Forget last year's solo trips and book-cations. The travel landscape for 2026 is set to be defined by a fascinating mix of heritage, wellness, and a conscious move away from digital dependence. Experts from Conde Nast Traveller have unveiled their forecast for the year ahead, listing 18 key trends that will shape how we explore the world.
Luxury, Heritage and a Shift from AI
The list is topped by the rise of luxury train hopping, with new routes and destinations making rail travel the epitome of opulence. A prime example is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which will debut a new service from Paris to Italy's Amalfi Coast on May 4, 2026. Meanwhile, inspired by shows like Who Do You Think You Are?, ancestry travel is booming, with companies like MyHeritage offering DNA-led journeys to reconnect with personal heritage.
In a significant health-conscious shift, dry tourism is on the rise. As studies show a declining appetite for alcohol, travellers are actively seeking hotels with extensive zero-alcohol beverage menus. Another celestial trend, astro-cruising, will see holidaymakers heading to sea to witness stellar phenomena like the Northern Lights, with 2026 tipped as the best year for aurora viewing in over a decade.
From Supermarket Shelves to Grandparent Getaways
The trends also highlight more everyday adventures. Grocery shop tourism, or 'shelf discovery', is soaring, with almost three-quarters of UK travellers often visiting local supermarkets abroad. Museums are ditching glass cases for interactive, immersive experiences, while airports are reinventing their pre-security spaces into expansive public areas.
Surprising entries include sexy seaweed, highlighting its use in sustainable farming and beauty treatments, and grandma/grandpa getaways. These multi-generational trips focus on learning traditional skills like embroidery and flower arranging from older generations.
Prioritising the Human Touch
Perhaps one of the most telling trends is a move away from artificial intelligence for travel inspiration. Despite a reported doubling in the use of AI for holiday planning, the focus for 2026 is on human intelligence over AI. This follows notable errors, such as AI inventing non-existent attractions. Travel will instead be inspired by genuine human experience and expert curation.
Rounding out the list are Viking wellness practices, design weeks as travel destinations, serenity-focused sailing, and the evolution of the personal butler – 'The butler 2.0' – where staff meticulously pre-empt guest preferences for a hyper-personalised stay.
