Travel Trends for 2026

Celestial Travel

There’s a growing fascination with the night sky. A reminder that wonder doesn’t stop when the sun goes down.

More travellers are planning trips around darkness, heading north to witness the northern lights, tracking constellations far from city glow, and seeking the deep quiet that only comes after dusk. These are experiences shaped by patience and timing, where stillness is part of the appeal.

Whether its Arctic nights in Iceland and Sweden to vast southern skies in New Zealand and Australia, celestial travel offers a different way of seeing the world. One that slows the pace, lifts the eyes upward and brings a rare sense of perspective.

This isn’t sightseeing. It’s time spent looking up, waiting, watching, and feeling part of something much bigger.

Experiential & Immersive Travel

Travellers no longer want to stand on the sidelines. They want to take part. To learn, connect and come home with experiences that feel genuinely their own.

In the Nordics, that might mean spending time with Sámi communities, understanding traditions that are closely tied to the land. In Canada and Australia, it can be about walking alongside Indigenous guides and hearing the stories that sit beneath the landscapes. In Costa Rica, it often shows up through hands-on experiences, from planting trees to cooking with local produce or supporting conservation work in the rainforest.

There’s also a growing appetite for trips that feel meaningful as well as memorable. Some travellers are choosing experiences that contribute directly to wildlife protection or environmental research.

These kinds of trips turn curiosity into contribution, offering a deeper sense of purpose and perspective.

“Purpose is shaping where people go and how they travel. It’s no longer just about the headline destination, but the stories, encounters and understanding they bring home with them”
– Liz Lunnon, Head of Product

At the far edges of the map, polar travel continues to evolve too. Smaller groups, time spent learning from those who know these environments best, and a focus on understanding fragile places rather than simply passing through them.

These are journeys shaped by participation, not performance. Travel that leaves a mark on the traveller, while respecting the places that make it possible.

Polar Frontiers

At the edges of the Earth, curiosity still leads the way. The Arctic and Antarctic remain among the world’s most sought-after frontiers, attracting travellers who want to experience the planet’s extremes before they change forever.

The poles attract travellers with a growing awareness of climate, conservation and fragility of these regions. Travellers are choosing smaller, more sustainable expedition ships, guided by scientists, photographers and local experts who reveal the stories hidden within the ice. Each voyage feels less like a conquest, more like a conversation with the natural world.

A growing number of these voyages now include conservation in action – opportunities to collect data for marine research, document wildlife sightings or support onboard sustainability initiatives. Travellers want to play an active part in protecting the environments they’ve come to witness.

In the south, Antarctica continues to draw those seeking perspective as much as adventure. Vast, fragile and profoundly humbling, it offers travellers something few places can – the feeling of standing at the edge of the world, and seeing just how interconnected it all is.

Off-Peak & Shoulder-Season Travel

The best time to travel isn’t always the busiest. More people are choosing the quieter months to see familiar places in a different light, whether that’s the softness of spring or the rich colours of late autumn.

Travelling outside peak season allows space to slow down. In the Nordics, late autumn brings crisp air, changing landscapes and the first hint of the northern lights. In Canada and New Zealand, months like September and April offer glowing scenery without the pace and pressure of high summer.

High season will always have its appeal, but the shoulder months offer something else entirely. Cooler days, fewer crowds and time to experience a place on its own terms.

Summer, Redefined

As summers grow hotter elsewhere, more travellers are looking for a gentler way to enjoy the season. One that feels bright and spacious, without the intensity. Northern destinations are offering a different rhythm, where summer is defined by long days, fresh air and time outdoors rather than rising temperatures.

In places like Norway, Finland and Iceland, summer brings glowing light, cooling fjord breezes and lakeside stays that feel calm and restorative. In Canada, coastal regions such as British Columbia appeal to those who want space, scenery and nature-led days, far from crowded hotspots.

This isn’t about escaping the sun. It’s about rethinking what summer can feel like. Lighter, slower and more balanced. A season that refreshes rather than overwhelms.

Beyond the Break

Traditional beach holidays aren’t disappearing. They’re simply changing. More travellers want their time away to offer something beyond rest alone, blending downtime with discovery and a sense of shared experience.

Families in particular are looking for trips that still allow space to relax, but with opportunities to explore together. That might mean walking coastal trails in Australia, kayaking between islands in West Sweden, or watching wildlife along Canada’s Pacific Rim. These kinds of trips suit different ages and energy levels, while giving everyone something to take away from the experience.

There’s also growing interest in adding meaning to family travel. From conservation-focused activities to creative and nature-led experiences, time away is becoming a chance to engage, learn and reconnect, without feeling overstructured or rushed.

These trips offer the best of both worlds. Time to slow down, and time to explore together. Travel that brings families closer, while leaving room for rest along the way.

Restorative Stays

Wellbeing looks different for everyone. For some, it’s deep rest and quiet nights. For others, it’s the reset that comes from movement, heat, cold and contrast. Increasingly, travellers are choosing trips that allow space for both.

Across the Nordics, this balance is woven into everyday life. Days shaped by forests, lakes and open water, followed by simple rituals that move between warmth and cold. In Finland and Sweden, sauna culture is less about wellness and more about rhythm. Heat, water, stillness, repeat.

Elsewhere, the same idea shows up in different forms. Off-grid stays in New Zealand place travellers right inside the landscape, where natural light, silence and sleep take priority. In Iceland, geothermal bathing brings warmth and release, grounded in the surrounding environment rather than a schedule.

These trips aren’t about treatments or ticking boxes. They’re about letting nature set the pace. Sleeping well. Waking slowly. Feeling energised or calm as the day requires.

For some travellers, restoration also comes through attention. Night walks, listening for wildlife, noticing changes in water or weather. Small moments that encourage presence rather than activity.

This is wellbeing without performance. A chance to reset through simplicity, rhythm and time outdoors. Not chasing rest, but finding balance again.

Rail Renaissance

There’s something reassuring about the rhythm of a train. Steady, unhurried, and quietly immersive. Rail travel is drawing travellers back for the pleasure of the journey itself, where watching the landscape unfold becomes part of the experience.

For many, travelling by rail offers a slower and more sustainable way to explore. It allows time to settle into a place gradually, to see what lies between destinations, and to arrive feeling grounded rather than rushed. How you travel starts to matter as much as where you’re going.

In Norway, routes such as Flåm and Bergen pass fjords, waterfalls and mountain valleys that feel made for rail. In Switzerland, journeys like the Glacier Express move through alpine scenery at a pace that invites attention. And in Canada, travelling through the Rockies by train offers a front-row view of vast landscapes best appreciated slowly.

Rail travel brings a sense of perspective. A reminder that taking the long way can be part of the reward.

Sustainable by Nature

More of us are becoming thoughtful about where we go and how our time away supports the places we visit. Sustainability is no longer a separate consideration. It’s part of how we choose where to travel in the first place.

Across Iceland, geothermal lodges are powered by the earth itself. In Costa Rica, guests plant trees and see first-hand how regenerative tourism benefits both land and community. In Canada, Australia and New Zealand, local partners, wilderness lodges and wildlife guides are weaving conservation and culture into every stay.

Our small-ship cruise partners are going further in how they act on climate. Modern vessels are already built with sustainability at the forefront of design, but they are looking to explore alternative fuels and invest in conservation and science projects.

It’s sustainability brought to life through experience, not just design.

We’re seeing more travellers ask about how their trips make a difference – from where their stay sources its energy to how it supports local people. It’s a shift that shows conscious travel and exceptional experiences can go hand in hand.

The Human Touch

You can plan a trip in a hundred tabs. Scroll for hours. Save posts. Compare routes. And still be left wondering what it will actually feel like when you’re there.

That’s where the human part matters.

It’s the small things. Someone saying, “Go a day earlier, the light’s better.” Or, “That drive looks short on the map, but it isn’t.” Or, “If you want the quieter version of this place, here’s when to go.” Knowing which details matter, and which ones don’t.

And when plans change, it matters even more. Having someone who knows your trip, understands what you’re trying to get out of it, and can help you make the right call quickly.

We’ve always believed trips work best when they’re built around people, not algorithms. Listening properly. Sharing honest advice. Taking the time to get it right. That’s the human touch. Not a trend. Just how travel should feel.

Meet the team >

“Information is everywhere, but insight is rare. What travellers really want is reassurance, the confidence that comes from experts who know these destinations inside out”
– Nicky Greenwood, Deputy Managing Director