In October I shared economic related forecasts and trends for the coming year. This month I looked past the data and searched for societal trends affecting travel and the decision-making process in 2026.
There are many examples out there, so I'm going to focus on just a few that show potential for the Yakima Valley.
Recently the home-share giant Airbnb released their travel predictions. They are forecasting that "travelers will seek to make the most of their time away, rooted in authentic and immersive experiences." Here are two trends they see:
Gen Z On the Short Go: For this young generation, next year it's all about ultra-short stays. Forget multi-week or even single week vacations. Airbnb found their customers in this age range are willing to fly virtually anywhere for a 48 hours or less trip. "Fueled by viral TikTok day-trip trends, young travelers are now crossing continents for high-energy, culture-rich escapes."
More Time Outside: Airbnb has seen 35% growth in customer searches focused on the "great outdoors," from national parks to other outdoor spaces and experiences. With the USA celebrating its 250th anniversary next year, they project that trend will continue.
According to a recent survey of 14,000 travelers commissioned for Hilton, in 2026 it's not about where people are going but more about the why. They found the people they queried were more driven by purpose of the trip than the location.
Hilton cites a number of examples:
"Hushpitality": Their research showed that travelers are seeking places "where they can dial down life's distractions. Seeking calm - even moments of silence - signals a change in why people are traveling, where they're going and how they'll relax."
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Close to half (48%) of travelers they surveyed are making space for solo time by adding extra travel days before or after vacations, and 54% say they would even go on a business trip for time away from their family or partner.
Family Matters: While family vacations have always been an important travel sector, the Hilton study found there are some shifts occurring. Next year, 84% of travelers surveyed will seek opportunities to play together as a family, with more than half of the parents and other relatives enacting periods "no screen time" during the trip to build engagement.
There is also growth in grandparents taking the grandkids on trips, allowing parents time to rest and rejuvenate.
Meanwhile, the online booking conglomerate Expedia has interesting takes on trends they are seeing for the future.
Set Jetting: This is when people travel to locations and regions where films were made. They project such travel will grow to an $8 billion sub-sector. Their research shows that 53% of their travelers are saying their interest in visiting locations has increased in recent years.
Among Gen Z and Millennials, 81% now plan trips on what they've seen on a screen. This bodes well for Washington state. With the critically acclaimed movie Train Dreams being filmed in rural Washington, there may be more interest by visitors to come to our state.
Farm Charm: Expedia found more visitors are favoring farm stays. More than 80% of their survey respondents are interested in staying at a farm or close by. Desirable farm stays include nature walks or hiking options, the ability to interact with farm animals and harvest produce.
Whatever your reasons and interests, here's wishing everyone safe travels this holiday season and exciting adventures in 2026!