How 2026’s Hottest Destinations and Travel Trends Can Turn into Wellness Revenue
Travel in 2026 isn’t just about where people go – it’s about who they become while they’re there.
Expedia Group’s new Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel report pulls insights from 24,000 travelers across 18 countries and more than 70 petabytes of first-party data from Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. The picture is clear: travelers are booking trips that reflect their values, passions, and desire for deeper experiences – not just a bed for the night.
For hotels in emerging hotspots like Big Sky (Montana), Okinawa (Japan), Savoie (France), Ucluelet (Canada), the Cotswolds (UK), and Hobart (Australia), this is a huge opportunity. The winners won’t just be the properties that fill rooms; it will be the properties that monetize wellness and experiences in smart, strategic ways.
In our wellness ROI audits at Elevate Wellness Collective, we consistently see that when hotels align with these kinds of trends, they don’t just boost occupancy, they grow ADR, length of stay, ancillary revenue, and shoulder-season demand.
Let’s unpack the 2026 trends and then translate them into concrete revenue plays for hotels and resorts.
The 2026 Travel Snapshot: Destinations & Data You Need to Know
Destinations of the Year
Expedia’s “2026 Destinations of the Year” highlight places where traveler interest is surging quickly – especially destinations that score well on the new Smart Travel Health Check, a framework inspired by the World Travel & Tourism Council and focused on sustainable tourism and meaningful experiences. Travel Agent Central
Among the standouts:
Big Sky, Montana, USA – Mountain escapes, skiing, Yellowstone access, and space to breathe.
Okinawa, Japan – Turquoise water, longevity culture, and a slower island pace.
Savoie, France – Alpine wellness, spa traditions, and mountain food culture.
Ucluelet, Canada – Wild Pacific coastline, storm-watching, and nature immersion.
The Cotswolds, UK – Storybook villages, slow countryside living, and walking holidays.
Hobart, Australia – Creative small city energy, nature all around, and cool-climate coastal vibes.
These destinations are already primed for wellness, nature, and “unplugged” experiences. The demand is there – the question is how to capture it profitably.
The Six Big Traveler Trends for 2026
According to the Unpack ’26 report and related coverage, here are the key trends shaping traveler behavior.
Fan Voyage – 57% of travelers say they’re likely to attend a local, culturally unique sporting event on their trip; that jumps to 68% for Gen Z and Millennials. Think sumo in Japan, Muay Thai in Thailand, Banana Ball in the U.S., or caber tossing in Scotland.
Salvaged Stays – Rising demand for hotels in restored spaces (former train stations, schools, banks) that combine historical architecture with modern comfort.
Hotel Hop – 54% of travelers are booking multiple hotels in a single destination, often to explore different neighborhoods (50%) and find better deals (35%).
Readaways – 91% of travelers are interested in trips centered around reading, relaxation, and quality time. Reading-related terms in Vrbo guest reviews have nearly tripled, and searches for “book club retreat ideas” are up 265%.
Farm Charm – 84% of travelers are interested in staying on or near a farm. Farm-related experiences mentioned in reviews have surged around 300% year-over-year, with top activities including hiking (73%), animal interactions (62%), and gardening/harvesting (42%).
Set-Jetting – Travel inspired by TV and movies is now mainstream. 53% of travelers say their desire to take a screen-inspired trip has increased, and 81% of Gen Z and Millennials are planning trips based on what they’ve seen on screen. This trend alone is projected to become an $8 billion market in the U.S. in 2026.
In short: travelers are chasing stories, meaning, and identity, not just locations.
From Occupancy to Optimized Revenue: What This Means for Hotels
Most hotels will respond to these trends by updating their marketing and hoping for more bookings.
Savvy owners and operators will respond by designing experiences and wellness touchpoints that guests are willing to pay extra for – in ways that:
Increase ADR and upsell rates
Extend length of stay
Grow F&B and ancillary spend per guest
Drive better reviews and repeat business
This is where wellness and experiential programming becomes a revenue engine, not just “nice to have” amenities.
Below, I’ll break down each trend and share specific revenue ideas, plus the types of opportunities we regularly uncover in wellness ROI audits.
1. Fan Voyage: Turn Local Sport & Culture into Recovery-Focused Revenue
Who this is for: Mountain towns like Big Sky, coastal hubs like Hobart, and any city near iconic or quirky local sports.
What travelers want: Connection to local culture through live events – not just major leagues, but sumo matches, surf competitions, local rugby, community baseball, etc. Travel Agent Central
Revenue ideas for hotels:
“Play & Recover” Packages
Pair local game tickets or guided sports experiences (hiking, surfing, skiing, Muay Thai classes) with:
Recovery-focused spa treatments
Stretching or mobility classes
Access to saunas, cold plunges, or contrast showers
Price as a premium 2–4 night bundle.
Fan Recovery Lounge
Convert an underused meeting room into a temporary “Recovery Lounge” on big game days: compression boots, massage chairs, hydrating mocktails, and high-protein snacks.
Charge day passes or bundle with room upgrades.
Local Sports “Train Like a Local” Sessions
Partner with local athletes, trainers, or studios to offer “Train Like a [Team/Fighter/Surfer]” small-group sessions, ideally sunrise or early evening.
Monetize via class fees and F&B add-ons.
Audit-style opportunities we often see:
Underutilized fitness rooms and dead lobby periods can be reimagined as revenue centers when tied to local events – especially if you create bookable experiences instead of just “amenities.”
2. Hotel Hop: Design Multi-Stop Wellness Journeys – Not One-Off Stays
Who this is for: City & island destinations where guests are likely to stay in more than one neighborhood (think Tokyo, London, Paris, Honolulu, or even multi-stop Cotswolds or Ucluelet routes).
What travelers want: Variety, value, and the feeling of “collecting” different sides of a destination.
Revenue ideas:
Curated “Recover as You Go” Itineraries
Coordinate with 1–2 other hotels to create a 3–7 night progressive itinerary:
Night 1–2: Urban exploration + evening sound bath or breathwork
Night 3–4: Countryside or coastal reset with forest bathing or cold-water immersion
Optional final night: “Re-entry” stay focused on sleep optimization and productivity.
Each hotel gets a guaranteed portion of the itinerary and the chance to upsell higher room types or experiences.
Wellness Passport & Cross-Property Perks
Create a stampable “Wellness Passport” with rewards for trying different classes or rituals at each property.
Partner properties cross-promote each other, increasing total trip spend rather than fighting over the same nights.
Audit-style opportunities we often see:
Adjacent sister properties or nearby independents rarely coordinate. When they do, we see increases in multi-night bookings, suite uptake, and ancillary revenue per guest, especially when the itinerary is marketed as a themed journey (e.g., "Deep Sleep City-to-Mountains Reset”
3. Salvaged Stays: Monetize Story, Heritage, and Slow Living
Who this is for: Converted properties – old banks, schools, train stations, factories, and heritage buildings (very common in Europe, the Cotswolds, Savoie, Hobart, etc.). Travel Agent Central
What travelers want: Architectural character, meaningful stories, and a feeling of staying “inside history,” but with modern comfort.
Revenue ideas:
Guided History & Mindfulness Tours
30–60 minute small-group tours of your building’s past, layered with mini mindfulness moments (e.g., “pause here and imagine the station in 1920…”).
Charge a modest fee and end with a paid tasting (local wines, teas, or chocolates).
Signature “Past-to-Present” Experiences
Example: A former train station:
“Arrival & Departure” aromatherapy rituals in the spa
Sleep stories themed around journeys and letters home
F&B concept built on historic dishes reimagined with a wellness twist
These can support special room types, tasting menus, or limited-series retreats.
Content & Packaging
Lean into this in your marketing: guests pay more for uniqueness.
Bundle “salvaged stay” storytelling with a 2-night or 3-night “slow stay” offer (late checkout, journaling kit, locally sourced breakfast).
Audit-style opportunities we often see:
Historic features that are barely mentioned online can justify higher ADRs and “signature room” pricing once they’re framed as part of a curated experience, not just décor.
4. Readaways: Turn Quiet Corners into Revenue-Generating Retreats
Who this is for: Coastal, countryside, and small-city properties in places like Ucluelet, the Cotswolds, Hobart, Savoie, and Okinawa.
What travelers want: Screen-light escapes centered on reading, rest, and connection with loved ones. 91% say they’re interested in this kind of trip, and reading-related mentions in Vrbo reviews have surged.
Revenue ideas:
Bookable Reading Nooks & Suites
Market specific rooms as “Reader’s Suites” with:
Cozy chairs, warm lighting, throws
Curated book selection (tie-ins with local authors)
Tea / cocoa station, sleep masks, bath salts
Add a small nightly premium or bundle into a Readaway package.
Hosted Book Club Weekends
Partner with an author, bookstore, or reading community (#BookTok creators) to host 2–3 night Readaway Retreats.
Monetize via package pricing, F&B minimums, and add-on experiences (writing workshops, silent mornings, yoga).
Digital Detox Upsell
Offer optional “digital sabbatical” add-ons:
Phone lockbox or on-deposit tech check-in
Analog entertainment kit (journal, puzzles, card games)
Price as an inexpensive add-on that enhances perceived transformation and guest storytelling.
Audit-style opportunities we often see:
Underused libraries, lobbies, or terrace areas can be repositioned with simple OS&E investments (throws, side tables, good lamps) into premium bookable spaces or retreat venues.
5. Farm Charm: Lean into Nature, Food, and Hands-On Experiences
Who this is for: Rural hotels, lodges, farmstays, countryside inns, and properties near working farms in places like the Cotswolds, Savoie, Hobart’s surrounds, and parts of Montana and Canada.
What travelers want: Slow travel, starry skies, and simple, hands-on experiences. 84% are interested in staying on or near a farm; farm-related experiences mentioned in reviews have surged ~300% YoY.
Revenue ideas:
Hands-On Micro-Experiences
Short, bookable activities like:
Egg collecting, goat or alpaca feeding, herb garden tours
Honey or olive oil tastings
Seasonal harvesting (grapes, apples, lavender, etc.)
Price as low-friction add-ons per person or per family.
Farm-to-Table Rituals
Move beyond “local ingredients” into structured experiences:
Chef’s garden tour + cooking demo
“Harvest & Feast” evenings
Picnic baskets with guided nature-walk route.
These lift F&B revenue and justify premium menus.
Nature-Forward Wellness
Guided forest bathing, sunrise meditations in fields, stargazing with blankets and hot drinks.
Low capex, high perceived value.
Audit-style opportunities we often see:
Outdoor spaces that sit empty outside of weddings can become repeatable, small-group experiences that add to RevPAR and non-room revenue.
6. Set-Jetting: Add a Wellness Layer to Screen-Inspired Trips
Who this is for: Any destination with film/TV ties – from Yorkshire and Tuscany to Croatia, LA, and beyond. Set-jetting is predicted to be an ~$8B industry in the U.S. alone in 2026.
What travelers want: To step into the worlds they’ve seen on screen – but many will also welcome a parallel journey into rest and reset.
Revenue ideas:
Themed Itineraries with Recovery Built In
Create “On-Screen & Off-Screen” packages:
Daytime filming locations or iconic vistas
Evenings: sound baths, journaling prompts, sunset yoga, or “unplugged” film screenings.
Instagrammable, But Restorative
Design 1–2 photo-friendly “hero moments” (a particular terrace, view, or hallway) but anchor them in calm, not chaos: cozy seating, soft soundscapes, warm beverages.
Screen-Inspired Suites or Mini-Retreats
Soft thematic nods (colors, textures, books, local composers) plus sleep and recovery amenities:
Blackout shades, sleep-friendly lighting, guided meditations, curated teas.
Audit-style opportunities we often see:
Hotels already near famous locations often underplay their connection or focus solely on standard sightseeing packages. Adding a wellness-forward arc turns a fandom trip into a transformation trip – and that’s where guests spend more.
Where Wellness ROI Audits Fit In
When we conduct wellness ROI audits for hotels and retreat venues, we typically uncover:
Underpriced room types that could become signature wellness or Readaway suites
Dead spaces (meeting rooms, corners of lobbies, rooftops) that can be activated as small, high-margin wellness or experiential zones
F&B menus that can easily support anti-inflammatory, sleep-supporting, or sport-recovery concepts
Untapped partnerships with local practitioners, farmers, bookstores, sports clubs, and guides that don’t add fixed payroll but do add experience value
All of this ties directly into the Unpack ’26 trends. Instead of chasing every trend, we help hotels identify:
Which 1–2 trends align best with their destination (Big Sky = Fan Voyage + Farm Charm, Cotswolds = Readaways + Farm Charm, Okinawa = Set-Jetting + Readaways, etc.), and
How to turn those into bookable, trackable revenue streams – not just marketing buzzwords
A Simple 90-Day Action Plan for Hotels in Trending Destinations
If you’re in one of the 2026 “Destinations of the Year” – or any market where these trends resonate – here’s a practical starting point:
Choose Your Primary Trend(s)
Pick 1–2 from Fan Voyage, Salvaged Stays, Hotel Hop, Readaways, Farm Charm, Set-Jetting based on your location and guest mix.
Audit Your Assets
Walk your property with these trends in mind: rooms, public spaces, outdoor areas, local partners.
Ask: What could support a wellness or experiential story with minimal capex?
Design One Signature Experience Per Trend
Start with small, repeatable, bookable experiences (30–90 minutes or simple 2–3 night packages) that align with the trend and your brand.
Price & Distribute Like a Product
Give each experience a clear name, price, and description.
Load it into your website, booking engine, and OTA listings (including Expedia and Vrbo where applicable).
Measure, Refine, Repeat
Track: ADR, length of stay, ancillary spend, reviews mentioning wellness/experience.
Use that data to expand or refine your wellness and experiential programming.
If you’d like support translating Unpack ’26 into a concrete wellness revenue strategy for your property or portfolio, this is exactly what we do through our Wellness ROI Audits and retreat & experience design work.
We can help you decide which trends to lean into, design profitable programming around them, and build the story that wins both guest hearts and owner P&Ls.
