Ghistoric hotels revisited, but also exploratory cruises, regenerative routes, extreme nature destinations and escape from overtourism. These are just some of the 2026 travel trends that have emerged from ILTMthe luxury hotel and travel exhibition in Cannes, to discover a global analysis, new perspectives and alternative destinations.
According to Simon Baptiste, economist for Visa, new affluents are born in different markets, such as India, the Philippines and Indonesia, and the only economy that will grow will be the US one. The classic goals holdsuch as Rome, Madrid and Lyon, and Ho Chi Min City, Cape Town and Mumbai are on the rise. The novelty, then, is the increasingly incisive presence of Gen Zwhich, together with Boomers, is the group most likely to spend on travel. The ones to remember in life.
1. “Blue Mind”, the sea in the eyes
Coined by marine biologist Wallace J. Bichols, who explores the benefits of water on a neurological level, “Blue Mind” tourism evokes the sense of calm and mental clarity that one experiences once close to the sea. While ILTM has dedicated an entire pavilion to you, The Sail, the ocean has proven to be one of the most powerful reset buttons.
«Cruises are experiencing a moment of great successattracting alongside long-time enthusiasts, a younger and more affluent audience: 69% of under 45s say they have traveled on all different types of ships in the last two years”, says Alison Gilmor, Portfolio Director of ILTM. On board the hybrid and electric icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot from Ponantyou navigate with scientists and scholars, participating in educational workshops that transform observation into action. And for those who prefer to keep their feet (almost) dry, the glass-walled underwater restaurant at Hurawalhi Island Resort Maldives it remains a pure form of diving, for a dinner five meters deep, among coral gardens that remind us of what is worth protecting.
The Viking Antarctic Cruise. (Courtesy Press Office)
Even cruises in Antarctica – among other things, according to the advisors of the Virtuoso network, together with Iceland it is among the first two destinations on the rise in 2026 – proposed by Viking are an experience on specially built ships, which combine exploring frozen landscapes and wildlife with science learningoffering activities such as Zodiac tours, kayaking, and the use of submarines. «Ocean travel has entered the zeitgeist of contemporary luxury: refined, design-driven and experiential. Today we are discovering the true benefits of exploration by ship, revealing the secrets of time well spent» explains Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys. Waiting for “Endless Worlds”: a 128-day itinerary around the world aboard Explora I, which crosses four continents and 29 countries. But you have to be patient: it is scheduled for 2029.
2. Travel trends for 2026: Longevity is the watchword
«The future of travel is dedicated to longevity: no longer just to relax, but to feel better, live longer, reconnect with yourself. The time must be truly meaningful and not of escape, but of transformation. At La Clinique La Prairie we have been promoting this concept for over a decade. It’s not about age, but about optimizing health at every stage of life”, said CEO Simome Gibertoni. True vitality, the most everyday and silent one, is then found in Blue Zones, the five areas of the world (Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Icaria in Greece and Loma Linda in California) where people live longer and healthier thanks to healthy lifestyles, traditional diets, a strong sense of community and constant physical activity, not only thanks to genetic factors.
Costa Rica invites retirees to embrace the “Pura Vida” philosophy. Obtaining residency is relatively easy through the “Pensionado” program (Getty Images)
The Irene Forte Spa at the Verdura Resort in Sicily has introduced a “Longevity Program” inspired by the “Blue Zone” of the nearby village of Caltabellotta, combining ancient Sicilian traditions, movement, local food with modern biohacking techniques and scientific well-being, offering coaching and advanced therapies to improve vitality and health.
Esperanza Lake Resort in Lithuania, part of Design Hotels, offers an immersion in the luxury of nature with Japanese echoes between wabi-sabi design, an excellent spa and a Greek-Japanese gastronomic offer near Trakai. Capella Bangkok, an award-winning hotel with spa on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, also recommends protocols with a longevity focus, to help guests regenerate, combining ancient Thai healing traditions – each ritual incorporates fresh local ingredients, including mung bean, black sesame and riceberry rice, with nourishing, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties – with advanced contemporary therapies.
Esperanza Lake Resort in Lithuania
At Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, in the Ayung River Valley in Bali, the journey takes on a deeply rooted holistic dimension: Guests participate in the traditional Homa Yajna fire ritual led by local priests, forage for wild herbs and tropical fruits, practice Yogic Sleep Therapy and learn Vipassana meditation techniques, cultivating mental clarity and emotional resilience. And then you go home better.
3. Neo nostalgia: return to the past… revisited
The future seems familiar: after years of instant travel, today’s travelers feel the desire for that special sensation called “human touch”. A journey that feels like a manuscript, not a hypertext: intimate, refined, far from digital immediacy. Nostalgia does not mean escape: it’s returning to the places we loved and which perhaps smell of history. In an age of AI-driven itineraries and algorithmic uniformity, travelers are choosing memory over novelty, history over spectacle. Looking back to move forward.
Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna
You book at Villa San Michele, a Belmond Hotel, former 15th century monasteryfamous for its Michelangelo-inspired facade, Villa San Michele, which will reopen on April 28, 2026 after a careful 18-month renovation, in which the rooms were re-imagined and to create an intimate connection with its evocative bucolic landscape, with the high local craftsmanship and with the rich culture of Florence.
The reopening in March is also expected Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio, from a probable Roman villa to a medieval fortress, then transformed into a stately home in the eighteenth century, until it became a Grand Hotel in 1873, destination of nobility and celebrities and part of the Rockefeller Foundation for its gardens. After a recent rebranding, the Anantara Palais Hansen in Vienna, designed by Baron Theophil Edvard von Hansen, one of Austria’s best-known architects, reopens its doors, affiliated with the Leading Hotels of the World, combining imperial elegance with contemporary refinement. The cultural and historical heritage is increasingly coming back to life.
4. 2026 travel trends: from FOMO to SLOW-MO
The advisors and agents of. firmly believe in it trips from the Virtuoso network. The fear of missing out (FOMO, Fear of Missing Out) pushes us towards extraordinary adventures, such as following the great migration in Kenya or explore the ecosystems of the Galápagos. Boomers and Generation X in particular feel this sense of urgency, spurred by global environmental changes and a heightened awareness that “sooner or later” can no longer wait. But once they arrive, the pace changes.
River cruise passengerslike those who book the floating villas of Bateaux Belmond among Monet’s landscapes in France, require longer stops to stroll through villages and gardens at a leisurely pace. Safari lovers choose smaller camps, where they can spend unhurried days observing wildlife, such as in Banjaar Tola, A Taj Safari in Kanha National Park in India, known for its tiger sightings, or at Esiweni Luxury Safari, a Relais & Châteaux with the family atmosphere, just five exclusive lodges in the Nambiti Private Reserve, South Africa.
The Saint Helena Mantis, in one of the most remote islands on the planet, between Namibia and Brazil, until a few years ago it did not have an airport and could only be reached by sea, a five-day journey from Cape Town. Today it surprises with the variety of its landscapes: from sheer cliffs and the most rugged rock formations, to fiery red deserts dotted with cacti, to verdant fields and flax-covered hills. In South America, travelers stay longer in Argentina, Chile and Peru, to combine adventure with gastronomy, wine and cultural heritage.
FOMO gets them on the plane, but it’s SLOW-MO – slowing things down – that defines the experience. The rarer the destination, the more travelers want to extend their stay and savor every moment.