Travel Trends vs Reality: Which 2026 Predictions Are Actually Taking Off?

Every year, travel companies and publishers predict the experiences that will shape how we holiday. For 2026, the forecasts range from reading retreats and farm stays to wellness escapes, set-jetting and pet-friendly holidays.

But are travellers actually embracing these trends?

As a travel eSIM brand connecting people across more than 200 destinations, Nomad eSIM is interested in the changing ways people discover and experience the world. We looked beyond industry predictions to examine what travellers are searching for, and where their interests differ.

We reviewed predictions from British Airways, Hilton, Skyscanner, Amadeus, Expedia Group and Vrbo, Pinterest and Condé Nast Traveler, comparing them with search behaviour across the UK, US, Australia, Germany, France and Spain.

The findings reveal a more nuanced picture of travel in 2026: some predictions are gaining traction, others are losing interest, and a trend's popularity can look very different from one country to another.

Key Findings

• Unusual escapes are attracting attention: UK searches for nudist holidays rose 58.5%, while reading retreat searches increased 40.7%.
• Pet-friendly holidays are losing ground in the UK: Searches fell 23.5%, despite the trend being highlighted in industry forecasts.
• Farm stays are dividing opinion: Searches for farm-related holidays declined across the UK, Australia, Germany and Spain, while US searches for agritourism rose 35.2%.
• Wellness travel is increasingly market-specific: US searches for wellness retreats increased 11.7%, while searches declined across the other five markets.
• France bucks the trend: None of the 13 travel behaviours tested showed clear search growth.

The Travel Trends Gaining Ground in 2026

Some predictions are translating into growing search interest, particularly experiences that offer something different from a conventional holiday.

Reading retreats are one example. Highlighted by Skyscanner and Expedia Group's Vrbo, searches for "reading retreat" have risen 40.7% in the UK.

Set-jetting, visiting locations featured in films and television shows, is also attracting interest. Searches for "filming locations" increased 5.6% in the UK and 165% in Australia.

Food tourism is gaining ground in selected markets, too. Searches for "food tour" rose 13.8% in the US, while searches for "turismo gastronomico" increased 27.1% in Spain.

Perhaps the most unexpected finding is the rise in interest in naturist holidays. Following British Airways and Globetrender's prediction of "Uninhibited Holidays", UK searches for "nudist holidays" increased 58.5%.

The Trends That Aren't Taking Off

Not every industry prediction is translating into greater search interest.

Amadeus identified the "Pawprint Economy" as a major 2026 trend, reflecting the growing role of pets in travel. Yet UK searches for "dog friendly holidays" fell 23.5%. Interest is moving in the opposite direction in some European markets, with searches up 9% in Germany and 5.2% in Spain.

Farm stays show an even clearer divide. While Vrbo reported that 84% of travellers were interested in staying on or near a farm, searches for farm-related holidays fell 21.9% in Australia, 19.1% in Spain, 18.3% in Germany and 12.3% in the UK.

The US bucked the trend, with searches for "agritourism" rising 35.2%.

Wellness Travel: A Trend Moving in Different Directions

Wellness and rest were prominent themes in this year's forecasts. British Airways highlighted "Neurosurfing", while Hilton predicted "Hushpitality", both reflecting demand for quieter, more restorative travel experiences.

However, search behaviour suggests wellness interest is far from universal.

US searches for "wellness retreat" rose 11.7%, while searches declined in the UK (-25.3%), Spain (-15.5%), Australia (-11.8%), Germany (-11.3%) and France (-5.6%).

The contrast highlights an important point: even when a travel trend attracts global attention, its appeal can vary significantly between markets.

What This Tells Us About the Way People Travel

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that there is no single travel trend shaping every market.

Pet-friendly holidays are gaining interest in Germany and Spain but declining in the UK. Farm stays are losing traction across several European markets and Australia, while growing in the US. France stands out, with none of the 13 behaviours analysed showing clear growth.

For the travel industry, this reinforces the importance of looking beyond global predictions and understanding the preferences of travellers in individual markets.

For travellers, it is a reminder that trends are best treated as inspiration, not a checklist. Whether it's a reading retreat, a food-focused city break or a trip inspired by a favourite film, the most rewarding journeys are those shaped by personal interests.

At Nomad eSIM, we believe staying connected should make it easier to follow those interests, wherever they take you. From discovering local experiences to navigating unfamiliar destinations, connectivity helps travellers spend less time on logistics and more time enjoying what matters to them.

Methodology

We reviewed 29 travel trends predicted for 2026 by six travel companies and publishers and identified the search phrases travellers realistically use for the behaviours behind them. Search demand was analysed across the UK, US, Australia, Germany, France and Spain using market-specific and native-language terms.

Of 79 market-level checks with a usable search phrase, 54 produced a clear enough result to classify the behaviour as growing, declining or broadly flat, or showed conflicting movement between credible search terms.

Growth or decline required a change of at least 5% with the available measures agreeing on direction. Changes below 5% were considered broadly flat. Where the data or different credible search phrases produced conflicting results, no direction was assigned.

Search demand is an indicator of changing interest rather than actual bookings or travel behaviour, and absolute search volumes shouldn't be compared between countries because different terms and languages were used.

Search data covers the twelve months to July 2026.