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Traveling is no longer just about the destination – or even the journey. It’s about the experience you walk away with.
Since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, experience-driven travel has continued to evolve from simply checking out points of interest to meaningful journeys that help travelers connect with the people and places they visit.
CNBC analyzed 25 end-of-year trips reports and identified the five biggest trends expected to shape the coming year.
1. Anti-tourism
To better experience local culture, avoid contributing to overtourism and potentially save a few dollars, travelers are increasingly avoiding peak seasons and heavily visited destinations.
Forty-five percent of advisors at travel agency Virtuoso say their clients are adjusting their plans due to climate change. Among these advisors, 76% report increased interest in low-season or off-peak travel, while 75% say clients prefer destinations with moderate weather conditions, according to the company’s 2026 “Luxe Report.”
THE report, released in October, also showed the key ways travelers are looking to travel sustainably, easing pressure on local communities and preserving authentic experiences.
This change is fueling the rise of so-called “secondary cities,” located outside major tourist hubs and offering more immersive experiences.
Online travel platform Agoda found that searches for accommodation in secondary destinations in Asia are growing 15% faster than in traditional tourist hubs.
Its 2026 Travel Outlook report also shows that governments are catching on. For example, Indonesia has rolled out its “Tourism 5.0” strategy, which aims to develop five “super priority” secondaries destinations designed to move tourism beyond Bali.
Japan, too, relies on regional campaigns to keeping visitors away from Tokyo and other major city centers.
2. “Detox Decision” Vacation
Traditionally, all-inclusive travel has been about efficiency, with travelers planning their itineraries to maximize their vacation time.
But today, travelers are mentally exhausted before leaving on a trip, and increasingly outsourcing planning to agencies or even hotels offering all-inclusive packages, shows the latest travel report from Lemongrass Marketing.
Essentially, “travelers want someone they trust to make the right choices for them, so they can disconnect properly,” said Tara Schwenk, senior director of digital strategy at Lemongrass Marketing, in an email response to questions from CNBC.
“As cognitive overload becomes a defining feature of modern life, light travel is no longer a niche wellness supplement, it is becoming a fundamental expectation, especially among time-poor and highly stressed travelers,” Schwenk added.
The trend has remodeled premium travel, replacing endless options with curated choices, said luxury travel company HunterMoss.
This allows ultra-luxury travelers “to take their minds off additional costs or logistical planning during their trip,” said Julie Hunter, director and COO of HunterMoss.
3. Well-being goes beyond spas
Another growing trend is wellness travel, which has evolved from spa packages to science-based longevity programs focused on mental health. travel.
Offerings include Ayurvedic programs in India, yoga and surfing getaways in Costa Rica, and silent retreats in Canada.
Many travelers consider well-being travel as long-term health investments, according to the Virtuoso report.
The appeal of these trips transcends class lines, from budget nature trips to the “healthy rich” trend. It is also popular with single travelers and couples, as well as older and younger travelers, the report adds.
Two-thirds of U.S. travelers under 35 say they prefer active trips involving hiking, rafting and biking, and more than 50% believe in maintaining a wellness routine while traveling, according to a separate report from tour operator Contiki.
4. Nostalgic trip
Young travelers are looking for vacations that remind them of the past.
Nearly 8 in 10 Americans are under 35 say they have or want to recreate a childhood trip, according to the Contiki report.
At the same time, new retirees – a group that is beginning to include older members of Generation X – are embracing their newfound freedom through “golden gap year” travel, according to consultancy The Future Laboratory.
With no boss to report to and no children in tow, they undertake long journeys, both overland and by cruise ship, that are more adventurous than the retiree journeys of the past, their “Future Forecast 2026” report says.
The report added that almost 25% of retirees have traveled for a year or would consider doing so, citing research by UK retirement village operator Inspired Villages.
5. AI in hotel service
As more travelers turn to artificial intelligence to book travel, hotels are also using it to better understand their guests.
Next year is expected to mark a significant shift in hotels, moving from reacting to guest demands to predicting their desires – using predictive intelligence to personalize stays before guests arrive, according to the Oracle Hospitality report.
Some hotels already allow guests to personalize every detail of their room, such as adding a reformer Pilates machine and blackout shades, or choosing a room closest to the breakfast buffet, according to a separate report from a travel technology company. Amédée.
“As AI accelerates, personalization will no longer be an accessory but the default operating system of choice,” the Amadeus report adds.
