The Era of YOU: Booking.com Predicts the Top 10 Trends Defining Travel in 2026

• The 10th Edition of Travel Predictions reveals that travellers in 2026 are embracing ultra-personalised journeys that reflect their quirks, goals and passions

INDIA, 29th October 2025: Travel has always been personal, but in 2026 it will move far beyond one-size-fits-all itineraries. In 2026, travellers will reject conventions and lean into passions that feel distinctive and truly their own. From adrenaline-fueled compatibility tests to mystical detours and stays in futuristic homes, every trip becomes a bold expression of individuality and identity: this is who I am, this is what I want and this is what I love. 

Now in the tenth year, Booking.com’s Travel Predictions spotlights how people want to experience the world. Over the years, these insights have revealed shifts in travel, from Cool-cationers chasing cooler climates given extreme heat to Conscious Travellers reshaping destination choices through social and environmental awareness. Looking ahead to 2026, the research shows travellers are eager to let their true selves shine, quirks and all, with technology playing a major role in making it possible for travellers to experience ultra-personalised trips with the people who understand them best.

Based on insights from more than 29,000 travellers across 33 countries and territories, Booking.com reveals that vacations are becoming more individual, more experimental and more unapologetically true to who travellers really are.

2026 is the year to travel your way: Ditching the cookie-cutter itineraries and defining your personal style. While 2025 saw travellers throw the vacation rulebook out of the window, next year, it’s all about authentically embracing yourself through travel.

Romantasy Retreats: Escaping Into Enchanted Worlds

For centuries, books have been travel companions, carried in suitcases and read on trains, planes, beaches and beyond. In 2026, with genres like romantasy exploding in popularity, the relationship between stories and journeys enters a new chapter as travellers step not just into novels, but into the fantasy worlds of dragons, fairies and other mythical creatures. In 2026 vacations are becoming a way to enter the world of fantasy.

• 91% of Indian travellers say they’d be interested in visiting a destination inspired by romantasy, signalling a growing appetite for travel that blends fantasy and storytelling.

• 79% are open to participating in role-play retreats inspired by their favourite fantasy games, books, or films — showing a move from passive sightseeing to active, character-led experiences.

• 40% are definitely interested in making such immersive, fantasy-driven escapes part of their future travel plans, reflecting a shift toward emotion-rich, imaginative tourism in 2025.

Technology is turning the page of this new escapism, with nine in ten Indian travellers (90%) open to AI-powered suggestions that match fantasy aesthetics, recommend secluded “storybook” stays, or pinpoint real-world filming locations. 

Humanoid Homes: The Future of Vacation Rentals

Vacation homes have long been prized for space and privacy, but 2026 will see an evolution into something far more futuristic: homes enhanced by humanoid helpers. 

• Indians are ready to embrace this next frontier of comfort-meets-curiosity, with 94% open to booking a robotic-enhanced home.

• Practical perks lead the way as nearly half of those interested (44%) say cleaning bots would sway their booking choice, while 37% are most excited about a robotic chef over a third (39%) want robots managing sustainability behind the scenes.

• But it’s not just about convenience. For many, it’s the novelty (32%) or even the bragging rights (33%) of staying in a home that feels straight out of science fiction. 

These “humanoid homes” blur the line between practicality and play, redefining the vacation rental experience. Imagine checking into a vacation home where a cleaning bot takes care of the mess, a robotic chef whips up dinner (and does the dishes), and smart systems quietly optimize water, energy and waste in the background.

Turbulence Test: Love, Friendship, and Teamwork on Trial

Vacations aren’t just for recharging, in 2026 they will become the ultimate compatibility check as many travellers plan to use time away to test the strength of their relationships: romantic, platonic or even professional. A majority (88%) of Indian travellers are open to taking a trip with a potential partner, colleague or new friend specifically to see how well they click, with the ways travellers are testing relationships as creative as they are revealing. 

• 84% would consider traveling to a remote location to see how their companion handles ambiguity and discomfort.

• Another 82% are intrigued by role-reversal retreats, where the usual planner hands over control or the introvert takes the lead and 80% would embrace travel with severe constraints, such as budget limits, language barriers, or limited connectivity.

• Meanwhile, 85% would take the backseat themselves to see if their travel partner steps up to plan the trip.

• Gen Z travellers are the most experimental of all, with 88% open to custom itineraries designed to simulate real-life dynamics and test connections in ways that will either soar or stall.

Shelf-ie Souvenirs: Turning Kitchen Shelves into Cultural Showcases 

In 2026, the humble kitchen cupboard is becoming a cultural canvas, filled with travel souvenirs that reflect personal taste, design flair and a story of place. These shelf-ie souvenirs are moving from fridge magnets to pantry shelves, with travellers increasingly seeking edible and design-led treasures that turn everyday kitchens into showcases of global culture. 

• 84% of Indian travellers say they would consider buying design-led kitchenware or pantry items on vacation, from hand-painted spice jars to tins of artisan olive oil that double as décor

• 79% say they would even consider travelling to a destination specifically known for its pantry products or kitchenware.

This shift is as much about meaning as aesthetics. A third (33%) say edible souvenirs help them relive a destination each time they cook, while 37% value how these items showcase local craft, sustainability, and traditional methods. For others, exclusivity and style play a role, with 30% choosing destinations for rare souvenirs, limited-edition cookware or packaging that looks as good on a shelf as it does on social media.

Roadtrip Rewired: Embracing Shared Journeys on the Open Road 

The classic road trip is shifting gears in 2026, moving beyond family and friend convoys to embrace spontaneity and discovery, including new companions along the way, with 97% of Indian travellers open to carpooling on vacation and 85% willing to use an app to find travellers on a similar route. 

• Travellers are drawn to road trips that make travel more spontaneous and flexible (93%), lets them meet new people (92%), and allows them to share driving responsibilities (88%).

• For non-drivers especially, carpooling and autonomous vehicles transform previously inaccessible routes into shared adventures, expanding a sense of freedom.

• Younger generations are leading the way, with 87% of Indian Gen Z open to using self-drive vehicles or AI to shape their routes, compared with just half of Boomers.

• Technology continues to unlock new possibilities in other ways on the road as well, with 86% of Indian travellers saying they would use AI or generative AI to map scenic, off-the-beaten-track routes tailored to their trip desires. 

The journey itself is no longer just about the drive, rather a space for connection and memorable experiences with fellow adventurers.

Destined-ations: Travel Written in the Stars

In 2026, the stars won’t just inform horoscopes and star signs, they will shape travel plans. From moon phases to astrology, mystical practices will become a new compass to guide travel decisions, turning vacations into journeys that feel spiritually aligned and cosmically approved.

• Almost eight out of ten Indian travellers (74%) say they would consider changing or cancelling their plans if a spiritual advisor or guide suggested it was not the right time, while 70% would reconsider trips based on a horoscope warning and two third (66%) would adjust if Mercury was in retrograde. 

• Many actively seek experiences that align with mystical or astrological cues. 64% say they consider such influences when planning vacations, from timing trips with moon phases or solstices to visiting energy-rich sites.

• Gen Z (73%) and more than half of millennials (63%) are particularly attuned to this sense of spiritual exploration, proving that for younger generations, the path to self-discovery might just be written in the stars.

Glow-cations: Skincare Specific Travel, Driven by Tech

Wellness travel will get a serious glow-up in 2026 with 93% of Indian travellers open to booking a dedicated glow-cation featuring multiple skin-specific treatments tailored to their personal skincare needs.

• What used to be simple spa escapes are transforming into high-tech (more than eight in ten Indians (86%) saying they would consider using AI to identify destinations aligned with their personal skin needs), high-touch journeys centered on the body’s largest organ: the skin.

• The appetite for personalisation runs deeper than ever, with a similar 86% open to personalised hydration stations that adapt to local climate and activity, while 80% are intrigued by smart mirrors analysing pores and hydration to provide real-time skincare advice.

• Sleep optimisation is also central, with 86% interested in enhancement suites designed with circadian lighting and soundscapes to improve rest, a vital factor in skin repair and regeneration.

From ancient thermal rituals to cutting-edge DNA and microbiome testing, glow-cations mark a new era of skin specific wellness travel, where the goal is not just to recharge, but to return home visibly renewed.

Hushed Hobbies: Quiet Pursuits for a Louder Sense of Calm 

Silence will be golden in 2026, as Indian travellers look to swap the noise of daily life and distractions of an overstimulating world for the soothing stillness of nature to restore their sense of calm. It's all about finding solitude by connecting with nature's hobbies that require a little patience.

• 56% of Indian travellers say they would vacation to feel closer to nature, including 50% of Gen Z, reflecting a growing desire for restorative, mindful escapes.

• Nearly one in four (23%) are turning to “quieter” hobbies on vacation, seeking rituals of patience, reflection, and stress relief.

Nature-based activities such as insect spotting, birdwatching, fishing and foraging are gaining popularity as travellers look to observe and connect more deeply with the outdoors.

• 91% would consider staying at a hotel offering foraging experiences in local wilderness hotspots, 90% would consider fishing or birdwatching as part of their travel plans and 83% would consider moth/butterfly watching or insect spotting during their vacation.

Even in this quest for quiet, technology has a subtle role to play as an enabler, from apps that identify butterflies and birds in real time to AI tools that suggest trails, habitats or seasonal migration patterns. By slowing down and letting nature take the lead, travellers are redefining what it means to recharge by finding clarity not in doing more, but in embracing less.

PastPorts: Where Memories Become Destinations

In 2026, nostalgia will no longer be something we leave in the past, it will become something we can step back into, with technology making it possible. For many, these trips are deeply emotional, rooted in the desire to relive meaningful moments and share them with others. 

• A majority of Indian travellers (89%) say they would consider recreating a memory or photo by using technology to identify the exact location it was taken and then traveling there.

• More than half of these travellers (56%) say their main motivation would be to revisit a memory with family or close friends, while 49% are drawn to destinations that make them feel young, connected or at home.

• 44% even see these journeys as milestones, whether to reflect on personal growth, reconnect with people from the past or even gain closure by returning to places tied to difficult memories.

What makes this movement new is how technology fuels the timeless human urge to remember. With AI-powered photo mapping and heritage-tracing platforms, memories can transform into maps and old snapshots into future trip itineraries as travellers pinpoint the exact spot where a moment once happened and stand in it.

Beyond nostalgia, travellers are using innovation to trace ancestral roots, bond across generations through storytelling, or even recreate photos for sharing in ways that feel both timeless and new. 

Modern Milestone Missions: Travel That Celebrates YOU

Travellers in 2026 will rewrite the rule rulebook on when and why. No longer reserved for weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries or having a baby, today’s milestones are deeply personal as societal norms continue to shift and evolve.

• More than two-thirds (71%) of Indian travellers say they don’t need a reason to book a trip, while almost a third (31%) say they’d go to a dream destination without waiting for a “traditional” milestone to make it worthy.

• This new wave of modern milestone missions highlights how travellers are embracing personal achievements on their own terms and using travel as a way of celebrating their individuality. 

• 81% of Indians justify booking a vacation simply because they’ve worked hard and deserve it, while new reasons to book a trip are rising to the forefront: toasting a new job or promotion (34%), showing off a new outfit (18%), marking the closure of a breakup (15%) and receiving a surprise tax refund (13%).

• Health and wellbeing achievements are also emerging as powerful motivators, with 32% traveling to mark milestones like sobriety or fitness transformations.

At its core, modern milestone missions are about traveling for whatever brings you joy, celebrates individuality and lets you be unapologetically you.

Santosh Kumar, Regional Manager, South Asia at Booking.com said “As we step into 2026, travel is shifting from a simple getaway and to a form of self-expression. Journeys are now intimately built around interests that were once considered too niche or personal to explore. Travellers are using trips to test their relationships, step into fantasy worlds, transform their homes through culinary souvenirs and reimagine familiar experiences like road trips and vacation rentals with cutting-edge technology. At Booking.com, we’re continuously evolving to meet this demand, ensuring every traveller can easily find the choice, flexibility  and convenience needed to turn their dream trip into reality.”

For more information about Booking.com’s 2026 Travel Predictions, please visit here.