combines the healing power of nature with the benefits of the sea. Feel the benefits of cold to hot therapy, which boosts energy, aids recovery, and supports immune health.

From sleeper carriages to scenic routes, this isn’t a step back; it’s an invitation to be present and feel alive in this beautiful world we inhabit.

Ultra-luxury for 2026 means buying the unbuyable. It is providing unique experiences or exclusive access to guides or artisans to provide moments of adventure and creativity that can be realised in no other way.

More than ever, travellers are choosing where to go based on where they want to stay. Hotels are no longer a place to just bed down - they’re the destination itself. From stunning architecture to transportive design to the overall vibe, travellers are prioritising unique stays.

Whether it’s tracing the footsteps of fictional heroes, planning a slow holiday around a reading retreat or chasing the world’s most beautiful bookshops and libraries, people are choosing travel and literature to escape, reconnect and restore.

Sitting on the beach? Snooze. In 2026, we’re travelling for the thrill of it. Gen Z and Millennials will seek out full-throttle, adrenaline-inspired tourism—think river rafting through class 5 rapids, rappelling waterfalls on canyoneering routes or timing trips around global sporting events.

Fairytale meets fever dream in 2026’s biggest travel trend. Millennials and Boomers will seek out whimsical and mystical destinations: distant ruins swallowed by mist, naturally-occurring spirals and moody, enchanting forests.