Key trends for the travel industry in 2026

As part of our work to support clients we regularly attend journalist briefings to discover key trends within the industries that we represent and learn about what content national journalists are looking for on their pages.

Recently our Senior PR Consultant, Harriet, attended a briefing by Greg Dickinson (Senior Travel Writer at The Telegraph) and Cathy Adams (Travel News Features Editor at The Times and The Sunday Times) to hear about the latest travel trends that we’re likely to be reading about in the next year and how to leverage valuable media opportunities for our clients. This is what we learned:

Post Zero

For millennials especially, there is a movement towards posting far less on social media than they ever have. As they get older, they have begun to value privacy over sharing – ten years ago they would’ve shared everything about a trip. From the breakfast they ate, to the spa treatment they enjoyed whereas now, they seek calmness and pressure-free experiences.

A gradual behaviour shift that will take place over several years, consumers will likely seek out more meaningful and nourishing experiences in travel rather than superficial, aesthetic ones. This could play into the self-improvement and wellness tourism industry which is anticipated to grow significantly over the next couple of years.

The FT recently echoed this idea questioning whether we’ve passed the peak of social media* for posting and we’re entering a new era in the way it’s used. Within my own personal use, I was never a frequent poster and always more of a ‘watcher’ or ‘like-er’, but the motivation to share has decreased and I’ll only share key moments in my year, with my profile going quiet again for a period of time.

I personally put this down to seeking more privacy, feeling my photography is no match for the professional footage that floods social media, as well thinking that not everyone is interested in what I’m doing day-to-day. Instead, I choose to share key moments that I experience, for example weddings or achievements of my loved ones.

https://www.ft.com/content/a0724dd9-0346-4df3-80f5-d6572c93a863

Second and third cities

An upcoming trend for international travel means lesser known and smaller cities and towns will take their turn in the spotlight.

With travel to popular destinations becoming increasingly expensive, consumers with a range of budgets will adjust their holidays as they search for better value, crowd-free experiences and authentic alternatives to the favoured hot spots.

Good transport connections, hotels, restaurants, museums and places of interest remain vital, with value for money (but not necessarily cheap) aspect playing a key role in what journalists want to see from the unconventional destinations.

The War on Gemini

With Google Gemini rolled out far and wide across the search engine earlier this year, the resulting drop off in search clicks is noticeable and journalists are needing to rethink how readers discover their content when searching.

Despite appreciating the convenient nature of AI tools for an overview, when it comes to travel and getting serious about booking a trip, consumers also seek genuine and authentic recommendations from sources they can trust, meaning journalists are in the unique position of putting themselves at the forefront of their stories. Influencer culture is doing its thing once again.

The experience element will be at the forefront of travel features, with journalists doing first-hand reviews and making their own personal recommendations.

The Club Scene

Now that travel is more expensive than ever before, it’s not enough for brands to simply offer a hotel room or plane ticket. Consumers want to feel as though they belong to a ‘club’, and brands are listening and finding clever ways to reward their customers.

BA’s revamp of The Club was big travel news this year and with travellers upset at the changes, it gave other airlines a chance to strike and build other loyalty schemes for British passengers.

Brands that are thinking about customer retention and ways to keep customers interested and returning are winning, and journalists have their eyes on them and want to hear about them.