2026 Summer trends every travel advisor should know
Expedia Group's Unpack '26 mapped the travel trends for the year ahead. Unpack '26 Summer highlights key trends shaping summer bookings across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo — grounded in platform data and global consumer research.
For Expedia TAAP advisors, these insights can help you see where demand is growing and turn traveler interest into relevant recommendations.
Trend 1: Kick Off or Take Off
This year's major summer soccer tournament is splitting demand: while host cities are seeing a huge influx of interest , searches are up 700% for Kansas City and 210% for both Philadelphia and Monterrey, other travelers look for quieter and better-value alternatives elsewhere. Average hotel prices are down nearly 25% in some popular European, Asian, and South American destinations, even as the popularity of these spots has increased (on average +35%).
Click below to see the top 10 trending destinations:
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Trend 2: Destinations of the Summer
Domestic travel is shaping summer holiday planning, with more travelers choosing destinations closer to home than last year.
According to the Expedia Group research, domestic demand seems to be strongest for nature and hiking destinations, especially in the USA and Canada, where St. George, Utah (+125%) and Jasper, Alberta (+55%) lead respectively. Beach and coastal destinations are also gaining momentum, particularly in the USA and Mexico, with Santa Cruz, California (+65%) and Rincón de Guayabitos, Nayarit (+30%) standing out.
City breaks are more prominent in Japan and Mexico, with destinations such as Tokyo (+50%) and Zapopan, Jalisco (+170%) trending. Meanwhile the UK shows up as the more balanced overall, with a mix of countryside, city and seaside destinations all seeing growth domestically, with places such as Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire (+90%), Scarborough, North Yorkshire (+40%) and Glasgow (+30%) all making the top 10 summer destinations.
Tip:
Offer domestic escapes by building recommendations around easy-to-reach national park gateways, coastal towns or cultural city breaks for travelers who want their summer vacations closer to home. Below you can find destinations showing increased demand to get you started.
Destinations of the Summer
Trend 3: Summer Set-Jetting
This summer, what people are watching will continue to shape where they go. Six weeks after "Wuthering Heights" launched, searches for Yorkshire in the UK rose 60%, while "Heated Rivalry" drove a 110% spike in interest for Muskoka, Canada*.
Tip:
Curate interest-led trips. Match travelers with event-driven trips or set-jetting itineraries based on the books, sports, and series that are inspiring their plans. Check out below the buzzy destinations leading the way, from Rhode Island to the Dolomites.
Summer Set-Jetting Destinations forecast:
- Rhode Island, US (inspired by "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island")
- Devon, UK (inspired by "Sense & Sensibility")
- The Dolomites, Italy (inspired by "Cliffhanger")
- Williamsburg, US (inspired by "Young Washington")
*Sources:
- Kick-off destinations based on increases in accommodation searches on Expedia and Hotels.com for travel between June 10, 2026–July 20, 2026 vs. June 10–July 20, 2025.
- Take-off destinations data based on Average Daily Rates and accommodation searches on Expedia and Hotels.com from August 4, 2025 to February 1, 2026 for stays between May 22–September 30, 2026.
- Destinations of the Summer list based on increases in accommodation searches on Expedia for travel between 23 May–31 August 2025 vs 22 May–31 August 2026.
- Set-jetting data based on increases in accommodation searches on Expedia and Hotels.com for travel between May 22–August 31, 2026 vs May 23–August 31, 2025 during specific periods following the release of a film or TV series.
- “Heated Rivalry” data based on accommodation searches made on Expedia.co.uk from January 12 to February 1, 2026, for travel between January 12–December 31, 2026 vs. the same period in 2025.