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If you are already making travel plans for this year, these emerging trends might provide some inspiration. Here is what is going to be hot in 2026.
1. Astrotourism
Forget views of great landscapes or mountains, the latest travel trend as we build up to the total solar eclipse on August 12 is a view of the night sky.
Some of the best places to experience dark skies around the world are Chile’s Atacama Desert, New Zealand’s Aoraki Mackenzie Reserve and the US state of Arizona. But it is the US state of Utah that is home to the largest concentration of certified International Dark Sky Parks, with 26 in total.
Travel company Intrepid says its Solar Eclipse Tours in partnership with New Scientist for Spain 2026 are sold out, and capacity has been doubled for Egypt tours in 2027 due to demand. Bookings are mostly coming from midlife travellers, as well as multi-generational families.
“Astrotourism allows people to connect with nature at a time when the world feels more online than ever,” says Joanna Reeve, UK director at Intrepid.
“Many find it peaceful to view how small we are in connection to the rest of the universe. It also allows travellers to get off the beaten path – skies are darker and less polluted in remote destinations – which, in turn, brings tourism and positive benefits to remote communities.”
2. Nostalgic travel
We all love an experience that brings us back to childhood, and now travellers are seeking the same, trying to recreate childhood memories as adults. Think historic local towns and adventures that remind you of what it is to be small again.
“We’re finding that our clients are increasingly drawn to trips that spark that same sense of wonder they remember from childhood – whether it’s sleeping in a treehouse under the stars or having a cowboy adventure on horseback,” says James Turner, founder of 360 Private Travel.
“They’re craving experiences that genuinely make them laugh, take their breath away and remind them of what it feels like when anything seems possible.
“Nostalgia is something that I think will continue to be a big influence on people’s travel plans in the coming years as well, as it’s connected to deep emotion and the simpler things in life.”
3. Community experiences

Travellers are looking to trade tourist traps and traditional sightseeing for more authentic experiences that avoid overcrowded hotspots. Bookings for 2026 trips focusing on cultural and community experiences have already doubled compared to 2025 for tour operator Timbuktu Travel.
Co-founder Johnny Prince says: “Culturally immersive travel is going to be one of the most influential trends going forward because people are no longer content with just ticking off landmarks or viewpoints that they’ve seen a hundred times online.
“We’re finding that people are looking for travel experiences that feel genuinely meaningful, ‍something that will stay with them forever because they’ve really connected with the place and the people who live there.
“Recently, we’ve facilitated travellers to learn a weaving technique guarded by Andean communities for more than 5,000 years and sleep out in the Kalahari with families who have passed down survival skills across countless generations.
“These encounters give people a deeper sense of place, because you’re not just observing a culture from the outside. You’re welcomed into it, even if only for a short time. And in a world where travel can sometimes feel rushed or surface-level, this sense of connection and grounding is exactly what people are craving.”
4. More solo travel than ever before
Whether it is because more people are choosing to stay single or deciding they do not want to wait for friends or partners to be free to travel with, solo holidays are on the rise.
True Traveller has seen a steady increase in purchases for individual travel insurance across all age groups, whether for weekend breaks or gap years.
“Travellers are increasingly confident going it alone,” managing director Tim Riley says.
“Destinations that are slightly off the beaten track, but where the infrastructure is good, such as Bali, Thailand and Japan, are leading the charge amongst solo travellers.”

The company is also seeing an increase in solos heading to Albania.
Meanwhile, cruising is no longer seen as just a couple’s holiday.
“Demand for solo river cruises has surged, with solo travellers now accounting for almost 13 per cent of all our bookings,” says Will Sarson, product director at Riviera Travel.
“Of those journeying independently, 64 per cent opt for an itinerary designed exclusively for solo guests, showing that more people are seeking the independence of solo travel within the comfort and camaraderie of a group of like-minded explorers.”
The travel company is even launching a ship created solely for solo travellers in 2027.
5. Considering the impact of overtourism

“We’re seeing a shift in the way people want to travel,” says Intrepid’s Reeve. “There’s a growing sense of awareness of how we, as travellers, impact the local communities in the places we visit. People want to discover lesser-known spots away from the crowds and the typical overcrowded selfie spots you see on social media.
“We’ve seen that shift reflected in our bookings. Bookings to southern Europe in July and August have softened by 15 per cent, while we’ve seen an increase in bookings in the quieter shoulder season of May and October.”
The company is responding by expanding shoulder-season options in southern Europe and introducing new trips to emerging destinations such as Bosnia, Romania and Albania.


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Tourism

2026 travel trends: astrotourism, nostalgia trips and even more solo holidays

Cruise tourists on their way to visit the city of Palma in Mallorca after disembarking at the port. A growing awareness of overtourism is expected to shape holiday decisions in the coming years. Photo: Clara Margais/dpa

Astrotourism has become a global travel industry trend in recent years and is set to become even bigger in 2026 as we build up to the total solar eclipse on August 12. Photo: Sandra Demmelhuber/dpa

Locals lead a community travel experience in Botswana. Travellers are looking to trade tourist traps and traditional sightseeing for more authentic experiences that avoid overcrowded hotspots. Photo: Natural Selection/Press Association/dpa

Whether it is because more people are choosing to stay single or deciding they do not want to wait for friends or partners to be free to travel with, solo holidays are on the rise. Photo: Moritz Frankenberg/dpa

Cruise tourists visit the city of Palma in Mallorca after disembarking at the port. A growing awareness of overtourism is expected to shape holiday decisions in the coming years. Photo: Clara Margais/dpa

Supermoons, eclipses and more: a 2026 guide to the best night sky events to look out for

A “ring of fire” solar eclipse seen from Tahai, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile, in 2024. In 2026, another will occur in February, but over the Antarctic. Photo: AP

An image of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it streaks through space on November 19, 2025. Photo: Gianluca Masi via AP

Artemis II crew members, from left, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch, stand together at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in 2023. The four are set to do a 10-day mission past the moon. Photo: Nasa via AP

An illustration provided by Blue Origin depicts the company’s Blue Moon MK1 spacecraft, a prototype of the lunar lander it is designing for Nasa’s astronauts, on the moon. Photo: Blue Origin via AP

A view of the moon’s shadow covering portions of Canada and the US during a total solar eclipse as seen from the International Space Station in 2024. Photo: Nasa via AP

Desert sunsets, delays and dining car treats on a 43-hour train journey from LA to Chicago

Passengers on the Southwest Chief train relax in the Sightseer Lounge on the trip between Los Angeles and Chicago. Photo: TNS

Passengers board the Southwest Chief at Los Angeles Union Station. Photo: TNS

The meal served in the dining car of the Southwest Chief was surprisingly good. Photo: TNS

Roomettes on the Southwest Chief are pretty small at 23 sq ft. Photo: TNS

Ernie Haecker is a regular passenger on the Southwest Chief. Photo: TNS

All passengers have access to the Sightseer Lounge. Photo: TNS

Best things to do in Nara, Japanese city that’s more than just an Osaka or Kyoto side trip

Free-roaming deer mingle with visitors at a temple in Nara. As Japan’s first permanent capital, Nara is home to an array of ancient religious sites. But there is also a modern side to this city on the doorstep of Osaka and Kyoto. Photo: Shutterstock

The bronze Buddha statue at Todaiji Temple is among the largest in the world. Photo: Kyodo 

Klaus Christandl is the general manager of JW Marriott Hotel Nara. Photo: JW Marriott Nara

Junichi Uekubo, the seventh-generation manager of Tea Uekubo in Nara, poses for a photo among his tea plants. Photo: Lisa Cam

The Flying Stag bar in the JW Marriott Hotel Nara. Photo: JW Marriott Nara

Cherry blossoms bloom on hillsides near Mount Yoshino. Photo: Getty Images

How this luxury Cambodian resort offers a yoga experience few others can match

Lana Yang (left), wellness manager at Knai Bang Chatt, and her friend and fellow yoga instructor Aimee Ortagus lead a class during a three-day yoga retreat at the seaside resort. Photo: Cathy Hilborn Feng

A colonial-era villa that has been turned into guest accommodation at Knai Bang Chaat. Photo: Instagram/jefmoons

Yang does tree pose under a tree on the lawn at the resort. Photo: Cathy Hilborn Feng

The sun sets over the Gulf of Thailand in front of Knai Bang Chatt. Photo: Cathy Hilborn Feng 

Belgian entrepreneur Jef Moons is the founder of Knai Bang Chatt. Photo: kepwest.com

Chef Chuon Sokheng smiles inside The Strand open-air restaurant at Knai Bang Chatt. Photo: Cathy Hilborn Feng

Coral Kingdom (front), a 5.7-metre-tall sandstone brick installation, is seen outside The Wave restaurant at Knai Bang Chatt, with a view of Kep National Park stretching across the hills behind. Photo: Cathy Hilborn Feng 

Yang (centre) sits with retreat goers inside the yoga sala, with her harmonium and the mandala in front. Photo: Cathy Hilborn Feng

Lifestyle

Travel & Leisure

What does 2026 have in store for travel? Experts talk about dark sky gazing, trips that make us feel like children, solo cruises and more


What does 2026 have in store for travel? Experts talk about dark sky gazing, trips that make us feel like children, solo cruises and more.


Travel news and advice

Travel Destinations

Responsible travel

Travel Advice for Millennials

2026 travel trends: astrotourism, nostalgia trips and even more solo holidays

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}What does 2026 have in store for travel? Experts talk about dark sky gazing, trips that make us feel like children, solo cruises and more

1. Astrotourism

What does 2026 have in store for travel? Experts talk about dark sky gazing, trips that make us feel like children, solo cruises and more