Travel Trends In 2026
Travel in 2026 isn’t only about travelling more – it’s also about travelling better. From sharper planning tools to trips that bolster your sense of self, the way we travel is shifting towards experiences that feel more meaningful. With more choice than ever, travellers are questioning what they really want from time away, opting for trips that align with their values and make cherished memories.
Whether you’re upgrading your backpacking days, revisiting somewhere that shaped you, or using tech to aid you and your trip, these are the travel trends shaping our year ahead.
Flashpacking
If backpacking doesn’t appeal, here’s an upgraded version you might be tempted by. Flashpacking offers the freedom and adventure of backpacking, just without the budgetary restrictions. If you’re going on a multi-destination holiday for an extended period, swap the backpack for a suitcase and dorm rooms for hotels, and you’re flashpacking nicely. Depending on budget, it might also mean first class on trains, or eating at vibey restaurants rather than going self-catering.
It still requires hopping from place to place to properly explore an area – you’re not on a short break, you’re taking time out for richer life experiences instead.
It ties in neatly to two broader trends: firstly, the rise of digital nomadism, with remote working allowing for longer overseas jaunts. Secondly, slow travel: jetting abroad isn’t just about ticking off destinations and skimming the surface; it’s about immersive experiences that open us up to different cultures and ways of living. For those who can afford it – often an older demographic – flashpacking keeps the spirit of backpacking, with added comfort and style.
AI-assisted travel
If we have the entire internet at our fingertips, why not use it? AI is proving increasingly useful in travel: one in two travellers said they used it to research a trip in 2025, up from two in five the year before. Savvy travellers can use it to build itineraries, plan around different weather scenarios, work out quieter times at busy places, and even handle language translations on the go.
Its best use, though, is inspiration. If you’re heading somewhere unfamiliar, AI can give you a potted history and suggest things to see and do. It might not get everything exactly right, but think of it as a wayfinder towards a well-researched, more personalised holiday.
Biohacking travel
2026 is the year wellness travel gets a modern-day twist. Biohacking is about using your trip to optimise body and mind, rather than get a pamper. Think tailored treatments using cutting-edge tech: metabolic testing, sleep-optimisation clinics and cryotherapy sessions. Or retreats rooted in the latest nutritional science, designed to help you feel healthier and younger for longer.
Because these specialist centres are few and far between, they naturally become travel destinations in their own right. Expect treatments to be paired with classic holiday pleasures too, like stunning settings, group activities and plenty of ‘me’ time.
Multi-focus holidays
If you struggle to choose a single type of holiday, good news: there’s a growing trend for stacking experiences in one trip. Mix and match historic sightseeing, foodie breaks, beach escapes or outdoor adventures, all rolled into one. Your next holiday doesn’t have to revolve around a single theme – why not do more?
Some destinations are perfect for this. You might take the Eurostar to Paris for art and culture, then spend a few days in nearby Champagne sampling the world’s finest fizz. Coastal cities work particularly well: in places like Naples in Italy or Porto in Portugal, it’s easy to soak up city life before hopping to a nearby beach. These trips arguably offer a richer experience, revealing more of a destination than a single-focus stay.
Nostalgia tourism
With the pace of change today, many of us are using holidays to seek comfort in the familiar. Enter nostalgia tourism: revisiting old haunts and meaningful places from our past. That might mean returning to a childhood home abroad, heading back to the place you got engaged, or even revisiting a former hen or stag destination for the memories alone.
As long as travellers don’t expect everything to feel exactly the same and use a return visit to broaden their experience rather than replicate it, nostalgia trips can add a deeply emotional layer to your travel memories.
Wherever you plan on heading in 2026 make sure to protect your trip with Switched On Travel Insurance. Find out more about our feature packed cover by visiting the travel insurance page of our website.