If you are already making travel plans for this year, these emerging trends might provide some inspiration. Here is what is going to be hot in 2026.
1. Astrotourism
Some of the best places to experience dark skies around the world are Chile’s Atacama Desert, New Zealand’s Aoraki Mackenzie Reserve and the US state of Arizona. But it is the US state of Utah that is home to the largest concentration of certified International Dark Sky Parks, with 26 in total.
Travel company Intrepid says its Solar Eclipse Tours in partnership with New Scientist for Spain 2026 are sold out, and capacity has been doubled for Egypt tours in 2027 due to demand. Bookings are mostly coming from midlife travellers, as well as multi-generational families.
“Astrotourism allows people to connect with nature at a time when the world feels more online than ever,” says Joanna Reeve, UK director at Intrepid.
“Many find it peaceful to view how small we are in connection to the rest of the universe. It also allows travellers to get off the beaten path – skies are darker and less polluted in remote destinations – which, in turn, brings tourism and positive benefits to remote communities.”
