As we head towards the end of one year, you may be starting to think of all the things you’d like to see and do in the new year. Travel is often one of the top priorities. But the very purpose of a holiday is evolving. Travellers are moving past the frantic, bucket-list sprint and prioritising trips that offer deeper meaning, authentic connection, and a genuine sense of wellbeing. In 2026, finding that travel sweet spot means balancing aspiration with intentionality – and budget.
From emerging global destinations and the rise of purposeful slow travel, to redefining the honeymoon and maximising every pound spent, the travel landscape is undergoing a massive shift. To help you navigate these trends, we’ve consulted with leading experts: travel agents Jo & Jo from Not Just Travel and Amanda from Sereni Journeys who provide essential insights on where and how to travel, while the specialists at AwardFares show us precisely how you can maximize your travel budget in 2026!
Not Just Travel – Jo & Jo
Jo O’Connell is co-founder of Jo and Jo – Not Just Travel, a husband-and-wife travel team from Bournemouth.
As former diving instructors and seasoned travellers, they are passionate about combining authentic adventures with award-winning personal service, specialising in responsible, immersive and unforgettable holidays.
Here are their recommendations for travel destinations in 2026:
Female travel to Saudi Arabia
“For 2026, we’re seeing a shift towards responsible tourism in destinations that have traditionally been challenging for both female travellers and the women in those communities. Intrepid Travel’s Women’s Expeditions in Saudi Arabia is the perfect example of this in action.
The company is hosting female travellers, led by women tour guides, to places such as Saudi Arabia. Women-only groups can meet female entrepreneurs running citrus farms, stay at women-owned boutique hotels, learn traditional recipes from local cooks in their homes, explore UNESCO sites and experience private women-only beach clubs.
In a country where cultural factors have traditionally limited women’s participation in business and tourism, Intrepid Travel has gone further by creating safe spaces that enable authentic experiences – as well as creating jobs, building confidence, and proving that women can lead in tourism in the most difficult areas.
Responsible travel isn’t about avoiding complex destinations; it’s about exploring places and directly benefitting the people who need it most.
As I see women’s solo tours are on a huge upward trend for 2026, this kind of tour deepens the experience for female travellers exponentially. “
2026 Honeymoon trends
“We’re seeing couples prioritise bigger-spend, bucket-list destinations. Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Mauritius are fast replacing traditional destinations such as Italy or the Maldives. There’s a growing appetite for combining barefoot luxury with a touch of adventure — a real shift from how honeymoons used to look.
“We’re booking more “Adventuremoons”, where couples pair romantic, luxury stays with immersive, often off-the-beaten-track experiences, are on the rise. We’re planning more trips than ever that feature rainforest hikes, wildlife safaris, food tours or even volcano trekking. These are journeys that create lifelong memories, not just beautiful photos.
“There’s also a rise in “familymoons”, with children joining the celebration. We’re seeing couples embracing the idea of travelling with their families and enjoying exceptional resorts that offer everything from kids’ clubs to curated excursions, ensuring both romance and family bonding time. Beachcomber Hotels in Mauritius offer the perfect package across 4 -and 5-star hotels for both adventuremoons and familymoons.”
Sereni Journeys
Amanda Lima is the founder and CEO of Sereni Journeys, a luxury wellness retreat company specialising in transformational travel experiences. With over a decade of experience in luxury hospitality operations at Hilton and extensive personal travel throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas, she has built her expertise on the intersection of high-end travel and holistic wellness. Having lived across continents from Hawaii to Singapore, and explored destinations from Japan’s cultural heartland to Bali’s healing retreats, Amanda brings firsthand knowledge of what creates genuinely transformative travel experiences.
Slow travel
“The frenetic pace of modern travel is giving way to something far more intentional. As we move into 2026, 84% of travelers are seeking extended stays and deeper immersion over bucket-list tourism, with searches for “quiet vacations” surging by 100%.
“Europe remains the gold standard, France’s Loire Valley and Provence, Italy’s inland regions, and Portugal’s coastal towns offer authentic entry points into local life through châteaux stays, market shopping, and rail journeys that reclaim travel as an experience rather than a transaction.
“Asia is equally transformational: Japan’s Osaka and Kyoto dominate cultural tourism rankings, while Thailand’s distinct city rhythms (Bangkok’s food scene, Chiang Mai’s temples, Phuket’s beaches), Bali’s rice terraces and volcanic peaks, and Vietnam’s sensory food culture reward those who arrive with empty schedules and open minds. Emerging destinations like Costa Rica, Sri Lanka’s Jaffna peninsula, and even farm-based experiences across the globe reflect a collective hunger for places that allow us to slow down, sink in, and return home genuinely changed.”
Wellness vacations
“Wellness tourism is on track to hit $1.35 trillion by 2028, driven by travelers seeking transformation over temporary relaxation. The essential ingredients: water proximity for “blue health” benefits (stress reduction, improved mood, mental clarity), natural landscapes that regulate the nervous system, particularly desert settings in Morocco, Chile, and the American Southwest, and facilities that deliver measurable results through sleep optimization programs, biohacking amenities (cryotherapy, infrared saunas, hyperbaric chambers), hydrotherapy, and genuine personalization.
“Leading destinations like Canyon Ranch (Tucson/Lenox), Miraval Arizona, Costa Rica’s adventure-wellness fusion properties, Thailand and Bali’s authentic spa traditions, Mauritius’s Ayurveda-focused luxury, and Himalayan retreats like Ananda understand that successful programming addresses women’s health across all life stages, incorporates multigenerational experiences, emphasizes social connection alongside solitude, and integrates traditional practices like TCM and somatic healing. The new luxury isn’t opulence, it’s experiences that rewire our nervous systems, provide lasting tools for wellbeing, and honor the insight that how we travel matters as much as where we go.”
How can travellers maximise their travel budget in 2026?
AwardFares, represented by mileage and points specialist Germán Ceballos, are the leading experts in maximising travel budgets. They provide data-driven insights, guides, and tools that empower travellers to find and book premium award flights using their airline miles and loyalty points, making luxury travel affordable.
“The best way for travelers to maximize their budget in 2026 is to embrace flexibility. Forget hoarding miles, instead, focus on earning transferable bank points (like those from Chase or Amex). These points are your secret weapon because they can be moved to whichever airline is offering the best deal at the moment, protecting you from constant devaluations and dynamic pricing changes. Use these flexible points to book high-value, aspirational trips like Business Class flights, and always book those big trips as early as possible, often 11 to 12 months out, to grab the lowest mileage rates before they disappear.
To truly save money, adopt an “earn and burn” mindset: use your points for great travel experiences now, rather than waiting for them to lose value later. A good flight this year beats a devalued one next year!”
We hope this guide has proved inspirational. If you’d like to explore any of the destinations or excursions explored in this article and would like to know more, don’t hesitate to drop us a comment below, or contact the agents directly.
Featured image: hocus-pocus, Getty Images, Canva
