The Era of YOU: Booking.com predicts the Top 10 trends defining travel in 2026

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

Travel has always been personal, but in 2026 it will move far beyond one-size-fits-all itineraries. In 2026, Vietnamese travelers 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.

In its 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 Travelers reshaping destination choices through social and environmental awareness. Looking ahead to 2026, the research shows travelers are eager to let their true selves shine, quirks and all, with technology playing a major role in making it possible for travelers to experience ultra-personalized trips with the people who understand them best.

Based on insights from more than 29,000 travelers across 33 countries and territories including Vietnam, Booking.com is using this research alongside its unique position as an industry leader in travel and technology to uncover ten defining trends for 2026. The findings reveal that vacations are becoming more individual, more experimental, and more unapologetically true to who travelers really are.

Mr. Branavan Aruljothi, Country Head Vietnam 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. Travelers 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 traveler can easily find the choice, flexibility and convenience needed to turn their dream trip into reality.”

Mr. Branavan Aruljothi, Country Head Vietnam at Booking.com, shared at the Travel Predictions 2026 launch event.

1. Romantasy Retreats: Escaping into enchanted worlds

For centuries, books have been travelling companions carried in suitcases and read on trains, planes, beaches and beyond. In 2026, the rise of romantasy pushes this bond further as travelers step not just into novels, but into the fantasy worlds of dragons, fairies, and other mythical creatures. Vacations are becoming immersive storyscapes, from enchanted castles to mystical forests, with 94% of Vietnamese travelers open to visiting a romantasy-inspired destination.

This appetite goes beyond sightseeing: 81% are open to role-play retreats based on their favorite fantasy game, book, or film, and one in three (33%) say they are definitely interested in making this part of their future travel plans.

Technology is accelerating this new escapism, with 89% of Vietnamese travelers open to AI-powered suggestions that match fantasy aesthetics, recommend secluded “storybook” stays, or pinpoint real-world filming locations. As fiction increasingly shapes travel choices, fantasy becomes a blueprint for real-world journeys, offering enchanted escapes where imagination and adventure take center stage.

Romantasy Retreats: Escaping into enchanted worlds.

2. 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. Travelers can expect cleaning bots to handle messes, robotic chefs to cook (and clean), and smart systems to optimize water, energy, and waste behind the scenes.

Vietnamese travelers are ready to embrace this next frontier of comfort-meets-curiosity, with 98% open to booking a robotic-enhanced home. Practical perks lead the way as more than half of those interested (53%) say cleaning bots would sway their booking choice, while 41% are most excited about a robotic chef, and 35% want robots managing sustainability behind the scenes.

But it’s not just about convenience. 39% are drawn by the novelty factor, while 35% like the bragging rights of staying somewhere that feels straight out of science fiction. These “humanoid homes” are set to redefine the vacation rental experience and set the stage for stays that feel both comfortable and truly unforgettable.

Humanoid Homes: The future of vacation rentals.

3. Glow-cations: Skincare specific travel, driven by tech

Wellness travel will get a serious glow-up in 2026 with a significance of 92% of Vietnamese travelers 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, high-touch journeys focused on the skin, with 86% travelers saying they would consider using AI to identify destinations aligned with their personal skin needs.

The appetite for personalization runs deeper than ever, with 90% of respondents open to personalized hydration stations that adapt to local climate and activity, while 81% are intrigued by smart mirrors analyzing pores and hydration to provide real-time skincare advice. Sleep optimization is also central, with an overwhelming number 95% of travellers 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.

Glow-cations: Skincare specific travel, driven by tech.

4. Turbulence Test: Love, friendship, and teamwork on trial

In 2026, vacations will become the ultimate compatibility check, with 85% of Vietnamese travelers are open to taking a trip with a potential partner, colleague or new friend specifically to see how well they click.

Vietnamese travelers are embracing creative “turbulence tests”: 69% would consider visiting a remote location to see how their companion handles ambiguity and discomfort, 80% are intrigued by role-reversal retreats, where the usual planner hands over control or the introvert takes the lead, and 68% 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.

These turbulence tests highlight a shift in how people approach vacations: not just as escapes, but as immersive ways to understand compatibility, adaptability, and teamwork. Gen Z travelers 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.

Turbulence Test: Love, friendship, and teamwork on trial.

5. Shelf-ie Souvenirs: Turning kitchen shelves into cultural showcases

In 2026, the humble kitchen cupboard is becoming a cultural canvas, with travelers bringing home edible and design-led souvenirs that turn everyday kitchens into showcases of global culture. Moving beyond fridge magnets, 90% of Vietnamese travelers 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, with 84% saying they would even consider traveling to a destination specifically known for its pantry products or kitchenware.

This shift is driven by both meanings and aesthetics. One third (33%) say edible souvenirs help them relive a destination each time they cook, while 52% value how these items showcase local craft, sustainability, and traditional methods. For others, exclusivity and style play a role, with 34% choosing destinations for rare souvenirs, limited-edition cookware, or packaging that looks as good on a shelf as it does on social media.

Shelf-ie Souvenirs: Turning kitchen shelves into cultural showcases.

6. Roadtrip Rewired: Embracing shared journeys on the open road

The classic road trip is shifting gears in 2026, evolving from traditional family convoys into journeys fueled by spontaneity, discovery, and new companionships along the way. The road is becoming a space for connection, with 92% of Vietnamese travelers open to carpooling on vacation and 84% of them willing to use an app to find travelers on a similar route.

The appeal is clear. 93% of Vietnamese travelers say road trips attract them because they offer both spontaneity and flexibility and the opportunity to meet new people, let them meet new people, while 87% appreciate the ability to share driving responsibilities – turning the journey itself into a more social and accessible experience. For non-drivers especially, carpooling and autonomous vehicles transform previously inaccessible routes into shared adventures.

Younger generations are leading the way, with 82% of Vietnamese Gen Z open to using self-drive vehicles or AI to shape their routes. Technology continues to unlock new possibilities in other ways on the road as well, with 81% of Vietnamese travelers saying they would use AI or generative AI to map scenic, off-the-beaten-track routes tailored to their trip desires. Together, technology and social discovery are redefining the modern road trip: part exploration, part community, and entirely personal.

Roadtrip Rewired: Embracing shared journeys on the open road.

7. Destined-ations: Travel written in the stars

In 2026, celestial cues will extend far beyond horoscopes as travelers increasingly let astrology, moon phases, and mystical practices shape their travel plans. Vacations are becoming journeys that feel spiritually aligned and cosmically approved, 78% of travelers say they would consider changing or cancelling their plans if a spiritual advisor or guide suggested it was not the right time, while 73% would reconsider trips based on a horoscope warning, and 61% would adjust if Mercury was in retrograde.

Beyond these cosmic course corrections, many travelers actively seek experiences that align with mystical or astrological cues. Nearly two thirds (65%) say they consider such influences when planning vacations, from timing trips with moon phases or solstices to visiting energy-rich sites. This trend is even stronger among younger generations, with 71% of Gen Z and 62% of millennials 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.

Destined-ations: Travel written in the stars.

8. Hushed Hobbies: Quiet pursuits for a louder sense of calm

Silence will be golden in 2026, as travelers 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. With 45% of travelers saying they would vacation specifically to feel closer to the natural world (including 36% of Gen Z), and over one third (37%) turning to “quieter” hobbies on vacation, travelers will be seeking restorative rituals that prioritize patience, reflection and stress relief.

From insect spotting and birdwatching to fishing and foraging, travelers are embracing activities that foster deeper connection with the outdoors. 85% say they would consider moth/butterfly watching or insect spotting, 93% fishing or birdwatching, and 91% would stay at a hotel offering foraging experiences in local wilderness areas.

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, travelers are redefining what it means to recharge by finding clarity not in doing more, but in embracing less.

Hushed Hobbies: Quiet pursuits for a louder sense of calm.

9. PastPorts: Where memories become destinations

In 2026, nostalgia will become something travelers can step back into, with technology bringing the past vividly into the present. AI-powered photo mapping and heritage-tracing tools are turning memories into maps, allowing travelers to pinpoint the exact location of old snapshots and stand where a moment once happened.

This desire to relive meaningful experiences is strong, with 89% of Vietnamese travelers saying they would consider recreating a memory or photo by using technology to identify the exact location it was taken and then traveling there. For many, this is deeply emotional: 57% say their main motivation would be to revisit a memory with family or close friends, 46% are drawn to destinations that make them feel young, connected or at home, and 41% see these journeys as personal milestones tied to growth, reconnection, or closure.

What makes this movement new is how technology fuels the timeless human urge to remember. Beyond nostalgia, travelers 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.

PastPorts: Where memories become destinations.

10. Modern Milestone Missions: Travel that celebrates YOU

Travelers in 2026 will rewrite the 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. 71% of travelers say they don’t need a reason to book a trip, while one in five (21%) 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 travelers are embracing personal achievements on their own terms and using travel as a way of celebrating their individuality. 84% 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 (33%), receiving a surprise tax refund (7%), marking the closure of a breakup (17%), and showing off a new outfit (12%).

Health and wellbeing achievements are also emerging as powerful motivators, with one in three (33%) 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.

Modern Milestone Missions: Travel that celebrates YOU.

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

Methodology

Travel Predictions 2026 research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults who plan to travel for business or leisure in the next 12-24 months. In total, 29,733 respondents across 33 countries and territories were polled (including 1,009 from Argentina, 1,005 from Australia, 500 from Austria, 1,013 from Belgium, 1,008 from Brazil, 1,018 from Canada, 1,009 from China, 1,005 from Colombia, 508 from Croatia, 501 from Denmark, 1,010 from France, 1,003 from Germany, 1,004 from Hong Kong, 1,007 from India, 509 from Ireland, 507 from Israel, 1,005 from Italy, 1,003 from Japan, 1,003 from Mexico, 1,019 from The Netherlands, 1,033 from New Zealand, 1,006 from Portugal, 500 from Singapore, 1,003 from South Korea, 1,009 from Spain, 511 from Sweden, 501 from Switzerland, 504 from Taiwan, 1,001 from Thailand, 501 from the UAE, 2,003 from the UK, 2,010 from the US and 505 from Vietnam). Respondents completed an online survey in July-August 2025.