Hilton releases its 2026 Trends Report

Global hotel operator Hilton’s yearly Trends Report has become a barometer for travel trends for the year ahead. This year’s report, the fifth from the brand, spotlights that the meaning behind each journey now matters more than ever.

People are traveling with purpose, whether to reconnect, recharge, rediscover or take a breath, and travel increasingly begins not with a destination, but with a motivation.

The 2026 Trends Report – entitled The Rise of the Whycation – predicts travellers will prioritise comfort, control and connection in 2026.

It suggests travellers will choose journeys that begin with a purpose not a place – the question is no longer ‘where are we going?’ but instead ‘why are we going?’

Embracing emotional motivations for travel

Hilton’s Trends Report is backed by global research, including a survey of more than 14,000 travellers across 14 countries. It is conducted in partnership with Ipsos, along with proprietary insights from more than 5,000 Hilton team members and feedback from 1,000 Hilton Honors loyalty members.

The survey predicts that next year, travel will be driven by emotional motivations and a shift toward more intentional experiences after years of more is more travel. This could be the desire to rest, the urge to reconnect or a longing for experiences that feel meaningful.

Travellers will seek adventures that reflect who they are and what they value, with calm, culture and connection rising to the top of priorities.

“As travellers seek more meaning from their journeys, trust and familiarity have never been more important,” adds Nassetta. “More than ever, it’s the feeling behind the trip that’s guiding where the journey begins.

“The world continues to change at a rapid pace and that will affect how we plan and where we travel. At Hilton, we are embracing these shifts and we hope this report sheds light on the human truths and needs that travel delivers on.”

Seeking sweet silence

The Rise of the Whycation predicts the traveller in 2026 will look for destinations where they can dial down life’s distractions, seeking calm and moments of silence.

Respondents’ number one motivation to travel for leisure in 2026 is ‘to rest and recharge’ (56 per cent). Top desires also include spending time in nature (37 per cent), improving mental health (36 per cent), and me time (20 per cent).

It shows nearly half (48 per cent) of travellers are making space for solo time by adding extra days before or after family vacations and 27 per cent of business travellers seek solo time during work trips.

Going solo: the mancation

In recent years, women have taken the lead in popularising solo travel. Now, internationally, more men are reporting the desire to take solo getaways.

There has been a rise in the Mancation in Saudi Arabia, China and Türkiye, compared to 2024 data.

According to a Hilton US omnibus survey conducted by Morning Consult in August 2025, 57 per cent of US travellers would be interested in attending a quiet or silent retreat. Half expressed interest in a specifically reading-focussed retreat.

The expanded family break

Increasingly, parents are planning travel through their kids’ eyes and letting shared experiences guide the journey, while multi-generation trips are on the rise.

Almost half (48 per cent) of the global Hilton team members surveyed are seeing more families traveling with three or more generations.

Close to 70 per cent of families are seeking experiences that connect them to local traditions and skip-gen travel is also increasing. Nearly 30 per cent of parents are sending kids off with just the grandparents while 50 per cent are taking trips with one child at a time to create special bonding opportunities.

More than half of families are travelling with at least one adult child and, in most cases, parents are picking up the tab. Just 11 per cent of adult children globally cover the full cost of their trip.

The full 2026 Trends Report can be downloaded here.

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