Jan 01, 2026
3 min read
Where will we go on vacation in 2026?Between trips to the cinema, passion for driving, discovery and the great charm of Asia, our world tour of the destinations and trends of 2026
Travel promises to be key in 2026 for those who like to explore the world: this is the year of experiences and places of the heart.Travel is becoming more conscious, slower and more technological.Increased attention to well-being and sustainability.
Traveling out of passion, following the locations of series and movies
Booking.it's recent study, The Travel Predictions, shows that trips are tailored and built around personal passions.The result is that 21% of Italian travelers make their choice based on cultural events and 49% of European travelers are attracted by natural phenomena, according to Booking.com.
Alessandra Montano, new trend and CEO of Allumeuse said "It is a year of tourism recovery and health experience", said Alessandra Montano, new trend and CEO of Allumeuse.But "cinematic tourism" or "jetting" still makes great progress, not as an emerging trend, but with desire, choice and imagination, as interrupted by the Observatory, which gave some panels on this matter in the second issue of February.
According to the Expedia Group, more than two thirds of travelers say that movies and TV series influence their choice of travel, a percentage of more than 80% among Millennials and Gen Z. This is what Pier Ezhaya, President of ASTOI Confindustria Viaggi, says: "Travelers are increasingly looking for first things and deep experiences, how to be strong in front of things and places. and A teamsmall, better organized, which combines discovery, friendship and sharing.The trip is about passion and growing lifestyle - from active experiences such as cycling, walking and hiking, to sports, nature and food and wine options, the most important thing is the quality of the experience and the depth of the story "concludes Ezhaia.
Shall we travel with AI suggestions?
But why, how do we travel and plan our trips?The report of a year of travel by eDreams ODIGEO 2025, an online travel agency, shows that 75% of Italians of all age groups use technology for their trips.The survey shows that 58% of respondents aged 55 and over said they have used AI for travel for the first time in the past twelve months." and in addition to the use of intelligence, regardless of its type and power, the heart in a person is not necessary," said Davide Catania, one of the leading tourism operators in the use of AI.“Having said this, I think AI in the travel program is very useful, but creating a “memorable trip” requires a person. We continue to decide to invest in both resources: technology and people.”
Great for Asia (always a good year to go to Japan)
According to UN Tourism data, tourist arrivals in Asia and the Pacific increased by 12% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 92% of pre-pandemic levels.Internal booking data from the WeRoad platform also confirms this trend: 22% of bookings to date are for Asian destinations, with an increase of 30% for countries in East and Central Asia, such as Kyrgyzstan, a perfect destination, off the tourist track.traditional, for those who love the mountains, trekking and outdoor life.“The main destinations remain the United States and Japan, but with growing interest in China,” says the CEO of Catania.
One of the Land of the Rising Sun's biggest fans is Orson Francisco, managing director of Financial Times Live, the global events arm of the Financial Times, which manages a global portfolio of more than 250 events a year."Every time I come to Tokyo, I feel like I've landed on another planet," says Francesconi."It is one of the few places in the world where the cultural distance is so perfect and so wonderful."
Japan continues to gain a foothold among the most desirable destinations.“This is due to the unique combination of thousand-year-old tradition and modern design,” adds Montano.Prestigious ryokans, especially in the Kyoto, Hakone and Takayama regions, offer a stay immersed in Japanese culture: tatami mats, private onsen baths, exquisite kaiseki and impeccable hospitality.Next to them are urban design hotels, often overlooking the skyscrapers of Tokyo or the nature of Hokkaido, which satisfy the most demanding clients.demanding taste."Good news for Jordan, for whom the WeRoad platform bodes well for a quick return to normalcy.
Travel is a way of life
For Lonely Planet, travel is more than just geographical movement.Travel is a way of living, observing and interacting with the world.“Remember, it’s not just the big companies,” said Fionnuala McCarthy, publisher of Lonely Planet.“It’s always the little moments – a smell, a conversation, an unexpected sight – that make a trip memorable. The best trips are created to celebrate these authentic experiences.”
The real difference is the tendency to listen to what is around us, and this is one of the reasons for the growth of solo travelers, even among non-singles.As with the New York Times in the United States, he succeeds Barbara Grosso, the only Italian mother of three daughters and general director of the Il Secolo XIX Foundation, who joined a newspaper with the mission of promoting, training and updating culture.Grosso says: When it comes to choosing the next location, there's a part of me - the one that only speaks when it's quiet: Cornwall.It is a reminder of the soul.It is a land you feel before you see it: the land of Merlin, the magic in the air.
New destinations: where we will travel in 2026
The new edition of Best in Travel 2026 offers destinations and adventures for all types of travelers: the glacial valleys and turquoise lakes of Tajikistan for those who want to experience the energy of places that have yet to be explored;Whale and dolphin jumps and acrobatic sports and a large number of hiking trails immersed in the vegetation of the Azores, who want to identify these satellites while in Europe.
There are a number of new perspectives on castles, fine dining and the stunning Ireland and countryside of County Tipperary and Town Killarney (among the popular American Express Travel destinations), as well as new perspectives on popular destinations such as Mexico City.
The Grand Egyptian Museum, the best museum of Egyptian art and history, welcomed Tutankhamun's treasures and opened its doors.This is what everyone calls the "Fourth Pyramid" of Giza.
And speaking of museums, what about the new Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the largest in the world dedicated to one civilization?Tickets can be bought directly, alternatively there is a Gattinoni weekend package (3 days / 2 nights with bed and breakfast, two lunches and flights, from 1,120 euros per person), which goes from the pyramids of Giza to the mysterious Serapeum of Saqqara.The lack of unexpected discoveries, such as the presence of jaguars in the wetlands of Iberá, in Argentina, the Ikara-Flinders ranges, in the Australian Outback, the natural amphitheater of rare beauty that opens between the endless mountains and deserts, the unexpected ideas that come from the culture and art of Sri Lanka, the final destination of Sri Lanka22. itineraries in Peru, where there are ancient ruins and modern citiesin line: between the best gastronomy, the legendary museums and new protected natural areas.
Among the new features, the focus is the archipelago of Tahiti, in the heart of the Pacific, where spirit and nature merge into one source of life force.Every mountain, every motu and every smile is Mana, the sacred energy that represents the spirit of the archipelago, its people and the Ma'ohi culture."On the beach or in the villages, Mana is considered a deep source of power," said Hironui Johnston, Tahiti's international director.the colors invite us to slow down, listen to the breath of the sea and let ourselves be transformed by meeting these distant lands."
Africa salamina
“According to Ludovino Scarticini, CEO of Go World, a travel agency specializing in unique destinations, the real Africa is still on the west coast, namely in Mauritania, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Ghana and Benin.These countries had important traditions, and then disappeared from the radar of tourists for various geopolitical reasons, but soon they will return, things have calmed down, and the presence of traditions increases the desire to become the protagonists again.This includes three countries in Central Africa: Added: Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville (very different from the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Gabon - completely new countries with a strong desire to welcome tourists, especially among their population." The great classics remain: South Africa, Botswana, Kenya and Namibia never disappoint.
Europe on the big screen
Film tourism is linked to the cultural markers of European cities.Paris remains the center of global fantasy for Emily in Paris, while Dubrovnik is the best-known case study for the Game of Thrones-Ireland-Romania growth spurt that gained new visibility thanks to the Netflix series' location on Wednesday.Although the University of Tuscia, together with DTC Lazio, adapts to new trends and gives masters in the training of new figures that combine many different skills: artificial intelligence, augmented reality, gamification, tourism and culture.There is still a strong feeling in the mountains of Montenegro, which we have already seen in many films, such as Minamata (2020) with Johnny Depp.A little-known country that goes from the Adriatic to a peak that reaches 2600 meters and its park has a lot to tell.
Sardinia is very popular even internationally and is the only region in the Best Travel 2026. Based on Airbnb data, it is among the five most sought-after natural destinations in the world.The Gennargentu National Park of Barbagia, with its incredible biodiversity, attracts international travelers looking for scenery, silence and slow pace.It is a sacred and precious land, well known for the most beautiful beaches in the world, such as Cala Goloritzè, in the district of Baunei, in Ogliastra, according to the rating of the 50 best beaches in the world, but it has a lot to offer, for example a thousand years of history.The Domus de Janas (Sardinia's prehistoric cemetery) is the 61st World Heritage Site in Italy, ensuring that Italy wins the title as the country with the largest number of UNESCO sites.
Archaeologist Ilaria Montis dates to the Copper Age, with sanctuaries such as sacred fountains.Various tours are organized to discover the hidden soul of Sardinia, dating back to the Copper and Bronze Age.It is interesting to know that there are millennia between these stages, covering an interval of about 5000 years.Foodies are olive groves,Between the villages and the local flavors of southern Sardinia and Oristano, l'Olio, coordinated by Giuseppina Scorrano.Available on request ( [email protected] ) Sardinia excels in luxury tourism: 7Pines Resort the Sardinia Awards Best of Italy Sardinia + 50 2025;and Hotel Miramare in Cagliari is a favorite among solo travelers.
Between prehistoric temples and enchanting forests, magnetic nature, strong energy, white beach and rare human kindness
The positive trend of Paese bel is also about the Italian mountains: in Valle d'Aosta, Pila and Champoluc search volumes are about four times higher than last year, especially for families and millennials. The great expectations for Abruzzo, with L'Aquila the capital of Italy's culture Francis of Assisi.In addition to the places associated with it, there is the rediscovery of the Benedictine monasteries, where spirituality became land, architecture, cultivation and culture.Before Europe became a political idea, Saint Benedict of Nursia (480/547) had already laid the foundations of the civilization based on the balance between faith and work.
