Somehow, we’re mere weeks away from the end of 2025. If you’re reflecting on the year gone by, asking, “Where did the time go?!” over and over in your mind, know that we’re right there with you. If you didn’t get to do and see all the things you wanted to in 2025, that’s OK, because a new year is right around the corner. And Airbnb is here to help you set a few great travel resolutions to aim for in the year to come.
On Monday, the home-share giant released its travel trend predictions for 2026, forecasting that “travelers will seek to make the most of their time away, rooted in authentic and immersive experiences.” Their analysis included a few key themes you need to know about, so you can stay ahead of the travel curve, too.
Gen Z is all about ultra-short stays.
Forget having to plan massive, multi-week trips. Instead, do as Airbnb says Gen Z does, and hop on a plane to anywhere for 48 hours or less.
“Gen Z is redefining ‘quick trips,’ with 1-2 day international getaways growing faster than extended vacations,” Airbnb’s report says. “Fueled by viral TikTok day-trip trends, young travelers are now crossing continents for high-energy, culture-rich escapes.”
While limiting ourselves to short trips only may seem like a totally foreign concept to Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers, Airbnb explained that this younger generation is teaching us all a masterclass in how to maximize PTO by “choosing vibrant cities filled with music, dance, historic sites, and authentic cuisine—swapping relaxing beach towns for lively urban experiences,” all while only taking a day or two off here and there. As for where they’re going, Airbnb says Gen Z travelers are booking world-class city escapes in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Busan, South Korea; Ko Samui, Thailand; Marrakesh, Morocco; Mexico City, Mexico; Nakano, Japan; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Stockholm, Sweden. They’re also loving Brazil—Travel + Leisure’s 2026 Destination of the Year—particularly João Pessoa and Maceió.
Travelers want more time in nature.
As Airbnb’s report explained, “embracing nature” was already a top trend in 2025; the booking site has already seen “a remarkable surge in searches and interest for national parks across the globe.” Searches for stays “near a national park” are up 35 percent for 2026, the report added. And Airbnb reminds us we don’t have to travel far to spend time near one, as U.S. parks are “especially in the spotlight as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary and landmark centennials for iconic parks like the Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah, and Grand Teton.”
In the U.S., other top-searched spots include Acadia National Park; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and Yosemite National Park, while global destinations include Crete, Greece (near Samaria Gorge National Park); Goa, India (near Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park); Sardinia, Italy (near Gennargentu National Park); and Jakarta, Indonesia (near Ujung Kulon National Park).
Big-ticket events are drawing huge crowds.
Want to see your favorite F1 racer zoom around the track, the Backstreet Boys play their new residency in Germany, or check out the games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Apparently so does everyone else. According to Airbnb’s report, “65 percent of the top-searched dates and cities for next year coincide with major cultural, sporting, and music events—such as the Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, Carnival, and Coachella. Travelers are prioritizing these experiences, turning tickets into passports and seeking their own ‘mainstage’ moments through unique adventures and global journeys.”
Top cities seeing surges include Rio de Janeiro for Carnival; Indio, CA, for Coachella; New Orleans for Mardi Gras; Milan, Italy, for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games; and Las Vegas for EDC Las Vegas.
Solo travel is making a comeback.
According to Airbnb’s data, “solo travel is experiencing a renaissance, fueled by online conversations that encourage self-discovery over relationship status.” And these solo travelers aren’t just going back to the same old places, but are actively “uncovering the next wave of up-and-coming hotspots, with places like Idyllwild, CA; La Altagracia, Dominican Republic; and Tromsø, Norway, seeing upwards of triple-digit growth.
Other top destinations for solo travelers in the year to come include the Algarve region of Portugal; Costa del Sol, Spain; the Florida Keys; Inverness, Scotland; Isère, France; and the North Carolina mountains.
Everyone wants to be a top chef.
Culinary travel is absolutely sizzling for 2026, according to Airbnb’s data, with bakery classes and wine regions coming out on top.
“Food and drink experiences are among some of the most-booked—including a croissant baking class in Paris—while viral TikTok food videos inspire travelers to seek out vibrant bakery scenes and hands-on classes worldwide, like making mochi in Tokyo or baking a chocolate cake in Lisbon,” Airbnb’s report stated. It also noted that travelers are flocking to up-and-coming wine regions. “Trending wine spots include Bangalore, India; Finger Lakes, NY; Melbourne, Australia; Traverse City, MI; and Var, France, while bakery hot spots include Istanbul, Lisbon, Paris, Taipei, and Tokyo.
AloJapan.com