Hilton's 2026 Trends Report
The Whycation: Travel’s New Starting Point
Where are you going? It’s a question we often ask. But today, the first question globetrotters are asking themselves is why are they traveling?
A Message from our President & Chief Executive Officer
As we look ahead to 2026, it’s clear that the meaning behind each journey matters more than ever. People are traveling with purpose, whether that’s to reconnect, recharge, (re)discover or just take a breath. At Hilton, we call this shift the whycation: it’s a global movement rooted in intentionality, where travel begins not with a destination, but with a motivation.
Our 2026 Trends Report reveals that travelers are embracing this mindset in both singular and unexpected ways. Some are pursuing serenity and stillness, while others are looking for familiar home comforts while they are on the road. Families are traveling in new formations, discovering how to play and grow together, while road trippers are rediscovering the joy of intimate, close-to-home adventures with the people (and pets) who matter most. The same business travelers who appreciate the value of in-person connections are admitting that they also want to steal a few minutes of alone time away from the group.
The world continues to change at a rapid pace – there’s no denying that – and that will affect how we plan, where we travel and what is on our bucket list: the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the latest trending travel destinations, the newest adventures or travel experiences we never dreamed possible. At Hilton, we are embracing these shifts, but more importantly, we continue to listen to travelers to deeply understand their motivations – to help them make the most out of why they decided to stay.
As we look to 2026, we hope this Report sheds light on the human truths and needs that travel delivers on and inspires another year of packed bags, strengthened connections, captured moments and unforgettable memories.
To 2026!
Chris Nassetta
President & Chief Executive Officer, Hilton
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About
These are the findings of a poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Hilton between June 9 – 30, 2025. For this survey, a sample of 14,009 adults age 18+ who are planning to travel in the next 12 months from Australia, Brazil, mainland China, Colombia, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States were interviewed online in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, German, Hindi, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, and English. The sample was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel, partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. The data is weighted so that the composition of the sample in each country best reflects the demographic profile of the adult population according to the most recent census data. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 1.0 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=14,009, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-2.5 percentage points).
About Globetrender
Globetrender, the world’s leading travel trend forecasting agency and online magazine dedicated to the future of travel, coauthored this report. Founded in 2019 by award-winning travel journalist Jenny Southan, Globetrender delivers cutting-edge insights into how people will be travelling in the 21st century, giving professionals the knowledge they need to future-proof their businesses. Globetrender’s trend reports are read by thousands of travel industry professionals and executives from a wide variety of multinational corporations looking for insights into the future of travel and consumer behavior.