Travel tips and trends for 2026: Smarter, cheaper and more sustainable travel
Where are you planning to go in 2026?
The way we all travelled in 2025 has shaped how we’ll be travelling in 2026, but the landscape is shifting quickly. Travel in 2026 will look very different.
Expect stricter rules for popular hotspots, a major rise in e-visas and ETAs (including the EU’s EES/ETIAS system), and a stronger push for sustainable and inclusive travel. Travellers are shifting to “slow travel,” avoiding the disappearing off-season, and using AI tools to (carefully) plan smarter trips. These trends will shape where to go in 2026 and how to plan your holiday with fewer surprises and better value.
So, rather than another generic list of “top tips” or yet another rundown of “must visit” places to visit in 2026, we’ve put together suggestions grounded in the biggest travel trends emerging right now. Whether you’re planning to head abroad or finally take that long-delayed domestic escape, here’s how you can travel smarter, cheaper, and with far less stress in 2026.
Book smart: hotspots are regulated
You’ve probably heard plenty about overtourism by now. In many popular destinations, post-pandemic travel is prompting cities to reimpose restrictions. For example, Barcelona has increased its tourist-tax rates for hotels and short-term rentals, and begun scaling back cruise-ship docking capacity. London is proposing a tourist tax. Norway is introducing a phased "visitor's contribution" of up to 3% on overnight stays.
We’ve always been big planners, so we’ll always recommend booking ahead, but in 2026 it matters more than ever. If you’re heading to popular cities, lock in accommodation and museum tickets earlier than you might have a few years ago. And for quieter, more characterful experiences, don’t just stick to headline destinations: seek out “second-city” options. They tend to offer better value, and often a richer, more authentic visit.
Why this trend matters
Popular destinations are filling up faster and tightening visitor rules, so booking earlier is now essential if you want choice, value and less stress.
Don’t rely on off-season lulls anymore
Everyone tells you to travel in the off-season or shoulder season. We agree: if you can avoid summer or school holidays, you’ll usually find better prices and fewer crowds. But one of the emerging travel trends for 2026 is the shrinking off-season, especially in major global cities. As the travel economy continues to grow, so does the demand for year-round travel.
Destinations with a wide mix of attractions (think London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Rome) already draw visitors across all twelve months. But the rise of remote work and digital-nomad-friendly visas means more travellers are moving outside traditional holiday periods. That flexibility is blurring the idea of seasonality and reducing the quiet weeks that used to exist between peak seasons.
Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, where the winter Off Season is an official campaign platform.
We also saw the 2024–2025 “revenge travel” boom push travellers to book wherever and whenever they could, another factor softening off-season dips. Some destinations are even rethinking their marketing entirely. Tasmania’s Off Season campaign in Australia actively encourages winter travel, arguing “winter is when things get wild, wonderful and a little bit weird.”
So yes, the off-season is still real, and nature-based or weather-dependent regions will always have quieter periods. But the signals suggest that the so-called “quiet months” in major cities might shorten or flatten out. For travellers, that means planning ahead is more important than ever, and being flexible with destinations can still uncover excellent value.
Why this trend matters
It changes how you find value. With shorter off-seasons, good deals depend more on planning and destination choice than on specific months.
Expect the rise of e-Visas & ETAs
Are we about to say goodbye to passport stamps? Not entirely, but e‑visas (electronic visas) and ETAs (Electronic Travel Authorisations) — which let short‑term visitors enter a country without a physical sticker in their passport — are on the rise. Some version of an ETA has long been common in places like the US and Canada, and in April 2025 the UK introduced an ETA scheme for many nationalities. Some countries, such as South Korea, are using temporary systems (like the K‑ETA), though in some cases traditional visa/entry regulations may return. In Europe, the upcoming Entry/Exit System (EES) for non‑EU nationals and the planned European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) (expected by late 2026) signal a major shift toward digital authorisation and away from blanket passport stamping for visa‑exempt visitors.
Why this trend matters
Digital entry systems may mean smoother border crossings, simpler multi‑country travel and less unnecessary paperwork. Just make sure you check requirements in advance.
Choose operators who can prove their sustainability
We all know travel has an impact. Flights, cruises, air-conditioned hotels and waste add up, and travellers are more aware of it than ever. Expedia recently highlighted cities with strong “sustainable tourism management,” and the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Travel and Tourism at a Turning Point report put sustainability front and centre.
In 2026, travellers are increasingly choosing destinations and companies that can actually prove their green credentials. Cities like Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and Amsterdam consistently rank among the most sustainable in the world thanks to investment in public transport, green energy and thoughtful urban planning. They’re also brilliant places to visit in their own right.
Why this trend matters
Your travel choices influence which cities and companies invest in responsible tourism, so spending wisely helps push the industry in the right direction. Plus it often leads to cleaner, more enjoyable travel experiences.
Will our choices in 2026 determine the future of travel?
Try slow travel: fewer moves, deeper experiences
We’ve spoken in the past about nerdy travel and spending more time on travel reflection. According to an Accor poll, 2025 saw a rise in wellness retreats and nature-based holidays — a clear shift away from hyper-scheduled, box-ticking trips. And with YouTube and Instagram making it easier than ever to “collect” destinations virtually, our simple advice for 2026 is this: slow down.
With more digital nomads and flexible remote work, it’s easier to bed down in a city for longer. So swap five cities in ten days for one or two bases over a week or more. You’ll probably cut costs, reduce jet lag and lower your carbon footprint. You might actually have time to enjoy the place you’ve travelled all that way to see.
Why this trend matters
After years of the daily grind, many travellers are putting wellbeing first. Holidays aren't just about seeing new places, but returning refreshed, grounded, and mentally recharged.
Universal travel design: look for increased inclusive and accessible travel
Universal design is a philosophy centred on making products and services accessible and usable for as many people as possible. It goes beyond accessibility and inclusion: the idea is that if something is designed to work for one group (ramps, automatic doors and so on), it ultimately benefits everyone.
The same thinking applies to universal travel design. The trend is towards transport, accommodation, attractions and digital tools that allow people with disabilities, older travellers, neurodivergent travellers and families with varied needs to move through the world with greater ease.
Airports, museums and major venues are upgrading accessible facilities and, reassuringly, this now includes sensory-friendly spaces and staff training. Singapore Changi Airport has quiet zones and sensory rooms. Emirates became the world’s first airline to receive Autism Certification. The Australian Museum offers dedicated accessibility programmes, while the new V&A East Storehouse in London recognises the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme.
Why this trend matters
Because travel that works for more people works better for everyone.
Technology and travel have long gone hand in hand. Will AI change the game in 2026?
Explore AI tools (but be cautious)
AI, and especially generative AI, is everywhere, so it’s no surprise travellers are using it more to plan trips. Omio (via Forbes) reports that around 78% of travellers now prefer to book all their travel online, and AI tools can personalise itineraries, track price drops, and help you troubleshoot when plans go sideways. It’s brilliant for quick comparisons, finding alternatives, and answering specific questions tailored to your trip.
But a word of caution: AI still gets things wrong. While it’s great for planning a rainy day in Seoul or refining a familiar itinerary, it can also hallucinate, invent details, or misinterpret locations. When we tested a well-known platform to map a sample 2026 itinerary, it placed Oslo in central Africa and added a handful of cities that don’t exist. AI is useful: just make sure you double-check the details.
Why this trend matters
Like it or hate it, AI might save you time and money, but you’ll avoid costly mistakes by treating it as a smart assistant, not an infallible authority.
What we will do in 2026
For our part, we’re embracing a number of these trends, partly because we’re taking a multi-month, multi-continental trip in 2026. We’ll experience those hotspots and ETAs firsthand, will seek out sustainability and definitely experience slow travel via longer city stays. (Spoilers: Berlin will feature prominently).
Where are you going in 2026? What trends will you take on? Have you got any others? Let us know on Instagram.
