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Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Travel is constantly evolving, and 2026 will be no exception. Airbnb forecasts that travelers will seek to make the most of their time away, rooted in authentic and immersive experiences: 
Gen Z is redefining “quick trips,” with 1-2 day international getaways growing faster than extended vacations.¹ Fueled by viral TikTok day-trip trends, young travelers are now crossing continents for high-energy, culture-rich escapes. This group maximizes PTO by choosing vibrant cities filled with music, dance, historic sites, and authentic cuisine—swapping relaxing beach towns for lively urban experiences. Trending cities include:²
While embracing nature was a top trend in 2025, in 2026, there’s a remarkable surge in searches and interest for national parks across the globe, with US parks especially in the spotlight as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary and landmark centennials for iconic parks like the Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah, and Grand Teton.³ Trending locations include:⁴
U.S. Destinations
Global Destinations
Here’s how travelers’ preferences are shifting toward restorative wilderness trips:
65 percent of the top-searched dates and cities for next year coincide with major cultural, sporting, and music events—such as the Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, Carnival, and Coachella. Travelers are prioritizing these experiences, turning tickets into passports and seeking their own “mainstage” moments through unique adventures and global journeys.
Solo travel is experiencing a renaissance, fueled by online conversations that encourage self-discovery over relationship status. Solo adventurers are uncovering the next wave of up-and-coming hotspots, with places like Idyllwild, CA, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic, and Tromsø, Norway, seeing upwards of triple-digit growth.¹⁵ These travelers are drawn to scenic escapes—mountains, coastlines, and islands offering a slower pace and soulful reflection. As “me time” replaces “plus one,” solo explorers are curating some of the year’s most intriguing getaways including:¹⁶
Culinary travel is heating up in 2026, with bakery classes and wine regions stealing the spotlight. Food and drink experiences are among some of the most-booked—including a croissant baking class in Paris—while viral TikTok food videos inspire travelers to seek out vibrant bakery scenes and hands-on classes worldwide, like making mochi in Tokyo or baking a chocolate cake in Lisbon.¹⁷ At the same time, wine tourism is on the rise, as travelers flock to up-and-coming and hidden gem wine regions showing big spikes in bookings and wishlist inclusions for 2026.¹⁸ Trending wine and bakery destinations include:¹⁹
Wine Destinations
Bakery Destinations
Influencers like Avery Cyrus, Fabian Flores, Kalita Hon, and Charisma Stevens are true trendsetters, inspiring audiences to discover the world through personal travel stories. For their 2026 travel wishlists, a clear trend emerges: destinations renowned for breathtaking natural landscapes, vibrant local culture, and thrilling outdoor adventures. Here are their top picks for must-visit destinations in 2026, and the best ways to discover them on Airbnb:
¹ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made for 1-2 day long trips for the period of 2023 to 2025 compared to longer trip lengths by US Gen Z guests. 
² Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by Gen Z global travelers.
³ Based on Airbnb internal data that Gen Z is the most likely generation to search for “nature” experiences on Airbnb than any other generation based on internal Airbnb data between 10/16/2024 and 1/15/2025; Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in the “near national park” category in Q3 2025 for 1/1-9/30, 2026, compared with searches made in the “near national park” category in Q3 2024 for 1/1-9/30, 2025 by global travelers.
⁴  Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by travelers by global travelers; Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by global travelers for emerging destinations; Emerging regions are locations identified as having sustained momentum and traveler interest over the last three years.
⁵ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in the “near national park” category in Q3 2025 for 1/1-9/30, 2026, compared with searches made in the “near national park” category in Q3 2024 for 1/1-9/30, 2025 for US national park destinations by global travelers.
⁶  Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by global travelers and solo travelers.
⁷ Based on Airbnb internal data of most booked experience categories since May 13, 2025 by global travelers.
⁸ Based on external TikTok data.
⁹ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2/12-21, 2026, compared to Q3 2024 for 2/13-22, 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by global travelers.
¹⁰ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 4/09-12, 2026 & 4/16-19, 2026, compared to Q3 2024 for 4/10-13, 2025 & 4/17-20, 2025 in Indio, California by global travelers.
¹¹ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2/12-18, 2026, compared to Q3 2024 for 2/13-19, 2025 in New Orleans, LA by global travelers.
¹²  Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2/5-22, 2026, compared to Q3 2024 for 2/6-23, 2025 in Milan, Italy by global travelers.
¹³ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in FIFA World Cup host cities (Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Dallas, TX; East Rutherford, NJ; Guadalajara, Mexico; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Mexico City, Mexico; Miami, FL; Monterrey, Mexico; Philadelphia, PA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Toronto, Canada; Vancouver, Canada) as of 9/30/25 for 6/10/26-7/19/26, compared to 9/30/24 for 6/10/25-7/19/25 by global travelers.
¹⁴ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 5/14-17, 2026, compared to Q3 2024 for 5/ 15-18, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV by global travelers.
¹⁵ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by global solo travelers.
¹⁶ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by global solo travelers.
¹⁷ Based on Airbnb internal data of most booked experience categories and experiences since May 13, 2025 by global travelers.
¹⁸ Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by travelers by global travelers; Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by global travelers for emerging destinations; Emerging regions are locations identified as having sustained momentum and traveler interest over the last three years; Based on Airbnb internal data of the percentage of a geography’s listings that are wishlisted.
¹⁹Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by global travelers; Based on Airbnb internal data of searches made in Q3 2025 for 2026, compared with searches made in Q3 2024 for 2025 by global travelers for emerging destinations; Emerging regions are locations identified as having sustained momentum and traveler interest over the last three years.
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The Airbnb Newsroom is aimed at journalists. All Homes and Experiences referenced on the Airbnb Newsroom are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse specific Home or Experience listings on the Airbnb platform.

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