2026 Travel Trends Show Global Search For Deeper Connection

Published on Dec 3, 2025, 7:49 am CST

7 min read

Key points

Minor Hotels global survey says 2026 travel trends deeper connection will shape how people plan trips worldwide
Ninety four percent of respondents expect to travel as much or more in 2026 and forty seven percent plan bigger budgets
Affordability, seasonality, ease of travel, and time are the top constraints even as travelers seek higher value from each trip
More than half book within three months and most rely on hotel websites while only twelve percent use generative AI tools
Travelers prioritize quality time with partners, family, and friends, with shared meals, cultural activities, and relaxation at the top
Wellness breaks, tech free time, and nature experiences are rising, and many travelers now consider a hotel sustainability record before booking

Impact

Where Impacts Are Most Likely: Expect the biggest shift at upscale resorts and city hotels where guests will look for deeper cultural programming, wellness, and sustainability cues
Best Times To Travel: Shorter booking windows mean shoulder seasons and midweek dates may still offer value but popular peaks will fill quickly as 2026 demand holds up
Onward Travel And Changes: Travelers may take fewer trips but stay longer, so it is worth building itineraries around one or two hubs with more time to explore in depth
What Travelers Should Do Now: Clarify the kind of connection and wellbeing you want from a trip, then filter hotels and destinations by wellness, cultural immersion, and sustainability
Health And Wellness Factors: Plan ahead for spa time, nature excursions, and tech free space because wellness activities are moving from optional extras to core trip goals

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A new global survey from Bangkok based Minor Hotels, released on December 1, 2025, argues that 2026 travel trends deeper connection will define how travelers plan trips in the coming year, shifting focus from ticking off destinations to building emotional, relational, and even spiritual experiences. The inaugural Minor Hotels Travel Trends Report, titled "Travelling Deeper, A Search for Lasting Connection," draws on 906 respondents from the group mailing list and signals strong demand from leisure and luxury travelers who intend to keep traveling despite economic uncertainty. For travelers and advisors, the message is that choosing hotels and itineraries now means looking harder at wellness programs, local immersion, and sustainability, not only price and location.

In plain terms, the 2026 travel trends deeper connection pattern means many travelers will trade sheer trip volume for fewer but richer journeys, with hotels expected to curate meaningful connection, personal wellbeing, and values aligned experiences that justify higher spend.

Optimism For 2026 Travel, Even With Constraints

Across the sample, optimism for 2026 is striking. Ninety four percent of respondents expect to travel as much or more than in 2025, and roughly one third plan to travel more often, while another ninety four percent intend to spend the same or more on travel, including forty seven percent who plan to increase budgets. Luxury guests who stayed at Anantara, Elewana, or Tivoli in 2025 are even more bullish, with sixty one percent expecting to travel more frequently, nearly double the overall rate.

That optimism sits alongside clear limits. Minor Hotels reports that respondents are prioritizing quality over quantity, looking for trips that deliver personal value rather than simply more stamps in the passport. Affordability is still the top planning factor for fifty three percent of those surveyed, followed by seasonality for forty two percent, ease of travel for forty percent, and time available for another forty percent. For travelers, that combination means budgets will be scrutinized, but they may be redirected toward fewer, more immersive journeys rather than cut entirely.

Shorter Booking Windows And Direct Planning

The report also points to a tighter booking window. More than half of respondents, fifty three percent, now book trips within three months of departure, signaling a willingness to hold plans until they have a clearer view of work, family obligations, or global conditions. That compression can benefit flexible travelers who watch fares and room rates closely, but it also means popular periods can fill quickly once people commit.

How they plan those trips is shifting as well. Hotel websites dominate as the most used planning tool for eighty percent of respondents, ahead of personal recommendations at thirty five percent and online travel agents at twenty nine percent. Only twelve percent report using generative AI chatbots as part of their trip research, which suggests that for now travelers still rely most on official hotel content and human advice. For travelers, that underlines the importance of reading direct hotel descriptions carefully, checking what is included in wellness, cultural, or sustainability language, and then cross checking with trusted friends or advisors.

Togetherness, But With Space To Recharge

Travel in 2026 looks overwhelmingly social. Nearly all respondents plan to travel with companions, led by partners at sixty six percent, immediate family at forty six percent, and friends at thirty two percent. Quality time is the overriding motivation, with eighty six percent saying it is a key priority when planning leisure trips.

The most meaningful shared moments are not high drama experiences but simple, repeatable rituals. Dining together is the top shared activity for sixty seven percent of respondents, followed by cultural activities for fifty five percent and relaxation for fifty four percent. At the same time, fifty six percent prefer to keep activities within their own group rather than joining larger mixed gatherings, which reinforces the appeal of private excursions, villa stays, and small group tours.

Even on those group journeys, travelers want room to breathe. Seventy one percent say that taking a break from technology, social media, or work during their trip is important for personal wellbeing. About forty four percent plan to integrate more wellness or mindfulness into their travel, rising to seventy three percent among those who already engage in wellness practices. Spa treatments are the top planned wellness activity at seventy five percent, followed by nature based experiences at fifty nine percent and fitness at forty nine percent, and more than a third, thirty seven percent, make deliberate time for themselves even when traveling with others.

For travelers, this points toward itineraries that combine shared time with built in solo space. That may mean choosing resorts with wellness centers and quiet corners, structuring city breaks with one or two independent afternoons, or agreeing in advance that members of a group will split up for part of the day.

Food, Culture, And The Pull Of Authenticity

The report makes it clear that culture is discovered first through taste. Food is the primary gateway to local culture for eighty five percent of respondents, ahead of historic architecture at seventy one percent and nature at sixty five percent. Local immersion influences destination choice for eighty three percent, while seventy nine percent prefer to explore independently and forty four percent opt for guided tours when they want to feel invited into local life.

That hunger for authenticity carries real loyalty consequences. When travelers feel a personal bond with a place, seventy six percent say they will return, which turns emotional connection into a repeat visit engine rather than a vague slogan. For travelers, that suggests it is worth investing time in one neighborhood or region rather than squeezing in multiple stops, especially if a particular city, island, or resort layout seems likely to reward repeat stays.

Sustainability As A Loyalty Driver

Values also play a growing role. Minor Hotels highlights that forty seven percent of respondents say a hotel sustainability record or proposition influences where they choose to stay. A majority agree that environmental, cultural, and social initiatives enhance their sense of connection to a destination, whether at city hotels, fifty three percent, or destination resorts, fifty four percent.

For travelers, that means it is now practical to filter options by more than price and star rating. Many hotel groups, including Minor Hotels, now publish sustainability highlights, local hiring practices, and community partnerships on their websites. Checking those sections, asking specific questions about how programs work in practice, and favoring properties that tie wellness and culture into genuine local engagement will better align stays with personal values.

How Travelers Should Use This Report

Because the survey is drawn from people who opted into Minor Hotels newsletters, it reflects the mindset of engaged hotel guests rather than a random sample of all travelers. Even so, the patterns line up with wider industry tracking, which also points to resilient demand, a tilt toward experiential travel, and growing attention to sustainability.

For individual travelers, the most practical use of the findings is to treat them as a checklist. Decide what kind of connection matters most on a given trip, whether that is time with family, personal reset, or deeper cultural learning. Match that priority to a destination and hotel that emphasize food, local experiences, and wellness, not just a long list of generic amenities. Then plan with the shorter booking window in mind, setting alerts for fares and rooms, but moving early on peak periods where your preferred resorts or cities are likely to sell out.