Expedia Inc.

Travel giant Expedia has shared its top 10 destinations of the year, which are powered by real-time data from daily visitors to its site and app

If you fancy exploring hidden gems, these top 10 spots revealed by the travel giant might be perfect for your upcoming getaway. Expedia’s 2026 destinations of the year list draws on real-time data from daily visitors to its site and app.

The announcement coincides with the travel giant launching its Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel report. It showcases where worldwide interest is surging rapidly.

This year’s selection features France, Italy, alongside more distant locations in Canada and Mexico.

Six of these emerging hotspots also satisfy the requirements for Expedia’s fresh Smart Travel Health Check, which acknowledges destinations that actively manage tourism sustainably, reports the Express.

Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, said: “Some of my most unforgettable travel moments come from immersing myself in local cultures, supporting local economies, and exploring less-travelled destinations.

“With one billion average monthly travel searches, Expedia Group isn’t just a travel marketplace, we’re a catalyst for positive change.

“We have a responsibility to shape the future of travel: one that’s smarter, more sustainable, and deeply respectful of the places we go.”

Big Sky, Montana, U.S.

Nestled within the Rocky Mountains’ core, Big Sky in Montana provides year-round activities.

During winter months, the area becomes a snow enthusiast’s haven, whilst summer brings spectacular walking routes.

Okinawa, Japan Okinawa

Japan’s southernmost island chain, offers a blend of turquoise waters, coral reefs and a unique Ryukyuan heritage. Once a kingdom in its own right, the region now provides a mix of hospitality, history, and a relaxed island lifestyle.

Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia is a hidden jewel in the Mediterranean, offering crystal-clear waters, ancient history and untouched landscapes. From glamorous beaches to a bustling city, Sardinia provides an Italian getaway without the crowds.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Located off the southwest coast of Vietnam, Phu Quoc Island boasts white sandy beaches and emerald waters. Once a tranquil fishing hub, it’s now a fusion of beach resorts and night markets.

Savoie, France

Tucked away in the French Alps, Savoie is home to world-class ski resorts, making it perfect for a winter holiday. In summer, anticipate hiking, cycling and sailing, as well as indulging in cheese fondue and alpine wines.

Fort Walton Beach, Florida, U.S.

North Florida’s Gulf Coast is a region of exceptional natural beauty, with picturesque beaches and nature walks where you can explore the state’s native parks. It’s the ideal spot for those who love the outdoors, with activities such as snorkelling, hiking and dolphin watching.

Ucluelet, Canada

Visitors to Ucluelet can enjoy surfing, kayaking, and spotting whales and sea lions just offshore. There are also plenty of land-based activities like rock climbing, ziplining, biking and wildlife watching.

Or, if you prefer to relax, there are numerous top hotels and holiday rentals available.

Cotswolds, UK

The Cotswolds, one of England’s most scenic regions, is home to quaint towns like Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold. Here, you can wander through historic gardens, savour a pint in traditional English pubs and tearooms, and admire the iconic Cotswold stone.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Tucked away in Mexico’s central highlands, San Miguel de Allende is a compact city boasting stunning architecture, ancient religious structures and cobbled streets. It’s renowned for its community of artisans and artists, with some of their finest works on display at the Fabrica La Aurora galleries and studios.

Hobart, Australia

Once notorious as a penal colony, this harbour city has transformed into Tasmania’s cultural heart, drawing food enthusiasts and nature buffs from around the globe. Hobart serves up some of the country’s most inventive cuisine, and its beer, wine and produce are celebrated across Australia.

Expedia has released its top travel trends for 2026 – including ‘Fan Voyage’, ‘Salvaged Stays’, and ‘Hotel Hop’ – and the destinations to visit for a ‘smart’ holiday

The ‘Unpack ’26’ report from travel giants Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo has revealed the top holiday trends for the year ahead, including ‘Fan Voyage’, ‘Hotel Hop’, and ‘Salvaged Stays’. The report, which surveyed 24,000 people across 18 countries, shows a growing trend of travellers booking trips specifically to experience immersive local activities.

‘Fan Voyage’ holidays combine travel with unique regional sporting activities, such as Sumo Wrestling in Japan or curling in Canada, according to Expedia. Meanwhile, ‘Salvaged Stay’ sees holidaymakers blending historical architecture with modern amenities, opting for upcycled retreats like former schoolhouses, train stations, and banks. As a result, Hotels.com has seen a surge in searches for these types of stays.

The emerging trend of ‘Hotel Hop’ is being driven by two thirds of British millennial travellers who are making every trip count by booking multiple hotels within a single destination. This is fuelled by a desire to explore different neighbourhoods (58%) and keep trips varied (52%).

Expedia has also unveiled its 2026 Destinations of the Year list, based on real-time data from millions of daily visitors to its site and app. Six of these hotspots meet the criteria for the brand’s new Smart Travel Health Check , a first-in-travel framework, inspired by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

It acknowledges destinations that strive to provide meaningful travel experiences whilst proactively managing tourism in a sustainable manner. The leading locations featured Big Sky in Montana, USA, Okinawa in Japan, Hobart in Australia and Savoie in France, which has witnessed a 51% surge in searches.

Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, said: “Some of my most unforgettable travel moments come from immersing myself in local cultures, supporting local economies, and exploring less-travelled destinations.

“We have a responsibility to shape the future of travel: one that’s smarter, more sustainable, and deeply respectful of the places we go.”

Christopher Imbsen, vice president policy at WTTC, added: “Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check is an innovative initiative that reflects the urgent need to embrace responsible growth models that safeguard communities, protect cultural and natural heritage, and ensure the long-term resilience of destinations.”

Research carried out on behalf of the Vrbo division of the firm discovered that trips in 2026 are driven by 91% who are pursuing breaks centred on reading, relaxation, and precious time with family.

As #BookTok continues to rule social media, fascination with literary-themed journeys – ‘Readaways’ – is also soaring, with Pinterest searches for “book club retreat ideas” climbing 265%. And reading-related phrases in the holiday rental firm’s guest reviews have almost trebled.

The ‘slow travel’ trend is on the rise, with a whopping 84% of holidaymakers keen to stay on or near a farm. Meanwhile, ‘Set-Jetting’, travelling to locations inspired by TV shows and films, is making a big comeback.

While we’re still waiting for official confirmation of The White Lotus’s next filming location in France, the 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast has unveiled the next hotspots for film-inspired getaways – including Tuscany, Italy, brought to life by Jay Kelly, and Yorkshire, made famous by Wuthering Heights and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

Here are the top holiday trends for 2026:

1. Fan Voyage (Expedia) – Mixing travel with unique sporting activities
2. Salvaged Stays (Hotels.com) – Seeking out hotels with distinctive architecture but modern amenities
3. Hotel Hop (Hotels.com) – Holidays featuring more than one accommodation venue
4. Readaways (Vrbo) – Breaks based on reading-related themes like ‘reading retreat’
5. Farm Charm (Vrbo) – Holidays centred around terms like ‘farm’ or ‘homestead’ for a cosy escape
6. Set-Jetting Forecast (Expedia) – Holidays inspired by TV shows and films

Tim Hentschel, CEO of HotelPlanner.com and HotelPlanner.ai, says his virtual travel agents are already taking 50,000 real calls a day and will hit the 100,000 mark before the year is out

“I’m sorry. That was a generic answer. Let me come up with something a little more meaningful.”

There’s something quite novel about a robot apologising to you. Cassandra, one of HotelPlanner.ai’s American representatives, was as quick on the contrition as it was on suggesting hotels in Tupelo, Mississippi, that I might want to stay in.

I chucked a few requirements at Cassandra and it quickly found me a place that ticked all of the boxes. Cassandra even obliged when I asked for a description of the rooms, and then apologised when I cut it off, demanding that those descriptions be a little less lifeless.

Try as I might, my efforts to wind Cassandra up failed. It kept delivering helpful answers and even extra titbits of information without being prompted, all with an upbeat tone of voice against a backdrop of fake call center sounds.

OPINION

Milo Boyd

READ MORE: Brits using AI to plan trips doubles as Gen Z leads use of robo-travel agents

Robo-travel agents such as Cassandra are currently fielding calls on HotelPlanner.ai, where you can choose the language and gender of your call handler before taking it on a test run. It’s working on a beta trial basis in the UK at the moment, but in the US, the world of AI travel agents is very much here already and booming.

Tim Hentschel, CEO of HotelPlanner.com and HotelPlanner.ai, says his virtual travel agents are already taking 50,000 real calls a day and will hit the 100,000 mark before the year is out. He claims that 10% of HotelPlanner.com’s bookings are made by bots.

That’s no small potatoes, given the company’s expected $1.8 billion gross revenues this year and the 1.5 million properties it can book.

Tim is a huge believer in the power of AI to transform customer service in the travel industry and argues that HotelPlanner.com’s agents are trained to be “more helpful and efficient” than humans and already able to “compete head-to-head” when it comes to customer satisfaction and sales.

While Tim says the company has no desire to stop using humans to answer calls, the AI side of the business is growing quickly and could one day field 100% of all calls. Partly because they’ve learned from the best. The large language model bots were trained using eight million human phone calls.

What’s arguably a little unnerving is that customers aren’t told they’re speaking to a robot, and they often don’t realise.

“We only tell customers if they’re speaking to an AI agent if they ask. Sometimes it has come up as customers have asked them out on dates,” Tim told the Mirror.

“We find AI works best with older customers as it’s extremely helpful and patient—sometimes to a fault, as the AI doesn’t understand the money value of time. The question is, if you want a service, who can perform it better? A human or AI with unlimited information?

“The agents have accents. They make an attempt at humour. The robots are programmed always to be helpful, it has nothing but kindness.”

Whether the idea of an AI customer service bot excites or appalls you, their arrival in increasing numbers seems inevitable. Just this week, OpenAI announced it had struck a deal with travel giant Expedia, paving the way for holidaymakers to book trips directly through the platform.

At the Travel and Tourism Summit in Rome at the end of September, Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, predicted that AI would “double the travel market” – because “people will work three days due to AI, and take much longer holidays.”

Jane went on to describe how she thought AI would improve customer service.

“We must make sure our customers are very well looked after with good customer support. 30 seconds, an AI in your native language will be able to speak to you over the phone. Within 30 seconds a call centre employee will be able to answer your call. Within two minutes of a crisis, our team will be able to call them to get them to safety. This will be powered by AI,” she said.

How do you feel about AI travel agents? Let us know in the comments below or by emailing [email protected].

Lexie, who has 1.5 million followers on Instagram, sat down with the Mirror to share the two islands she is desperate to visit, on the same day Expedia released the 2025 Island Hot List

A record-breaking traveller has revealed the two islands she is desperate to visit.

Lexie Limitless is certifiably well-travelled. The record-breaking adventurer had visited every country on Earth by age 21, earning her multiple Guinness World Records. If that weren’t enough globe-trotting, she recently became the first person to circumnavigate the Earth in an electric vehicle, a project with Ford called Charge Around The Globe.

Now, the 27-year-old has teamed up with Expedia to share her pro tips and island hacks. “There’s something magical about island life. Time slows down, the air feels thick yet fresh, and the locals’ connection to nature is undeniable. Islands are little pockets of culture and tradition surrounded by endless ocean, which makes for the perfect environment to escape your routine,” Lexie explained.

“After a very hectic past few years, I’m not surprised Expedia is seeing a spike in island travel. I think people are craving a real escape, and islands offer exactly that. A lot of people, myself included, crave feeling secluded and immersed in an entirely different, slower culture. Islands check every box, whether you’re looking for adventure, wellness, or just to disconnect.”

Lexie, who has 1.5 million followers on Instagram, sat down with the Mirror to share the two islands she is desperate to visit, on the same day Expedia released the 2025 Island Hot List.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Named the best island for affordable luxury by Expedia, Koh Samui has had a big year. It featured as the backdrop for the latest season of White Lotus, capturing viewers with its white sand beaches, amazing hotels, and waving palm trees just as much as the show did with its plot.

“I’ve really wanted to travel there since White Lotus came out. I have been to Thailand many times, backpacking, and it is one of the most affordable backpacking destinations. When people ask where to go, I always say ‘see Asia and Thailand’,” Lexie said.

As well as plenty of beautiful spots by the beach and pools to relax, Koh Samui offers popular attractions including the Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai), Ang Thong National Marine Park, and Fisherman’s Village. The abundance of markets and waterfalls should also be on your to-do list.

Sardinia, Italy

Not a million miles away geographically or landscape-wise from the filming location of season two of White Lotus (Sicily), the large Italian island floating in the middle of the Mediterranean took Lexie’s spot as the second place on her island bucket list.

“Sardinia, definitely. I haven’t made it there yet, but Italy is one of my favourite countries to travel to. I have been to Italy 5 to 10 times, but there are so many places I haven’t been to yet,” she said.

There’s a huge amount in Sardinia to keep you busy. Popular options include visiting the Costa Smeralda for luxury and nightlife, exploring the Maddalena Archipelago for sailing and beaches, and discovering the ancient ruins of Nora or Su Nuraxi.

Lexie’s advice for making the most of trips to such places is not to plan too hard and to keep your mind open to the possibility of adventure. “Always keep your mind open to unexpected adventures. With so many travel guides and TikTok showing what’s going on at each island, you can get caught up in having that perfectly curated plan,” she explained.

The below destinations have made it onto Expedia’s global Island Hot List:

• Aruba (Best for Year-Round Sunshine)
• Bali, Indonesia (Best for Relaxation)
• Dominican Republic (Best for Adventure)
• Fiji (Best for Community)
• Jamaica (Best for Culture)
• Maldives (Best for Romance)
• Oahu, Hawaii (Best for Surfing)
• Paros, Greece (Best for Nightlife)
• Sardinia, Italy (Best for Food Lovers)
• Koh Samui, Thailand (Best for Affordable Luxury)