Chase a cultural or sporting moment worth the trip
Big events are shaping where people go this year more than almost anything else. eDreams forecasts that international tourism will again be significantly shaped by major global trends and events, meaning people will base trips around sports, music, and huge cultural celebrations, with Rio de Janeiro seeing visits spike during its iconic Carnival. That kind of trip planning gives a vacation a built-in reason to exist.
Travel and Leisure found something similar happening across the industry. In 2026, travel is less about racking up trips and more about making each one count, with people chasing big moments like the Winter Olympics, the World Cup, or cultural festivals rather than hopping from place to place, and picking destinations for the stories they’ll bring home, with an overall focus on intentional travel, comfort, and personalization. Vancouver is a good example. The city is set to cohost the 2026 FIFA World Cup, continuing an international sporting pedigree it first built during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Eastern Europe is having a real moment
If you’ve been putting off Prague or Budapest, this might be the year to stop waiting. Eastern Europe is emerging as a standout region, with seven of the top 10 trending destinations including Prague, Sofia in Bulgaria, Krakow in Poland, and Budapest, driven by strong cultural appeal, affordability, and improving connectivity. That’s a notable shift from the usual Western European favorites dominating every list.
Part of the appeal is simple economics. Kayak’s 2026 Travel Trends data shows early search interest in flights and hotels up roughly 9 percent compared to 2025, even as airfare drops, with international fares down about 10 percent and domestic prices down around 3 percent, making long-haul trips to Asia and Europe more accessible and prompting earlier summer planning. Cheaper flights combined with lower hotel costs make Eastern Europe one of the smarter bets on the map right now.
Slow down in Croatia’s Istria region
Not every great trip needs a headline event attached to it. Forbes’ travel panel pointed to Istria, in northern Croatia, as one of the year’s most compelling under-the-radar picks. Documentary filmmaker and travel journalist Michaela Guzy calls Istria the Tuscany of Croatia, describing it as one of the most compelling under-the-radar destinations for 2026, especially for travelers willing to slow down and visit outside peak season.
The region rewards patience more than speed. Rolling vineyards, medieval hill towns and a deep food culture define this peninsula, where truffles, olive oil and wine are central to everyday life. Timing your visit outside the busiest summer weeks makes a real difference too, since traveling just outside peak season can mean major hotel savings and fewer crowds.
Rome still leads, and for good reason
Sometimes the obvious choice really is the right one. U.S. News named Rome the best place to visit in the world for 2026, with Tokyo, Prague, the Swiss Alps, and Mauritius rounding out the top five. That’s not a small claim, considering how many cities were in the running.
Rome’s staying power shows up in other rankings too. It sits comfortably among the most-booked cities worldwide for the year, alongside Paris, which has been a tourist magnet for decades, maybe even centuries, and is considered the third best city on earth for museums. Classic doesn’t mean boring. It just means these places keep earning their reputation year after year.
Beach escapes are getting a refresh
Coastal travel isn’t going anywhere, but the specific beaches people are chasing have shifted. Madeira, Portugal, is drawing new attention, and it’s not alone. Skyscanner data shows Limon in Costa Rica, Jaipur in India, Bodrum in Turkey, Madeira in Portugal, and Vail in Colorado are all set to see surges in search interest heading into 2026.
For a Mediterranean alternative to the usual suspects, Naxos is worth a second look. It offers something calmer, more authentic, and far less chaotic than Zakynthos, Santorini or Mykonos. If honeymoon-style escapes are more your speed, the top three trips for 2026 honeymoons include Saint Lucia, Bora Bora, and the Maldives, all offering ways to get off the grid.
National parks and wide-open landscapes
Outdoor travel keeps pulling people away from cities entirely. British Columbia is a standout example, since it has plenty of room to explore and holds seven national parks, more than any other Canadian province, with an eighth in the planning phase. That’s a lot of open ground for a single region.
In the U.S., a notable milestone is coming up as well. On July 4, 2026, Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy will expand with the opening of the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Combined with strong interest in parks across the Great Lakes and Midwest, it’s shaping up to be a solid year for outdoor-focused itineraries closer to home.
Domestic trips are quietly winning
Not every good trip requires a passport this year. Economic caution is nudging more travelers toward staying within their own borders. Among those planning to fly at least once this summer, 61 percent will take a domestic flight, up from 58 percent last year, while 32 percent will fly internationally, up from 27 percent.
The reasoning behind that shift is fairly straightforward. Amid geopolitical uncertainty, people are turning towards domestic travel in a bid to mitigate unforeseen safety and logistical concerns. It doesn’t mean international travel is falling out of favor entirely, just that more people are hedging their bets closer to home.
Cheaper long-haul flights are opening doors
If Asia has been on your list for a while, the math might finally work in your favor. New low-cost carriers are launching routes for summer 2026 to destinations like Italy, Bangkok, Paris, Reykjavik, and Scotland, giving American travelers more affordable ways to explore the globe. Bangkok in particular has become a genuine phenomenon.
It topped the most-booked destination list for the entire year. Bangkok was both the most searched for and the most booked city for travelers across the globe, though Thailand has introduced strict new rules restricting daytime drinking. Price sensitivity is shaping booking habits everywhere else too, since fifty-five percent of travelers said the cost of the flight is the most important factor when choosing a destination for 2026.
Intentional and wellness-driven trips are rising
A slower, more deliberate style of travel is gaining ground, particularly at the luxury end of the market. Key trends shaping 2026 include intentional travel, heritage exploration, wellness-focused escapes, bespoke and micro-luxury experiences, and socially connected journeys, with the year poised to be defined by slow, immersive, and elevated travel.
The reasons people give for booking these trips say a lot about the mood right now. The top three motivations driving travelers to book trips are celebrating milestones, rest and relaxation, and family time. It’s less about ticking off a bucket list and more about making a trip feel worth the effort it took to plan.
Comeback destinations deserve a second look
Some places are working their way back into travelers’ good graces after a rough stretch. Jamaica is a clear example following last year’s storm damage. Following devastation from Hurricane Melissa in 2025, the island says it’s ready to welcome back visitors, even though Montego Bay on the western end was hit hard.
Other destinations are simply becoming newly visible on the map. East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, is the youngest country in Asia and is now emerging as a tourist destination. Dominica fits a similar pattern of quiet discovery, since the environmentally minded Caribbean island is home to the world’s first-ever sperm whale reserve. Places like these rarely stay under the radar for long once word starts to spread.