Welcome to 2026!
If you haven’t already booked an adventure (or two) for this year, chances are you’ve been brainstorming potential travel destinations for months. But as we look forward to the fresh start that only a new year can bring, we have to wonder: How will the travel industry evolve in 2026? We’ve spoken to our in-house experts, pored over industry reports, and canvassed the travel news space to get a sense of where the winds are blowing. Read on for the 11 trends that will shape the world of travel in the coming year.
With so many of us living in a near-constant state of cognitive and sensory overload, it only stands to reason that you’d want to strip away all that noise on vacation. That’s why an increasing number of travelers are skipping major cities, opting instead for quieter escapes that allow for a digital detox. If you’re looking to unwind, unplug, and reset on your next small group tour, consider the glacier-carved landscape of Iceland, the vast open wilderness of Alaska, or the soaring peaks of the Canadian Rockies as your next destination.
The rise of global travel has been a net positive, helping to stimulate economies and foster understanding and empathy around the world. Still though, some globetrotters are making more deliberate decisions to travel sustainably and minimize the impacts of overtourism this year … enter the intentional traveler, known for abiding by some of the following strategies:
Registan Square | Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Fueled by a desire for truly authentic experiences, many travelers are opting to venture off the beaten path this year. While traditional hotspots like Japan, Italy, and Türkiye remain quite popular with tourists, some oft-overlooked destinations like Laos, Kyrgyzstan, and Ghana have been enjoying a travel boom in recent years – a trend expected to continue in 2026.
At Odysseys Unlimited, we’re proud to offer several off-the-beaten-path small group tours, each of which features authentic small group highlights – cooking classes, cultural experiences, community visits, and more – that wouldn’t be possible with a larger group size of 35, 40, or more.
We might be at the start of a long, cold winter here in the Northeast, but believe it or not, summertime will be here before we know it. Which begs the question: Have you planned your summer adventure yet? And if not, where are you thinking of going?
With the temperature rising in destinations around the world, more and more people are escaping to cooler climates to beat the summer heat. Case in point: Travel to Scandinavia is expected to skyrocket as much as 35% in 2026, outpacing industry growth in many of the world’s other premier destinations. These “coolcations” to destinations like Norway, Alaska, Ireland, and the Alps are expected to drive significant tourism business this year.
Both at home and abroad, airports are improving, and passengers are reaping the rewards. In Oregon, Portland International Airport’s award-winning new main terminal – scheduled to open to the public later this year – will feature an authentic timber ceiling with wood sourced from local forests, park-like greenspaces, a mezzanine taproom, and more. Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal, opened in November 2025, features a pre-security shopping and dining area and two public outdoor terraces with walking paths and native plants. On the international front, Ho Chi Minh City’s Long Thanh International Airport is scheduled to open in 2026, and late this year, Sydney, Australia will see the grand opening of a second major international airport.
In addition, a handful of airports have rolled out guest pass programs, allowing non-passengers to access post-security spaces, like restaurants. Look for airports to keep innovating this year and beyond.
Literary travel and “set-jetting” – travel inspired by books and movies respectively – is on the rise in 2026, partially fueled by pandemic-era binge-watching and reading. At Odysseys Unlimited, many of our small group tours prominently feature locales immortalized in famous works of fiction, like Dubrovnik, which doubled as King’s Landing in the HBO epic Game of Thrones; New Zealand, setting for the Lord of the Rings films; England, where you can visit the homes of Beatrix Potter and William Shakespeare; or Verona, famed as the setting for Romeo & Juliet.
As interest in genealogical research through sites like Ancestry.com and 23andMe continues to rise, travelers are increasingly looking to walk in the footsteps of their forebears. Whether you long to visit the city or village that your grandparents hailed from, pay your respects at the site of some of history’s most significant conflicts, or simply soak up the atmosphere of the country of your heritage, this topic is motivating travelers to get off their computers and onto international shores.
Taking it a step beyond ancestry travel, the idea of sharing a tour with members of your family from different generations continues to gain steam. Each day brings fresh adventures and opportunities to make lasting family memories, as repeat Odysseys guest Kathy Young can attest:
“Traveling with the kids made an exceptional trip even richer!” Kathy says of her 2024 trip to France. “Being able to share the moments, the days, and create memories like we did continues to warm my heart. We still talk about the phenomenal dinner we prepared at the cooking class, and how the fresh figs here just do not compare to the ones we had in France.”
Increasingly, travelers are crossing the country (or the ocean) to take part in something special. From the world-famous seasonal tulip bloom in Amsterdam, to the gorgeous Northern Lights of Iceland and Scandinavia, to Scotland’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (above), these special occasions offer the chance to turn an already wonderful trip into something truly unforgettable.
Interest is peaking in lodgings that began their lives as something else. Travelers are seeking to infuse their trips with as much culture and history as possible, which now extends to the idea of staying in converted manors, farmhouses, convents, and palaces. Playing perfectly into this trend: Spain and Portugal’s paradores and pousadas, French manor homes, and Italian rock-hewn cave dwellings.
Planning a vacation isn’t easy – especially if you’re planning a vacation to a destination you’ve never visited before. So between the time it takes to research and book everything from flights to hotels to excursions, wouldn’t it be easier to trust an expert to do it for you?
Once a niche add-on not widely accessible to all, trip planning is now a central expectation for many travelers, especially those leading busy lives at home. Mentally and emotionally exhausted travelers have no desire to do all the planning, but rather they want someone they can trust to handle all the logistics. And with approximately 90% of Americans planning trips in 2026, the popularity of pre-planned vacations – like small group tours – is only expected to increase this year.
From Europe to Asia, Africa to Central and South America, Odysseys Unlimited is here to make your travel dreams come true. If you’d like a professional to plan your 2026 adventure for you, simply submit an online reservation request or call us at 1-888-370-6765 and one of our Travel Counselors will be happy to assist you.
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