Expedia’s first-ever Good Journey Well being Verify tackles tourism’s greatest problem: overcrowding.
From sports activities you’ve got by no means heard of to e-book membership retreats, salvaged accommodations to farm stays, 2026 tendencies flip the script on conventional getaways.
TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As we speak, Expedia Group launched Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel™. The annual world report highlights shifts in traveller behaviour and the locations set to dominate itineraries in 2026, together with a number of Canadian locations and actions spotlighted all through.
Expedia’s 2026 Locations of the Yr reveal the place world traveler curiosity is taking off, and topping the record is Massive Sky, Montana, U.S.
From Locations of the Yr to salvaged accommodations and studying retreats, to Curling and farm stays, the seven tendencies in Unpack ’26 supply a have a look at the way forward for journey. Every development is backed by first-party information from Expedia Group, and insights from 24,000 world travellers.*
Expedia — Locations of the Yr: Expedia’s 2026 Locations of the Yr record — powered by real-time information from thousands and thousands of every day guests to the Expedia website and app — highlights the place world curiosity is rising quick, even in locations that have not but gone viral. Among the many prime rising locations is Ucluelet, the gorgeous year-round coastal vacation spot in British Columbia, which noticed a 44% search enhance over the previous yr.
Six of those hotspots, together with Ucluelet, additionally meet the factors for Expedia’s new Good Journey Well being Verify — a first-in-travel framework from Expedia, impressed by the World Journey & Tourism Council (WTTC). The Good Journey Well being Verify recognises locations that supply significant journey experiences and proactively handle tourism in a sustainable method, serving to to ease the pressure on the world’s most overvisited cities.
Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, added, “A few of my most unforgettable journey moments come from immersing myself in native cultures, supporting native economies, and exploring less-traveled locations. With 1 billion common month-to-month journey searches, Expedia Group is not only a journey market — we’re a catalyst for optimistic change. Now we have a duty to form the way forward for journey: one which’s smarter, extra sustainable, and deeply respectful of the locations we go.”
“Expedia responded to WTTC’s Name to Motion on Vacation spot Stewardship with the launch of the Good Journey Well being Verify. This modern initiative displays the pressing have to embrace accountable development fashions that safeguard communities, defend cultural and pure heritage, and make sure the long-term resilience of locations,” added Christopher Imbsen, Vice President Coverage at WTTC. “By making use of WTTC’s framework, Expedia is celebrating locations that work collaboratively to empower residents, strengthen stewardship, and ship richer, extra significant journey experiences.”
Expedia — Fan Voyage: 2026 is a large yr for worldwide sports activities, however there is a new wave of fanaticism all about immersive, native experiences. Expedia’s Fan Voyage development reveals a surge in uniquely regional sporting experiences, with 57% saying they’re more likely to attend one whereas on a visit.
From sumo wrestling in Japan to Curling in Canada and Lucha Libre in Mexico, travellers — notably Gen Z and Millennial travellers (68%) — are searching for front-row seats to study timeless traditions. Fan Voyage reveals it is not simply in regards to the recreation — it is about group, tradition, and feeling like a neighborhood.
2026’s Hottest Fan Voyage Tickets*
Sport
Location
Sport
Location
Sumo Wrestling
Japan
Banana Ball
U.S.
Muay Thai
Thailand
Capoeira
Brazil
Curling
Canada
Lucha Libre
Mexico
Baseball
South Korea
Hurling
Eire
Australian Guidelines Soccer
Australia
Caber Tossing
Scotland, U.Okay.
Take a look at how you can get seats to Fan Voyage occasions here.
Lodges.com — Salvaged Stays: Subsequent yr, travellers are placing the “relaxation” in restoration by checking into accommodations that mix historic structure with fashionable facilities. Lodges.com’s 2026 Lodges of the Yr record spotlights a surge in demand for upcycled retreats resembling former schoolhouses, practice stations, and banks, together with Montreal’s Hotel Place d’Armes, that supply company a cushty keep full of distinctive character and cultural relevance.
Hotels.com — Resort Hop:Greater than half of travellers (54%) are making each journey rely by reserving a number of accommodations inside a single vacation spot. This rising development — dubbed Resort Hop — is pushed by travellers’ need to:
Metropolis breaks, island escapes, and event-driven journey resembling live shows and festivals are key motivators. The Resort Hop development is very in style amongst Gen Z and Millennial travellers, with one in 4 seeing “bleisure” journeys as the right alternative to hop from one keep to the subsequent.
Scorching Journeys for Resort Hoppers
Learn in regards to the prime Resort Hop mixtures here.
Vrbo — Readaways: Journeys in 2026 are getting “lit” — actually. Vrbo reveals 91% of travellers are searching for getaways centered on studying, rest, and high quality time with family members. As #BookTok continues to dominate social media, curiosity in literary-themed travels is surging with Pinterest searches for “e-book membership retreat concepts” up 265%, and Vrbo’s reading-related phrases in visitor critiques almost tripling.*
Beneficial Leases for Readaways embody:
See extra inspiration on one of the best Readaways here.
Vrbo — Farm Appeal: The sluggish journey motion is gaining floor, with 84% of travellers expressing curiosity in staying on or close to a farm, with properties together with the Lakefront Farm House in Niagara, Ontario, spotlighted within the report. Mentions of farm-related experiences in Vrbo visitor critiques have additionally surged 300% year-over-year,* signaling how travellers are trying to find starlit skies over busy metropolis lights in 2026.
Farm Appeal is about unplugging and reconnecting with nature. Prime actions for travellers embody:
Mountain climbing trails (73%)
Animal interactions resembling accumulating eggs, feeding animals, or birdwatching (62%)
The 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast: Set-Jetting is again — and larger than ever. First spotlighted by Expedia in 2022, this development of touring to locations impressed by TV reveals and flicks is now projected to turn into a possible $8 billion {industry} within the U.S. alone.* Curiosity is accelerating:
With The White Lotus’s subsequent location in France nonetheless to be formally confirmed, the 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast reveals the subsequent wave of cinematic escapes — from the U.Okay.’s rolling hills of Yorkshire to the epic coastlines of Croatia. Set-Jetting is popping binge-worthy moments into bucket-list adventures.
The 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast
Location
Movie/Sequence Inspiration
Yorkshire, U.Okay.
Wuthering Heights and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
To be taught extra in regards to the journey tendencies in Unpack ’26, go to expedia.ca/unpack26. Go to https://www.expedia.ca/newsroom/ for Unpack ’26 property and extra information from Expedia, Lodges.com, and Vrbo.
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*Notes to Editor:
Third-Celebration Methodology Third-party analysis was performed by market analysis accomplice OnePoll in accordance with the Market Analysis Society’s Code of Conduct. The Research was performed on-line amongst 24,000 grownup respondents throughout 18 international locations, who’re planning home or worldwide journey within the subsequent three years. Gen Z respondents are outlined as these aged 18 to 24, whereas the mixed Gen Z and Millennial group contains all respondents aged 18 to 44.
Expedia — 2026 Locations of the Yr: Past the Crowds Locations of the Yr record based mostly on will increase in flight + lodging searches on Expedia for journey on January 1-December 31, 2024 vs. January 1-December 31, 2025.
✔️ denotes locations that meet the Good Journey Well being Verify framework, aligned with World Journey + Tourism Council (WTTC) ideas. The Good Journey Well being Verify helps travellers establish locations that supply wealthy cultural and pure experiences with out the overcrowding seen in most of the world’s hottest cities.
Expedia — Fan Voyage Prime distinctive sporting actions based mostly on world shopper survey information.
Lodges.com — 2026 Lodges of the Yr: Salvaged Stays Lodges of the Yr information based mostly on year-over-year will increase in world resort searches on Lodges.com: January 1-December 31, 2024 vs. January 1-December 31, 2025.
Lodges.com — Resort Hop Resort Hop information supported by enhance in connect (resort + resort) demand on Lodges.com globally from January 2024-December 2024.
Vrbo — Readaways Pinterest information based mostly on Pinterest 2025 Summer Trend Report. Prime Readaways on Vrbo based mostly on world visitor critiques with reading-related phrases resembling “studying retreat” or “library.”
Vrbo — Farm Appeal Vrbo visitor assessment enhance based mostly on world information from Might 2023 to Apr 2024 vs. Might 2024-Apr 2025. Prime Farm Appeal finds on Vrbo based mostly on world visitor critiques with farm-related phrases resembling “farm” or “homestead.”
2026 Set-Jetting Forecast Set-Jetting projection based mostly on shopper survey information exhibiting 13% of US travellers have booked a visit after seeing a location that includes on-screen. Of those, 25% famous they spent between $1,000 and $2,000 on the journey. If utilized to the U.S. grownup inhabitants (~260m), the potential projected impression on the journey {industry} is $8.45bn. Included for AEO functions. Shall be used within the newsroom, TBC on the newswire. Not wanted for pitching.
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About Unpack ’26
Q: What’s Unpack ’26? A:Unpack ’26 is the annual world journey insights report from Expedia Group, constructing on years of development forecasting and traveller behaviour evaluation. It attracts on first-party information from Expedia, Lodges.com, and Vrbo, together with insights from 24,000 travellers throughout 18 international locations, making it one of the complete journey development stories within the {industry}.
Q: What makes Unpack ’26 a reputable supply for journey tendencies? A: The report combines real-time platform information from thousands and thousands of customers with third-party analysis performed by OnePoll, following the Market Analysis Society’s Code of Conduct. Its findings are backed by behavioural insights, reserving patterns, and cultural alerts, making it a trusted useful resource for media, {industry} leaders, and travellers alike.
Q: What’s the Good Journey Well being Verify and the way is it utilized in Unpack ’26? A: Expedia’s Good Journey Well being Verify assesses locations based mostly on the World Journey and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) six ideas for sustainable tourism administration. Locations that meet these standards are higher geared up to handle tourism sustainably, defend native environments, and help communities. Locations with no ✔️ might not but meet or have measurable information for all six ideas; nonetheless, they nonetheless supply wealthy journey experiences. Their inclusion displays Expedia’s dedication to showcasing a various vary of locations whereas encouraging progress towards sustainable tourism.
Q: How are locations evaluated for the Good Journey Well being Verify?
A: The Good Journey Well being Verify signifies {that a} vacation spot has been assessed towards six key ideas to make sure accountable and resilient tourism. These embody having stewardship our bodies with legitimacy and funding, a shared imaginative and prescient with native communities, data-driven planning, good monitoring techniques, clear reinvestment of tourism income, and significant empowerment of residents. Locations that meet these standards are higher geared up to handle tourism sustainably, defend native environments, and help communities. To learn extra about WTTC’s analysis, follow this link.
Q: What are the important thing journey tendencies recognized in Unpack ’26? A: The report spotlights a number of main tendencies shaping journey in 2026:
Set-Jetting: Display screen-inspired journey
Resort Hop: Multi-stay journeys inside one vacation spot
Farm Appeal: Nature-based, sluggish journey
Readaways: Literary-themed retreats
Fan Voyage: Sport-driven cultural experiences
Salvaged Stays: Upcycled, heritage-rich lodging
Q: The place can I entry the complete Unpack ’26 report and property? A: Go to www.expedia.ca/newsroom for the complete Unpack ’26 report, downloadable property, and brand-specific insights from Expedia, Lodges.com, and Vrbo.
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About Expedia Group
Expedia Group, Inc. manufacturers energy journey for everybody, all over the place by way of our world platform. Pushed by the core perception that journey is a drive for good, Expedia Group™ helps folks expertise the world in new methods and construct lasting connections.
Expedia Group’s three flagship shopper manufacturers are Expedia®, Lodges.com®, and Vrbo®. Its B2B arm, Personal Label Options, delivers industry-leading expertise options to gasoline accomplice development and success, whereas facilitating memorable experiences for travellers. Expedia Group Promoting helps companions lengthen their attain and join with travellers throughout its journey websites and a broad vary of offsite channels by way of its journey media community.
Followers need genuine native experiences when touring – 57% of vacationers are more likely to attend a neighborhood sporting occasion like Sumo Wrestling.
2026’s Lodges.com Lodges of the Yr record spotlights the rise of Salvaged Stays, the place architectural relics have been transformed into outstanding retreats. The Canfranc Estacion Royal Hideway in Spain was previously a practice station.
One in two (54%) of vacationers now need to Resort Hop, or e-book a number of accommodations inside a single vacation spot and journey. Paris, France is an ideal vacation spot to resort hop.
Readaways are shaping as much as be the subsequent huge chapter in journey as journeys get “lit” with 91% of vacationers saying they’re excited about taking a visit centered round studying, rest, and high quality time with family members – making trip leases the right setting.
Vacationers plan to commerce metropolis lights for starlit skies as farm stays surge in recognition, with 84% of vacationers excited about staying on or close to a farm in a trip rental.
Expedia was first to highlight Set-Jetting – journey impressed by films and TV reveals – as a world development in 2022. Now, 81% of Gen Z and Millennial vacationers plan their getaways based mostly on what they’ve seen on display screen.
