Unpack ’26 Summer Travel Trends: Domestic Demand Rises as Travelers Take a More Measured Approach

Expedia Group released Unpack ’26 Summer: The Trends in Travel, the latest edition of its industry-leading report, revealing how travel behavior is shaping summer travel decisions.

Domestic Travel Dominatesin US
- 63% of U.S. travelers plan domestic trips this summer.
- Searches for Florida and California beaches are up 50%, while interest in lakes, mountains, and national parks has risen 65% year-over-year.
- Top trending destinations include St. George, Utah (+125%), Tacoma, Washington (+120%), and Asheville, North Carolina (+80%). Four destinations meet Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check for sustainable tourism.

Hotel Hop Summer
- Travelers are booking multiple hotels in one trip to maximize experiences.
- Motivations include:
- Event hopping (concerts, sports matches).
- Road tripping (Route 66 centennial, Pacific Coast Highway).
- Bleisure travel (adding leisure stays to business trips, trending in cities like Helsinki, London, Oslo, Paris).

Beach Readaways
- Vacations built around reading and relaxation are surging.
- Social buzz up 213% year-over-year; Vrbo reviews mentioning reading rose 285%.
- Popular destinations: Panama City Beach (Florida), Prince Edward Island (Canada), Maui (Hawaii), and Lisbon (Portugal).

Kick Off or Take Off?
- Soccer fans are flocking to North American host cities: Kansas City (+700%), Philadelphia (+210%), Monterrey (+210%).
- Others are escaping to cheaper destinations abroad, with hotel rates down ~25% in places like Fukuoka (Japan), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Thasos (Greece).

Set-Jetting (Screen-Inspired Travel)
- Travel inspired by movies/TV continues to grow.
- Trending destinations:
- Yorkshire, U.K. (+35% after Wuthering Heights adaptation).
- Muskoka, Canada (+110% after Heated Rivalry).
- Rome (+35% after Emily in Paris season 5).
- Forecast highlights: Dolomites (Italy) for Cliffhanger, Williamsburg (U.S.) for Young Washington, and Nantucket (U.S.) for The Five-Star Weekend.

Big Picture
Travel isn’t slowing down — it’s being reshaped. Rising costs and global events are pushing travelers toward closer-to-home escapes, value-driven international trips, and experiences tied to culture, entertainment, and sustainability.