7 next-level travel trends that will make 2026 your most personal year of adventures yet

From beauty escapes to mountain retreats, literary adventures, and design-led stays—2026 is all about travel that reflects who you are.

If 2025 was all about revenge travel and making up for lost time, 2026 is getting personal—really personal. The question travellers are asking now isn’t just, “Where should I go next?” but “What does this trip say about me?” Travel is no longer just a break from routine; it’s becoming an expression of identity, a way to recharge, and for many, a journey of self-discovery.

According to Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2026 Report, Indian travellers are leading this shift, chasing experiences that feel meaningful, creative, and authentic. From planning a trip to visit a favourite bookstore spotted on Instagram, to picking a destination because a hotel’s architecture speaks to their aesthetic, travel choices are getting deeply personal.

Expect skincare-packed carry-ons, supermarket food tours, literary pilgrimages, and hotels that double as design destinations. 2026 isn’t just about where we go—it’s about why we go. Travel next year is all about connection, creativity, and discovering parts of ourselves along the way.

2026 Travel Trends: Make Every Trip Personal

Here’s a closer look at the trends shaping the way we’ll explore the world in 2026.

Beauty travel is stepping off Instagram and straight into passports. In 2026, trips are being planned around skincare and wellness, with 53% shopping duty-free for make-up, 48% hitting cult beauty stores, and 45% trying treatments abroad.

From thermal spas in Budapest to K-beauty hauls in Seoul, lavender-infused treatments in Provence, or Ayurvedic retreats in Kerala, travellers are curating in-flight routines and chasing self-care experiences. This trend isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling renewed, beating burnout, and making wellness the heart of the journey.

Move aside, Michelin—2026 is about “eating like a local,” starting in the snack aisle. Think Tokyo vending machines, Portugal’s pastelarias, Vietnam’s pho stalls, or Iceland’s geothermal rye bread. Almost 4 in 5 Indian travellers hit local supermarkets abroad, blending culture and budget-friendly flavour.

In India, culinary road trips are going hyper-local: Indore’s night markets, Kolkata’s kati rolls, Goa’s fusion cafés, and Kashmir’s harissa mornings. Food has officially become the tastiest way to understand a destination.

Mountain travel is soaring. With 92% planning high-altitude escapes in 2026, it’s no longer just about skiing. Travellers are seeking serenity, nature, and a digital detox.

From the Dolomites and Nepal’s Annapurna circuit to Canada’s Rockies and Japan’s alpine villages, these destinations offer peace year-round. Closer home, Himachal, Uttarakhand, and Kashmir are emerging as wellness sanctuaries with forest bathing, mindful hikes, and offline luxury. Crisp air, panoramic views, and hot chocolate by the fire—mountains are the ultimate reset button.

Books are now travel guides. With 84% booking or considering literature-inspired trips, readers want to step into their favourite stories. Explore Paris cafés where Hemingway wrote, Edinburgh’s Harry Potter corners, Oxford’s Bodleian Library, or Kafka’s Prague.

Travellers are tracing author footsteps, browsing iconic bookshops, and even staying in heritage hotels from novels. Literary tourism blends nostalgia, creativity, and storytelling—escapism in its most poetic form.

Family vacations are expanding. Over the past two years, 55% of Gen Z have travelled with parents, 44% with parents and grandparents, and 42% of Millennials with both kids and parents.

While sharing costs motivates many, the real payoff is emotional. Cruises, beach resorts, wildlife safaris, and heritage tours are giving families meaningful ways to reconnect, celebrate milestones, and create lasting memories across generations.

Dating apps? Meh. In 2026, travellers crave real sparks. 87% have travelled or considered travelling abroad to meet new people—friends, dates, or travel companions.

Solo travel stays popular but social. Group day trips, meet-up apps, co-living stays, social hostels, and communal tables turn solo trips into shared adventures. From Bali cafés to Amsterdam walking tours, travellers are proving that sometimes the best part of the journey is who you meet along the way.

The stay is now the star. 82% of travellers pick destinations based solely on accommodation. Floating villas, cave hotels, jungle pods, heritage palaces, and wellness retreats turn lodging into an experience.

In India, hotels in Mumbai, Jaipur, Goa, and Rishikesh are redefining stays with local craftsmanship, immersive art, and storytelling. For many, the journey begins—and ends—at the hotel itself.

2026 marks a turning point. Travellers are slowing down, connecting deeply, and seeking trips that feel personal. Indian travellers, in particular, are drawn to emotional experiences, authentic culture, wellness, and meaningful human connections.

Travel isn’t just about discovering the world anymore—it’s about discovering ourselves through it.