What are Travel Trends for 2026?

(And Where to Find Them)

Ever wonder where everyone's planning their next vacation? We at Infegy decided to find out, not by analyzing booking data or conducting surveys, but by listening to what travelers are actually saying online.

Using Infegy Starscape's AI Summary widget, we analyzed millions of social media conversations from August through November 2025. This isn't just number-crunching. Social listening captures the raw, unfiltered voice of travelers as they share their dream destinations, post their itineraries, and gush about places they can't wait to visit. It reveals the emotional connection people have with destinations. Not just where they're going, but why they're excited to go there.

Infegy Starscape tracks everything from specific location mentions and hashtags to sentiment scores and platform preferences. It shows us trends emerging in real-time, months before they hit the mainstream travel press. Think of it as eavesdropping on the world's travel dreams, then using AI to make sense of what millions of people are saying all at once.

So what did we discover? The results reveal a fascinating mix of cultural immersion, European charm, and iconic American destinations. But more than that, they show us how travelers are thinking about their next adventures and what they're truly seeking when they book that flight.

The Top Trending Destination - India

India is having a major moment. The country's influencer-driven tourism campaign is clearly working, with travel conversations about India surging by 8%. Making up 2.1% of all travel discussions with an impressive 94% positivity rate, India is capturing hearts and filling Instagram feeds with vibrant colors, ancient temples, and promises of transformation.

Figure 1: Example post for India travel on Instagram, Sep 6, 2025; Instagram.

The magic is in the marketing. Terms like "#incredibleindia," Kerala's backwaters, and temple experiences dominate the conversation. When you look at the bios of people sharing Indian travel content, words like "travel," "tourism," "collab" and "lifestyle" jump out. These are the content creators and experience-seekers who are actively shaping where others want to go, selling the magic of India one Instagram Reel at a time.

Figure 2: India travel source bios, (August 13, 2025 - November 13, 2025); Infegy Social Dataset.

Second Most Trending - European Vacations

Here's where things get interesting. European destinations saw overall conversation volume drop by 9%, but here's the twist: the influence of those conversations actually increased by 7%.

Figure 3: European travel post volume, (August 13, 2025 - November 13, 2025); Infegy Social Dataset.

Figure 4: Influence of European Travel posts, (August 13, 2025 - November 13, 2025); Infegy Social Dataset.

It's a classic case of quality over quantity. Fewer people might be talking about Europe, but when they do, people are listening.

The usual suspects still reign supreme. Italy's dramatic Dolomites and romantic Venice continue to inspire wanderlust. Santorini's legendary sunsets and colorful streets remain irresistible. The Netherlands beckons with those picture-perfect tulip fields, and Ireland keeps calling travelers to hit the open road for an epic journey across emerald landscapes.

What's particularly telling is how European locations keep appearing on those irresistible "places to visit before you die" lists from creators. The continent represents something timeless, a travel experience that feels both classic and essential. Even as the conversation shifts, Europe's gravitational pull on travelers remains strong.

Third Highest Trending - The United States of America

American destinations are experiencing a 4% increase in travel conversations, and two locations in particular are driving this uptick. New York City remains the ultimate urban destination, that electric metropolis that needs no introduction. The city pulses through travel discussions as the quintessential place where anything can happen, where culture and energy collide on every corner.

Figure 5: Volume increase for US destinations in travel conversations, (August 13, 2025 - November 13, 2025)

Figure 6: Portion of AI Summary from Infegy Starscape for United States destinations conversations, (August 13, 2025 - November 13, 2025); Infegy Social Dataset.

But Jackson Hole, Wyoming? That's the surprise. This mountain town is emerging as an unexpected trendsetter, especially after appearing in high-profile contexts like Vogue photoshoots. It suggests something important: travelers are seeking out unique, photogenic American experiences that go beyond the predictable. They want dramatic landscapes, authenticity, and places that look incredible on camera but feel even better in person.

The Platform Effect

If you're wondering where all these conversations are happening, the answer is clear: Instagram is absolutely dominating. The platform's visual nature makes it the perfect home for wanderlust-inducing content, and travelers are using it both to research their dreams and share their realities. TikTok is playing an increasingly significant role too, particularly for those quick travel tips and destination highlights that grab attention in seconds.

But here's the best part: the conversations are overwhelmingly positive. People aren't just talking about travel. They're excited about it.

How We Know All This

This isn't guesswork or anecdotal observation. It's the power of social listening in action. Infegy Starscape's AI Summary widget analyzed millions of social media posts to identify patterns in how real people discuss and plan their travels. By tracking specific locations, hashtags, sentiment scores, and platform usage, we can see trends emerging months before they hit the mainstream travel press.

Social listening captures something that booking data or flight statistics simply can't: the emotional connection people have with destinations. It shows us not just where people are going, but why they're excited to go there. It reveals the stories they're telling themselves about their future adventures, the experiences they're craving, and the moments they hope to capture.

Find trends you care about with an Infegy Starscape demo, or get Infegy Pulse AI, our AI widget only version starting at $249/mo.

Key Takeaways

1. Social Listening Reveals Trends Before They Go Mainstream

Social listening captures where people want to go and why they're excited about it, revealing emerging trends months before mainstream travel press. By analyzing real-time conversations, Infegy Starscape identifies the emotional drivers behind travel decisions that traditional booking data simply can't capture.

2. Influence Matters More Than Volume

European travel conversations dropped 9% in volume, but their influence increased 7%, proving that it's not about how many people are talking, but who's talking and how engaged their audiences are. Quality beats quantity when it comes to shaping travel trends.

3. Influencer Marketing Is Reshaping Travel Destinations

India's 8% surge in travel conversations, driven by an influencer-based "#incredibleindia" campaign with 94% positivity, proves that strategic partnerships with content creators can dramatically shift travel preferences. Destinations investing in authentic influencer relationships can now compete with traditionally dominant locations, such as Europe.