From AI-powered planning to quiet retreats and book-inspired journeys, these five travel trends reveal how travellers are embracing mindful exploration in 2026
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Travel in 2026 is shaping up to be more intentional, personal and deeply connected to meaning. After years of rapid shifts in how we move across the world, this year’s trends show that travellers are craving depth over speed, mindfulness over FOMO, and thoughtful exploration over packed bucket lists. From AI-assisted planning to road-led wanderings and even trips inspired by books, here are five key travel trends that will shape the coming year.
1. AI itineraries
Artificial intelligence has quietly become one of the most essential travel tool this year. But unlike the robotic, template-like itineraries of the past, travellers are projected to use advanced AI tools to craft journeys that feel personal, flexible and instinctive in 2026. People will turn to AI to design crowd-free routes, seasonal experiences and spontaneous micro-adventures that will match their mood, budget and pace.
2. Local exploration
In 2026, the concept 'nearby' will finally be appreciated. More travellers are choosing shorter distances, smaller communities and hyperlocal experiences over farwaway escapes. The shift isn’t just about convenience, but rather it's a response to rising travel costs, environmental concerns and a renewed appreciation for discovering what’s right outside one’s doorstep.
3. Quiet escapes
Travellers are looking for quiet and serene places. Silence, solitude and self-connection are becoming the new luxury markers when it comes to travel. After years of sensory overload and constant screens, crowded places and noisy digital spaces, people are craving restorative getaways that let them switch off.
4. More road trips
2026 is the year travellers rediscover the fun of road trips. In the upcoming year, travellers have are embracing flexible, long-form journeys — coastal drives, countryside loops, desert highways and weekend escapes within a few hours of home. Beyond the freedom of stopping wherever you wish, road travel offers a sense of ownership over the journey itself. It’s less about the destination and more about the lived moments in between.
5. literary travel
One of the most famous trends of the year has been literary travel — journeys inspired by books, authors and fictional worlds. Readers are creating entire itineraries based on novels that moved them, visiting places mentioned in their favourite stories or exploring towns where iconic writers once lived. From tracing the footsteps of classic authors to visiting book-themed cafés and attending literary festivals, these trips blend imagination with geography. Social media has further amplified this trend.
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