It’s time for agents to double down on their knowledge of castles, theme parks, and short breaks, which are tipped to trend in 2027, finds Expedia’s annual global travel trends report.
Unpack ’27: The Trends in Travel details the patterns set to shape travel next year. Leading the list is trips that reclaim child-like joy.
Travellers are increasingly swapping responsibilities for ‘playful’ experiences such as theme parks.
Some 57% of travellers say they’re likely to book an Un-Adulting trip in 2027, rising to 71% of Gen Z and Millennials. Popular destinations include Tokyo Disneyland, Dreamworld Gold Coast, and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Trend two is Trip Snacking, quick one-night trips that are being snuck into busy lives. Data shows 79% of travellers polled plan to book a one-night stay in the coming year, climbing to 83% of Gen Z and Millennials polled.
. . . Locations
The most-searched locations on Expedia for one-night trips include New York, Montreal, London, Tokyo and Seoul.
In third are castle stays, with the report citing a rise in demand for Gothic Getaways, attributed to the rising popularity of dark fantasy and Gothic storytelling in pop culture.
Some 65% of surveyed travellers are specifically interested in booking a Gothic-style hotel, this rising to 71% for Gen Z and Millennials.
Recommended properties include The Bowery Hotel in New York, L’oscar London, New Orleans’ Maison Métier-The Unbound Collection by Hyatt and L’Escape Seoul.
A returning trend is Set-Jetting, travel inspired by TV shows and films. Expedia says nearly one in five travellers say they have booked a trip to a destination after seeing it featured in a TV show or film.
Destinations to take note of in 2027 for this trend include Greece and Monaco (Emily in Paris), Cannes and Saint-Tropez (The White Lotus) and Lake Michigan (Beach Read), as well as Toronto and Montreal (Heated Rivalry).
. . . Fast Growing
The report also detailed the fastest-growing travel destinations, based on real search data.
South Lake Tahoe in California, Japan’s Hyogo and Punta del Este in Uruguay lead the list, followed by Arizona’s Sedona, Busan in Korea and Holbox, Mexico. Italy’s Perugia, Australia’s The Tweed, and Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada made the list, with Chichester, U.K. See HERE.
