The top travel trends of 2026: Culinary tours, solo trips, and set-jetting are taking off

Why is solo travel trending in 2026?

Year over year, we’ve seen solo travel become more popular. And why not? When you travel solo with us, you don’t travel alone, but you still get to explore sought-after destinations, like Italy and Iceland, as independently as you want. The freedom and flexibility solo travel offers over traditional tours has resonated with those looking to center personal growth. After all, traveling solo allows you to expand your boundaries, meet new people, and see the world through a brand-new perspective.

What are solo travelers looking for?

• Safety and support: The best thing about taking a solo tour with us is that you still get all the support and expertise without sacrificing independence. You have a Tour Director and a 24/7 hotline to ensure you feel totally confident about the trip you’re on.
• Community and connection: We understand that you may not want the structure of a traditional tour, but you also don’t want to spend every moment alone. With us, social interaction remains a vital part of our Solo Tours. There are group meals and shared excursions where you can connect and foster lifelong connections with fellow travelers.
• Flexibility with structure: Our Solo Tours offer the best of both worlds. You get a planned itinerary that you can personalize to your liking, meaning lots of free time and activities you can opt in or out of.
• Destinations that welcome solo explorers: Bucket list destinations such as Europe, Japan, and New Zealand are for solo travelers, too! These culture and adventure hubs are not only safe, but they come with infrastructures that wholeheartedly welcome solo travelers.

From tasting to creating, Food Tours are even more immersive

Traveling to eat and drink has never been as exciting as it is today. From Spain to Vietnam, the world’s most delicious destinations are welcoming traveling foodies in droves. And culinary tours have evolved to meet this rising demand. Travelers are eager to immerse themselves in the food and drink cultures of the places they’re visiting. They won’t be satisfied solely with meals at top restaurants; they want to make pastries in Paris, tour the floating markets in Thailand, learn about regional specialties from home cooks, and plan custom tours around food. In 2026, Food & Wine Tours will be bigger than ever.

What sets the best Food Tours apart?

• Authentic local experiences: One of our biggest travel tips is to get closer to a destination through its cuisine. And what better way to do that on tour than to cook with local families and learn about their time-honored recipes?
• Market tours and ingredient sourcing: It’s one thing to eat local food or learn how to make it. On our Food Tours, you get even closer thanks to guided visits to local markets, fishmongers, bakeries, and farms where you can learn more about the ingredients that end up on your plates.
• Regional specialties and traditions: Food Tours are getting more immersive by going off the beaten path. Travelers today are excited to learn about local traditions and sample regional specialties that peel back the layers of a destination’s culinary heritage—like on our Food & Wine of Sicily: Palermo, Marsala & Catania tour.
• Wine, cheese, and beverage pairings: On our Food Tours, some of the most popular excursions are vineyard tours, brewery visits, and other tastings that dive deep into local production methods, like figuring out why Ligurian olive oil is so tasty.

What does experiential travel really mean?

When it comes to travel trends and vacation ideas, you may have heard the phrase “experiential travel” once or twice. What does that actually mean? Today’s travelers are enthusiastic about being active participants when they go on tour. It’s not just about checking off a bucket list of attractions. Instead of being passive sightseers, our travelers want to learn, create, and engage with global communities in meaningful ways. They want to go on trips that leave a lasting impact on their lives.

How are travelers seeking out authentic connections?

• Cultural workshops and craft classes: Like with cooking classes, hands-on activities that teach traditional skills can elevate a trip. Whether it’s ceramic-making in Peru or a textile-dyeing class in Mexico, trip ideas that aim to educate resonate with travelers who are looking to better understand a culture through its traditions.
• Community-based tourism: Many travelers now focus on visiting villages, staying in family-run hotels and guest houses, and supporting small businesses. They want to connect to local communities through travel.
• Volunteering and giving back: Another rising trip idea we love to see is voluntourism. Now more than ever, our travelers are seeking to give back to conservation efforts, community projects, and cultural preservation. They do so in different ways—like by visiting wildlife sanctuaries in Thailand and Costa Rica or by meeting the legendary ama divers of Japan.

Why are travelers eager to stay closer to home?

Domestic travel is not actually that much different from 2026 travel trends. It’s all about intentional exploration; you’re just doing it much closer to home. The reasons driving this trend vary. For some, it could be about convenience and cost. For others, it could be about sustainability—take the train instead of a plane. And for the rest, it could be about the desire to rediscover local or regional destinations. Whatever the reason, many travelers are finding new appreciation for gorgeous hidden gems all over the United States.

What’s driving the domestic travel boom?

• Cost and convenience: Taking a trip within your own country can feel a lot more manageable. It usually means lower airfare prices or drivable destinations, both of which could make for a more affordable trip. But staying close to home can also lead to shorter travel times and fewer logistical hurdles.
• Sustainability and eco-consciousness: Travelers are invested in making more eco-friendly choices. When it comes to vacation ideas, a tour in the United States means lower carbon emissions and the opportunity to support local communities close to home.
• Rediscovering hidden gems: Many travelers approach a domestic trip with the same sense of adventure they bring to trips abroad. They’re looking forward to exploring lesser-known destinations, small towns, and regional attractions. They want to broaden their knowledge of their own backyard, often starting with guided tours of the national parks.
• Flexibility and spontaneity: Domestic travel can sometimes also mean less planning, allowing for travelers to book last-minute tours or go on an extended weekend trip without committing to weeks of planning.

Lights, camera, travel—the rise of film and television tourism

Whether you call it film tourism, movie tourism, or set-jetting, the idea is the same: Films and TV shows are providing travelers with their biggest travel inspiration—and the trend is only growing. No matter if you’re excited to see “Outlander” filming locations in Scotland or where “Shogun” was filmed in Japan, the series and movies we binge now inspire the trips we take. Travelers want to walk in the footsteps of their favorite characters and see iconic settings in real life.

What are set-jetters seeking?

• Iconic filming locations: Lovrijenac Fortress in Dubrovnik, which was the setting of the Red Keep in “Game of Thrones,” and Bath’s No. 1 Royal Crescent, home to the Featherington family on “Bridgerton,” show how set-jetting allows travelers to see the real-life places featured on their favorite shows and movies.
• Guided tours and behind-the-scenes access: On guided tours of popular filming locations, you have the opportunity to not only see these places in person but also learn about insider details and filming lore from locals and experts.
• Cultural immersion beyond the screen: Set-jetting isn’t just about seeing your favorite movie and TV sets. It can also be a thrilling starting point to explore the broader culture, history, and cuisine of a region. A Thailand tour, for instance, can be a great way to see the setting of season three of “The White Lotus,” but our itineraries offer so much more, from learning how to cook local cuisine to seeing the work that goes into an elephant sanctuary.
• Photo opportunities and recreations: For many travelers, the desire to recreate scenes and capture the same views from their favorite series and movies remains strong. And, of course, they want to be able to share those moments with friends and family on social media.

Why are special events driving travel decisions?

Sometimes, a great vacation idea can simply come from the desire to travel. In 2026 and beyond, some of our trip ideas are built around special events. For many of us, going to Italy during Carnival is a fantastic way to make the trip more memorable—by engaging even more deeply with the culture through this historic celebration. This is especially timely for 2026 trips around the United States, which is one of the host countries of the World Cup. Building travel around exciting events is one of this year’s biggest travel trends, because it can take the trip to the next level by bringing travelers to a once-in-a-lifetime event. We always love going to Mexico, but a Mexico tour during the World Cup? How special is that?

What type of events are attracting travelers?

• Cultural festivals and holidays: If you want to see a destination come alive, take a trip during a traditional celebration or festival that is unique to that place. This could be India during Diwali or Sydney during Vivid, two lively events that take place in winter.
• Sporting events and competitions: Traveling for sporting events has never been more popular. People are eager to attend high-profile competitions like the Olympics and the World Cup. Many people are also designing Customized Tours around annual events, like the New York Marathon or US Open, allowing them to combine their love for travel with their passion for sports.
• Music, art, and performance festivals: Travelers who love art and culture are building their trips around marquee festivals, including the Biennale in Venice and trips to Vienna for the opera season.
• Seasonal and holiday-specific travel: Germany or Poland for Christmas markets, Japan for cherry blossoms, or New Orleans for Mardi Gras—iconic happenings make for great travel ideas.

City culture and urban exploration continue to inspire travelers

Today’s travelers aren’t just visiting cities—they’re diving deep into them. From neighborhood food scenes and local art movements to iconic landmarks and hidden gems, City Immersions offer the kind of authentic experiences that go far beyond a whirlwind itinerary. For many, a city break is always a top travel trend.

Which urban experiences are attracting travelers?

• Food, drink, and culinary culture: From local markets and neighborhood restaurants to iconic street food and hands-on cooking classes, the food scene in the world’s best cities tops many travelers’ bucket lists.
• Art, architecture, and museums: World-class galleries, historic landmarks, street art, and architectural marvels—you’ll find them all in the world’s biggest urban destinations.
• Neighborhoods and local life: As travelers continue to prioritize diving deep into local life, they want to spend time in areas where locals actually live, shop, and gather, from bustling souks to charming cobblestone streets.
• Seasonal city atmosphere: Travelers are excited to experience cities when they’re at their most magical. Here are some timing tips: Tokyo in spring, Amsterdam in the fall, and Rio in summer.

How is AI shaping the way we plan trips?

The rise of AI-powered travel planning tools, chatbots, and personalized recommendations has, in many ways, made planning the next trip easier than ever. Whether you want to use AI for travel inspiration or vacation ideas, it’s a tool that has defined 2026’s biggest travel trends. But while AI offers convenience and speed, it often lacks the nuance, empathy, and insider knowledge that human experts provide. And in the most important ways, travel is about human connection.

Why human-guided travel still wins:

• Personalization and intuition: Travel experts understand preferences, read between the lines, and tailor experiences in ways AI cannot. Yes, AI can recommend a trip to South Africa and share general travel ideas, but will it know how to create a Customized Tour for someone who loves birdwatching? Maybe not.
• Local knowledge and insider access: AI can provide a list of the best places to eat, drink, and shop in a given city. But here’s how an expert Tour Director takes it to the next level: by knowing hidden gems, having personal relationships with vendors, and offering context that only a clever local can provide.
• Flexibility and problem-solving: Our Tour Directors can adapt to changes, handle unexpected issues, and create meaningful moments on the fly. And it’s often in these scenarios where a trip becomes a core memory. “On my Greece tour, we got to Olympia on a record-breaking hot day,” said staffer Thea. “Instead of keeping us in the heat with the crowd of other visitors trying to see the first Olympic grounds, our Tour Director arranged for a private viewing of a local museum (with air conditioning!). By the time we were done, the temperature had dropped, and the crowd had dispersed.”
• Emotional connection and storytelling: Yes, AI can make some parts of the travel experience easier. But going on tour is always going to be about people, stories, and shared experiences. And these are elements that AI simply cannot provide.

Guided tours offer the best of both worlds: They tap into the top travel trends of 2026 while providing expert support, local insight, and seamless logistics. Whether you’re traveling solo, seeking culinary adventures, or planning a trip around a festival, a well-designed tour brings trends to life without the stress of planning every detail.

Tours also create opportunities for connection—with fellow travelers, local guides, and the destination itself. They offer structure when you want it and flexibility when you need it, making them ideal for travelers who want to embrace what’s new while enjoying the comfort of expert guidance.

How guided tours deliver on 2026’s top travel trends

• Solo-friendly group travel: Want to travel solo but not alone? Our tours create community for solo travelers while allowing you to maintain independence and personal space.
• Hands-on culinary and cultural experiences: Most of our trips to your favorite culinary destinations include built-in cooking classes, market tours, workshops, and local dining experiences. We make sure you don’t just see the best of a destination, you get to taste it, too.
• Access to exclusive events and festivals: Our tours can secure tickets to some of the most sought-after happenings around the world. But more importantly, our Tour Directors, many of whom have attended these events themselves, can provide context that enhances event-based travel.
• Human expertise over AI: Our tours aren’t just a collection of scheduled stops on a weeklong itinerary. They also offer personalized recommendations, real-time adjustments, and rich storytelling that make travel memorable.