The most influential tourism trends for 2026

According to latest tourism research, travel trends include the preference of visiting alternative and less crowded destinations throughout the year, that means places of equal interest but less known, against overtourism.

This is one of the most favourite and positive trends for 2026, as promoted by leading travel agency professionals. Currently, the tourism market is evolving in a more flexible and dynamic way, open to visitor demand.

Paying more attention to actual impacts of tourism in places rather than its ‘influenceability’ represents a real challenge nowadays. For instance, the decentralization of urban tourism to less frequented areas of the city or eco-tourism towards more isolated and healthy destinations.

What do these current tourism trends aim to achieve? Alleviating overtourism from overcrowded cities and discovering remote and peculiar areas which are not adequately promoted at local and international level.

In a urban context, tourists can visit areas of cultural, historical, architectural interest, in small or medium-sized industrial cities which are not particularly trendy.

This could be, for example, local cuisine in food halls or landmark courtyards, attractive lakeside or riverside paths in urban regeneration and development areas.

In an eco-tourism context, visitors can discover more exclusive and quiet natural destinations instead of overcrowded places, finding relaxation away from hectic daily city life.