Destinations to bookmark

If you need some inspiration on where to go, Lonely Planet’s hotlist for 2026 includes the laid-back city of Quy Nhon in Vietnam for beautiful beaches and culture; Sardinia for nature and heritage, and wildlife viewing in Botswana. Meanwhile, Skyscanner has seen a 211% increase in searches for the charming port city of Salerno in Italy, a 156% increase for Koror, Palau, in the Pacific Ocean, and 106% for Kochi in Japan. Meanwhile, BBC Travel has highlighted alternatives to better- known hotspots: Montevideo, one of South America’s greenest cities, has architecture and world-class tango to match Buenos Aires. Virtuoso identified Montenegro, Morocco, and Thailand as being on the rise, offering picturesque landscapes and more affordable costs.

Sardinia

>SUBSCRIBE FOR THE BEST THINGS TO DO EVERY WEEKEND<

Literary escapes

There’s no better feeling than escaping reality by immersing yourself in the world of fiction. Now travellers are taking it to a whole new level by using novels as a way to inspire their holiday destinations. According to Skyscanner, almost half of travellers have booked, or would consider booking, a trip inspired by literature. We can attest to that – Butter by Asako Yuzuki had me pining for a week in Tokyo.

Tokyo

Culinary immersion

Food plays a big part of the holiday for most but rather than just seeking out authentic local restaurants, travellers are increasingly visiting supermarkets to cook for themselves and feel more like a local. Skyscanner reports that almost three quarters of UK travellers always or often visit local supermarkets abroad, with 44% looking to discover new food and drinks.

Season stretching

Travelling during peak times is becoming less appealing with travellers looking to the shoulder seasons. For Europe, think April, May, September and October – when the weather is still good, but there’s a drop in tourist numbers and prices. Clearly, it’s mainly those without school-age children that are able to plan these trips, but if you are able to take advantage it’s a great way to see your dream destination.

Quiet travel and wellness

We all live incredibly busy lives with technology making it harder to switch off. So it’s no surprise that we’re turning to travel for a means to escape. Quiet travel or ‘hushpitality’ is popular. According to Hilton, the number one motivation for leisure travel in 2026 is to ‘rest and recharge’, which includes wanting to spend time in nature and improve mental health. This is also seen in the search for ‘restorative rituals’, says Booking.com, with one in four turning to ‘quieter’ hobbies on holiday that prioritise reflection, such as birdwatching, fishing and foraging. According to Virtuoso’s Luxe Report, wellness-focused journeys to restore balance and resilience are in demand, including Ayurvedic programmes in India, yoga-and-surf escapes in Costa Rica and retreats in the Canadian Rockies where silence is part of the healing. Mental health and longevity trips are seen as an investment in future health.