{"id":884116,"date":"2025-09-16T12:57:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T11:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=884116"},"modified":"2025-10-02T11:28:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T10:28:31","slug":"2026-travel-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/2026-travel-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Travel Trends for 2026: What\u2019s Changing in Travel and How to Be Prepared"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

That world of travel is constantly changing, for better or worse, and it pays to be ahead of the curve. From AI travel agents to climate-conscious taxes, and all-important visa changes, discover the top travel trends for 2026 and how to prepare for them \u2013 with expert insights and advice from Daniela Sunde-Brown, Lisbon-based freelance travel writer behind Ol\u00e1 Daniela<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Daniela Sunde-Brown is a freelance writer and travel expert<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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AI Travel Agents <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can barely get through a conversation without AI coming up, and the travel industry isn\u2019t missing out on this fast-moving technology either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your old-school travel agent has now gone digital \u2013 according to a study by Kantar<\/a>, Recent data shows that 40% of global travellers have already used AI-based tools to plan their trips, and 62% are open to using them in the future. Its main uses? Building itineraries, advising on accommodations, activities or transportation, and finding the best deals.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While AI can certainly be an efficient, useful tool, it has its limitations when it comes to these primary uses \u2013 trust remains a significant issue, with 55% of non-users citing a lack of trust as their top reason for not using AI in travel planning, as Sunde-Brown points out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAI is shaking up every industry, for better or worse”, says Daniela. “In travel this year we\u2019ve seen people adopting AI to help with trip planning and logistics. But honestly \u2013 you\u2019d be a fool to rely just on AI or a chatbot to plan your travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Logistics are a weak point and it doesn\u2019t leave space for human error \u2013 so triple check how far away that detour is. I\u2019ve seen people share AI itineraries with some unrealistic day plans. Most AIs don\u2019t automatically pull live data, so it will suggest closed restaurants and museums under renovation. When budgeting, it often has outdated prices.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“AI tells you everything with confidence \u2013 so think of it as that overly cocky cousin. You trust it to some degree, but you should 100% double check important things like visa requirements at an official website or source. Since it doesn\u2019t have a mind of its own, it will often suggest \u201ctop attractions\u201d that are tourist clich\u00e9s, missing hidden gems or culturally important etiquette.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use it to shortcut some research, but don\u2019t rely on AI 100%.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New European Visa Requirements <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nobody wants to get caught out at passport control, and Europe has a big change coming in 2026 \u2013 the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), following on from Entry\/Exit System (EES) implemented in 2025.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest travel trends for 2026 you need to know, ETIAS applies to travelers from visa-exempt countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and others, visiting 30 European countries \u2013 if you previously entered Europe without a visa, you will now need an ETIAS. Travelers who are already in Europe under another type of visa, or those with a valid passport or citizenship in a country using the ETIAS system are exempt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s estimated that 1.4 billion people from over 60 countries will need to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver when the system launches. Previously slated to cost just \u20ac7, the fee has been increased to \u20ac20 as of July 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor anyone planning to visit Europe in 2026, this will be the biggest change”, Daniela explains. “It\u2019s been talked about all through 2025, and at last we have more solid dates with the ETIAS scheduled to start operations in the last quarter of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It\u2019s more admin for your trip, but the good news is ETIAS authorization is valid for three years, while those younger than 18 or older than 70 are exempt.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This follows the launch of the Entry\/Exit System (EES), which is planned for late 2025. The ETIAS will become operational six months after the EES is in place.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the six-month transitional period, if you meet all other entry conditions you won’t be refused entry solely for not having an ETIAS. A valid ETIAS visa waiver covers travel for short-term stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about the ETIAS requirements here<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New Flight Routes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNew flight routes are always super exciting as they signal growing demand for old favorites and emerging destinations”, says Daniela. “British Airways will start flying to Bangkok year-round \u2013 that gives another option to join Trafalgar\u2019s Treasures of Thailand<\/a> trip. It\u2019s adding frequency to Miami and San Diego too.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Long-haul carrier Etihad is launching routes in some lesser-frequented destinations \u2013 such as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Romania and Georgia.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wondering how to spot the top travel trends for 2026? Just look at new flight routes, which signal the destinations that are growing in popularity, and where the airlines believe in growth. For 2026 British Airways has increased long-haul services to destinations like Bangkok to three times per week increasing up to six weekly flights during the winter season, allowing BA to meet the winter demand for Southeast Asia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eastern Europe is a hot focus for Etihad, with new flights to Azerbaijan, Bucharest, Georgia and Romania, slated as \u201cfast-growing, culturally rich regions\u201d by Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad\u2019s Chief Executive Officer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just lesser-visited destinations that are on the rise. American Airlines adding five new routes to European cities, including Milan, Budapest and Prague, shows that demand for Europe is as strong as ever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Climate-Focused Tourism Fees<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While most travelers will be used to paying tourist taxes, many destinations are introducing (or rebranding them as) climate-focused fees.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May 2025, Hawaii enacted the Green Fee, the U.S.\u2019s first tourist tax explicitly tied to the climate crisis. Though it\u2019s a small 0.75% bill on top of existing accommodation taxes, it\u2019s expected to raise $100m annually for wildfire recovery, reef restoration and climate adaptation starting in 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greece\u2019s Climate Crisis Resilience Fee was increased in 2025, where travelers now pay \u20ac0.50 to \u20ac10 a night, with surcharges of up to \u20ac20 per person on popular islands like Mykonos and Santorini during peak periods. The fee is expected to raise \u20ac400m annually to support water infrastructure, disaster prevention and ecosystem restoration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New Zealand\u2019s International Visitor Levy was first introduced in 2019 but tripled in 2024 to around NZD $100 (USD $58), used to address current challenges in the tourism and conservation systems including establishing new habitat sites and protecting marine species. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how are the tourists feeling about it? Pretty positive, considering we\u2019re in a cost-of-living crisis and travel is a luxury. According to Booking.com’s 2025 Sustainable Travel Report<\/a>, traveling more sustainably remains important for 84% of travelers, 69% want to leave places better than when they arrived, while 93% of global travelers say they want to make more sustainable travel choices and to some extent have done so. This is one of the travel trends for 2026 that we believe will really made a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn 2026 it looks like we\u2019ll see more climate-focused tourism fees”, Daniela says. “For years we\u2019ve been paying \u2018tourist taxes\u2019 to cities and destinations, usually to help pay for local services.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Climate-focused fees may become the best option for destinations to balance economic growth with environmental protection. The difference with climate tax will be the need for greater transparency. Sustainability in tourism is a hot topic, but travellers will want to know exactly how their money is used \u2013 whether that\u2019s restoring reefs, funding wildfire recovery, or building climate resilience.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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