From emotion-driven destinations and unexpected adventures to digital detox escapes and smarter spending, new research reveals how travel priorities are changing in 2027.
The future of travel is becoming more personal, unpredictable, and experience-driven. As travelers begin planning their 2027 holidays, traditional sightseeing itineraries and familiar destinations are increasingly competing with a desire for meaningful experiences, emotional well-being, and greater freedom.
New research from Booking.com, Skyscanner, and Expedia Group suggests that travelers are reconsidering not only where they want to go, but also why they travel, who accompanies them, and what makes a holiday truly worthwhile.
Booking.com’s Travel Predictions 2027, released on October 14, 2026, surveyed 28,230 respondents across 32 countries and territories. The findings point toward a significant shift: travelers increasingly want holidays that reflect their personalities, moods, lifestyles, and individual priorities.
Rather than simply collecting destinations, the emerging travel mindset focuses on creating experiences that feel genuinely rewarding.
1. Emotion-Driven Travel: Choosing How You Want to Feel
One of the most striking findings concerns the growing importance of emotions in travel decisions.
According to Booking.com, 81% of surveyed travelers would choose a destination based primarily on how they want to feel rather than on a particular location.
Meanwhile, 76% expressed interest in using technology that recommends destinations according to their emotional state.
This suggests a different approach to holiday planning.
Someone experiencing professional stress might prioritize peaceful mountain retreats, quiet coastal villages, or wellness-focused accommodation. Others seeking excitement could choose adventure tourism, unfamiliar cities, or physically challenging experiences.
For hotels and destinations, the implications are significant.
Marketing campaigns focused exclusively on famous landmarks may become less effective than those communicating the emotional value of an experience.
Peace, discovery, connection, freedom, and personal transformation could become increasingly important elements of tourism marketing.
2. Unexpected Adventures Replace Predictable Holidays
Travelers are also demonstrating a growing appetite for experiences outside their usual routines.
Booking.com’s research found that 77% of respondents were interested in taking a vacation specifically to do something completely out of character.
Additionally, 36% wanted their travel choices to surprise friends and family.
This emerging preference challenges the traditional concept of the annual holiday.
A traveler who usually books luxury beach resorts might choose a remote hiking expedition. Someone accustomed to major European capitals could explore smaller towns, rural communities, or unfamiliar cultural destinations.
The motivation is not necessarily to travel farther or spend more money.
Instead, travelers increasingly want to discover something different about themselves.
For tourism businesses, this creates opportunities to develop distinctive activities, themed accommodation, and locally inspired experiences that stand apart from conventional holiday packages.
3. Digital Detox and the Return to Offline Experiences
Technology has made travel easier to organize, but constant connectivity has also created a desire to disconnect.
Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 identifies digital disconnection as an emerging travel theme, highlighting growing interest in holidays that prioritize meaningful moments away from screens.
The trend includes remote accommodation, nature retreats, outdoor activities, and experiences designed around personal interaction rather than digital entertainment.
Travelers may increasingly seek destinations where hiking, swimming, reading, local cuisine, and cultural exploration replace continuous notifications and social media.
Importantly, digital detox tourism does not necessarily mean rejecting technology entirely.
Travelers may still use digital tools to research and book their trips while choosing to spend less time online once they arrive.
For accommodation providers, this creates an opportunity to offer quiet environments, nature-based experiences, and flexible connectivity options.
4. Budget-Conscious Travel Becomes More Personal
Price remains a major influence on travel decisions, but the definition of value is changing.
According to Booking.com, 50% of surveyed travelers have reconsidered who to invite on a holiday because of differences in spending expectations.
The research also found that 51% had experienced disagreements during a trip because members of the group had different financial priorities.
These findings demonstrate that budgeting affects more than destination selection. It can influence travel companions, accommodation choices, activities, and the overall holiday experience.
Skyscanner’s 2027 report similarly emphasizes value-driven travel, including interest in favorable exchange rates and destinations where travelers can make their money go further.
Rather than simply choosing the cheapest option, travelers may prioritize experiences that offer stronger personal value.
This could benefit destinations that combine affordable accommodation, local gastronomy, cultural attractions, and accessible outdoor activities.
5. Wellness Tourism Moves Beyond Luxury Spas
Wellness travel is evolving beyond traditional spa treatments and luxury retreats.
Booking.com reports that 67% of surveyed travelers say at least one health, body, or lifestyle change has influenced their destination or activity choices in recent years.
Food preferences, physical activity, sleep quality, and personal well-being are becoming increasingly important.
The research also found that 66% would prefer holiday packages that allow them to remove services they do not expect to use.
This could encourage hotels to rethink conventional all-inclusive offerings.
Instead of standardized packages, guests may increasingly value flexible meal plans, nutritious dining options, personalized activities, and accommodation suited to their individual routines.
Skyscanner also identifies fitness-oriented holidays as a notable travel theme for 2027.
Cycling trips, hiking adventures, running events, yoga retreats, and other active experiences may attract travelers who want to maintain healthy habits while exploring new places.
6. Solo Travel Becomes a Way to Build Connections
Solo travel is often associated with independence, but new research suggests that it can also create opportunities for meaningful social interaction.
Booking.com found that 66% of surveyed travelers who had traveled alone reported forming a lasting friendship or connection through a shared physical activity or challenge.
Another 55% expressed interest in joining communities of like-minded people during their travels.
Sporting events, organized hikes, group fitness activities, and adventure experiences can provide natural opportunities to meet others.
This development creates potential for destinations and accommodation providers to offer activities that encourage social interaction without requiring travelers to arrive as part of an established group.
The appeal lies in combining personal independence with the opportunity for genuine connection.
7. Technology Makes Travel More Personalized
Although many travelers want to disconnect during their holidays, technology continues to influence how they plan and manage their journeys.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being explored as a tool for personalized recommendations, itinerary planning, and administrative support.
Booking.com’s research found that 64% of surveyed travelers would be interested in having an AI assistant manage work-related responsibilities while they are on vacation.
Meanwhile, 43% would feel comfortable allowing AI to handle emails and administrative tasks during their absence.
These figures reflect interest rather than established adoption, but they suggest potential demand for technology that reduces stress before and during travel.
For tourism businesses, intelligent recommendation systems could help match visitors with accommodation, activities, and destinations based on individual preferences.
However, transparency, data protection, and reliable human support will remain essential to maintaining customer trust.
8. Lesser-Known Destinations Gain International Attention
The search for distinctive experiences is also influencing destination discovery.
Expedia Group’s Unpack ’27 report highlights rising interest in destinations beyond the world’s most familiar tourism centers.
Its emerging destination selections include Hyogo in Japan, Punta del Este in Uruguay, Busan in South Korea, Perugia in Italy, and Chichester in the United Kingdom.
These places offer different combinations of cultural heritage, natural landscapes, local cuisine, and outdoor experiences.
For smaller destinations, growing interest in alternatives to traditional tourism hotspots presents an opportunity to attract international visitors.
However, rising search interest does not automatically translate into confirmed bookings.
Destination managers must also consider transport connectivity, infrastructure, environmental protection, and the ability of local communities to benefit from tourism growth.
9. What Travel Trends 2027 Mean for Greece
The changing preferences identified in international research could create opportunities for Greece’s tourism industry.
Beyond its internationally recognized islands and archaeological landmarks, Greece offers mountain villages, traditional communities, hiking routes, regional gastronomy, and nature-based experiences.
These characteristics align with several emerging travel preferences, including wellness, authentic experiences, outdoor activities, and quieter destinations.
Businesses could respond by developing smaller-scale, personalized tourism products that highlight local identity.
Examples include guided cultural walks, traditional cooking experiences, agricultural tourism, mountain excursions, and wellness-focused accommodation.
Such initiatives could also support efforts to extend tourism activity beyond the peak summer months.
Nevertheless, the international survey findings should not be interpreted as direct forecasts of Greek visitor arrivals. Their relevance lies in identifying potential opportunities that require further destination-specific research.
The Future of Travel Is About Meaning, Not Just Miles
The travel trends emerging for 2027 reveal an industry adapting to changing expectations.
Travelers are becoming more selective about their time, money, and experiences. They increasingly want flexibility, emotional value, authentic connections, and opportunities to escape familiar routines.
For tourism businesses, the challenge will be to respond without turning every emerging preference into another standardized product.
The most successful experiences may be those that combine reliable service, local character, thoughtful personalization, and genuine hospitality.
In 2027, the most memorable journey may not be the one that takes travelers the farthest, but the one that gives them something meaningful to bring home.
