From sports you’ve never heard of to book club retreats, salvaged hotels to farm stays, new trends in 2026 will flip the script on traditional getaways, predicts Expedia in its annual ‘Unpack’ report, which highlights shifts in traveller behaviour and the destinations set to dominate itineraries in the coming year, including several Canadian destinations and activities spotlighted throughout.
Each of the seven trends is backed by first-party data from Expedia Group companies, and insights from 24,000 global travellers.
- Destinations of the Year (Expedia)
Expedia’s 2026 Destinations of the Year list – powered by real-time data from millions of daily visitors to the Expedia site and app – highlights where global interest is rising fast, even in destinations that haven’t yet gone viral. Among the top emerging destinations is Ucluelet, the stunning year-round coastal destination in British Columbia, which saw a 44% search increase over the past year.
The rest of the top 10 includes Big Sky Montana; Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Phu Quoc, Vietnam; and Savoie, France; Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Cotswolds, UK; and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Six of these hotspots, including Ucluelet, also meet the criteria for Expedia’s new Smart Travel Health Check – a first-in-travel framework from Expedia, inspired by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The Smart Travel Health Check recognizes destinations that offer meaningful travel experiences and proactively manage tourism in a sustainable way, helping to ease the strain on the world’s most overvisited cities.
- Fan Voyage (Expedia)
2026 is a huge year for international sports, but there’s a new wave of fanaticism all about immersive, local experiences. Expedia’s Fan Voyage trend reveals a surge in uniquely regional sporting experiences, with 57% saying they’re likely to attend one while on a trip.
From sumo wrestling in Japan to curling in Canada and Lucha Libre in Mexico, travellers – particularly Gen Z and Millennial travellers (68%) – are seeking front-row seats to learn about timeless traditions. Fan Voyage shows it’s not just about the game, it’s about community, culture, and feeling like a local.
Other hot tickets include muay thai, Thailand; baseball, South Korea; Aussie rules football, Australia; banana ball, U.S.; capoeira, Brazil; lucha libra, Mexico; hurling, Ireland; and caber tossing, Scotland.
- Salvaged Stays (Hotels.com)
Travellers are putting the “rest” in restoration by checking into hotels that combine historical architecture with modern amenities. Hotels.com’s 2026 Hotels of the Year list spotlights a surge in demand for upcycled retreats such as former schoolhouses, train stations, and banks, including Montreal’s Hotel Place d’Armes, which offers guests a comfortable stay filled with unique character and cultural relevance.
Others topping the list: Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu, Kyoto; Bodmin Jail Hotel, Cornwall, UK; Sandi Hotel, Rio de Janeiro; Fontevraud L’Ermitage, Anjou, France; Union Station Nashville Yards, Nashville; The Old Clare Hotel, Sydney, Australia; Nine Orchard Hotel, NYC; and Canfranc Estacion, Royal Hideaway, Canfranc, Spain.
- Hotel Hop (Hotels.com)
More than half of travellers (54%) are making every trip count by booking multiple hotels within a single destination. This emerging trend – dubbed Hotel Hop – is driven by travellers’ desire to explore different neighbourhoods (50%) and unlock better deals (35%)
City breaks, island escapes, and event-driven travel such as concerts and festivals are key motivators. The Hotel Hop trend is especially popular among Gen Z and Millennial travellers, with one in four seeing “bleisure” trips as the perfect opportunity to hop from one stay to the next.
Hot trips for hotel hoppers include:
- Tokyo: Hop from Cyashitsu Ryokan Asakusa to Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya.
- Phuket, Thailand: Hop from Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort to Metadee Concept Hotel.
- London: Hop from Broadwick Soho to The Petersham.
- Paris: Hop from Hotel Regina Louvre to La Planque Hôtel.
- Honolulu: Hop from Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina to Wayfinder Waikiki.
- Readaways (Vrbo)
Trips in 2026 are getting “lit” – literally. Vrbo reveals 91% of travellers are seeking getaways focused on reading, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones. As #BookTok continues to dominate social media, interest in literary-themed travels is surging with Pinterest searches for “book club retreat ideas” up 265%, and Vrbo’s reading-related terms in guest reviews nearly tripling.
Recommended rentals for Readaways include:
- Atlantic Pearl – Port Medway, Nova Scotia
- Family-Friendly Cottage – Gnarrenburg, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Novel Retreat – Austin, Texas
- Lyra – Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales, Australia
- The Literary House – Sorrento, Italy
- Farm Charm (Vrbo)
The slow travel movement is gaining ground, with 84% of travellers expressing interest in staying on or near a farm, with properties including the Lakefront Farm House in Niagara, Ont., spotlighted in the report. Mentions of farm-related experiences in Vrbo guest reviews have also surged 300% year-over-year, signalling how travellers are searching for starlit skies over busy city lights in 2026.
Farm Charm is about unplugging and reconnecting with nature. Top activities for travellers include hiking trails (73%); animal interactions such as collecting eggs, feeding animals, or birdwatching (62%); and gardening or harvesting produce (42%).
Top Farm Charm finds are:
- Lakefront Farm House in Niagara – Lincoln, Ont.
- Cider Hill Haven – New Haven, Vermont
- The Haven at Hills Point Farm – Cambridge
- Moorhall Farm – Worcester, England
- Barakee Homestead – Rosevale, Queensland, Aus.
7. The 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast
Set-jetting and bigger than ever. First spotlighted by Expedia in 2022, this trend of travelling to destinations inspired by TV shows and movies is now a multi-billion dollar industry as interest accelerates: 53% of travellers say their desire to take a set-jetting trip has increased in the past year; and 81% of Gen Z and Millennial travellers now plan getaways based on what they’ve seen on screen.
With The White Lotus’s next location in France still to be officially confirmed, the 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast reveals the next wave of cinematic escapes – from the U.K.’s rolling hills of Yorkshire to the epic coastlines of Croatia. Set-Jetting is turning binge-worthy moments into bucket-list adventures.
Tops for 2026:
- Yorkshire, England – Wuthering Heights and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
- Tuscany, Italy – Jay Kelly
- Samoa, Polynesia – Moana (Live Action)
- Dalmatian Coast, Croatia – People We Meet on Vacation
- Peloponnese, Greece – The Odyssey
- Los Angeles – Nobody Wants This
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