eDreams ODIGEO’s A Year in Travel Report 2026

NEW Hotel Booking Insights

2026 Insights

• London remains in the top 5 booked destinations globally

• Global growth in booking demand for long-haul Southern Hemisphere escapes and city breaks

• Hotel bookings data reveals demand for second-city hotspots

2027

• London 4th favourite in global searches, 6th place in global bookings

• London ranks 4th for hotel bookings in 2027

London, 3rd November, 2026…// eDreams ODIGEO - the world’s leading travel subscription platform and parent company of Opodo in the UK - launches its annual ‘A Year in Travel’ report today. It draws on search and booking data from travellers across key markets worldwide* highlighting evolving 2026 travel trends, destinations gaining popularity and what to expect in 2027.

Global booking patterns and hotel demand shifts across 2026

TOP 2026 BOOKED DESTINATIONS

• London remained in the top 5 booked destinations globally. Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and Palma de Mallorca made up the top 4 places

• UK traveller bookings rank Barcelona, Amsterdam, Malaga, Istanbul and Paris in the top 5 (see table 1 for top 10 destinations). Clearly, city breaks continue to offer flexibility and accessibility to explore new destinations beyond these hubs, as well as immersion into vibrant cultures, food and experiences

• Incoming travel:

• 25% of incoming travel came from Spain, 15% from Germany and 14% from France (see full list in table 2 below) showing a popularity for Europeans seeking UK holiday breaks

• Top UK destinations included London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow (table 3)

• London remained in the top 10 booked destinations for German, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian travellers

TOP 2026 SEARCHES:

• Globally, London’s the second most-searched city , with Paris taking the top spot. Rounding out the top 5 are  Tokyo, New York City and Bangkok

• Brits’ top searches were Paris, Bangkok, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Malaga – reflecting a strong interest for cultural city breaks (table 4)

2026 GROWTH DESTINATIONS: bookings increases year on year

• Globally, travellers preferred far-flung destinations: Durban +80%, Melbourne +57%, Cape Town +55%, Johannesburg +50% and Sydney +48%, revealing an appetite for Southern Hemisphere escapes that offer the best of many worlds: vibrant cities, access to stunning beaches and outdoor activities. Note that these global trends are partly driven by the launch of Prime in new markets such as Australia and South Africa

• For Brits, there’s been a shift towards beach holidays over city breaks. Interest was up for southern destinations including Preveza-Lefkada (Greece) +165%, Zakynthos (Greece) +123%, Valencia (Spain) +76%, Reus (Catalonia, Spain) +44%, Rhodes (Greece) and Minorca (Spain) +39% (table 5). Brits are embracing the ‘Euro summer’ / carefree holiday social media trend

TRAVEL HABITS: length of stay, distance

• For global travellers, 3-4 day trips remained most popular: 33% 7-13 day trips came second at 23%, followed by 15% for both lightening-fast 2 days, or more leisurely 5-6 day stints

• For British travellers, short stays (3-4 days) were also most popular at 36% (table 6)

• Medium and long-haul journeys remain popular within the UK: 37% for medium-length trips (up 3% from 2025), and 14% booking long-haul

NEW: HOTEL BOOKING INSIGHTS 2026

New this year, eDreams ODIGEO’s Year in Travel Report includes hotel booking data, bolstering our insight into popular destinations 2026

• Globally, top hotel bookings  include Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam

• Travellers are also balancing European favourites with a growing interest in second and even third-city destinations that offer new cultural experiences. Growth cities for hotel bookings  include Cagliari +78%, Dublin +76%, Tirana +74%, Madrid +63%, Manchester and Zaragoza +57%

• Travel habits: The average length of stay for hotels was 1-2 days (69%)

• For UK travellers, appetite remains for shorter breaks, closer to home,including staycations: top hotel bookings this year include London, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin (see table 7). Growth destinations include Manchester +112%, Dublin +85%, Belfast +56%, Barcelona +45% and Madrid +41% (table 8). Our travel habits for length of stay are similar to the global set -  68% opting for 1-2 days

2027 – LOOKING AHEAD - London 4th most-searched and 6th most-booked

• Booking data shows the most popular destinations so far for global travellers in 2027: a balanced mix of short and long-haul travel where travellers are seeking sunshine, food and culture. Top cities include Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Bangkok, Rome and Paris. Since long-haul trips are typically booked further in advance, these rankings are expected to shift as the year progresses and short-haul European destinations likely to climb as last-minute bookings are made

• Top global search rankings are Bangkok, Tokyo, Paris, London, and Phuket

• For Brits

• Top booked destinations also show a preference for city breaks: Barcelona, Malaga, Rome, Dublin and Madrid (table 9)

• Top searches show demand for short-haul city breaks and long-haul adventure, with Bangkok, Tokyo, Geneva, Milan and Orlando in the top 5 spots (table 10)

2027 – HOTEL BOOKINGS INSIGHTS

Global results show a keen interest in European city breaks with London also ranking 4th. Top 10 destinations are perennial favourites: Rome, Barcelona, Paris, London, Madrid, Battery Park (NYC), Bangkok, Rio de Janeiro, Amsterdam, and Sevilla. An early snapshot into 2027 bookings shows strong interest in European city breaks, currently suggesting an ongoing prioritisation for travellers of cultural immersion, food and adventure.

Event-driven tourism, cultural habits and 2027 booking forecasts

2026-2027 TRAVEL TRENDS:

eDreams ODIGEO surveyed travellers worldwide giving insights into our unique travel habits and behaviours.

• Solo Travel

eDreams ODIGEO investigated1  our motivations for solo travel this year. Globally, freedom and independence are the biggest drivers (38% of respondents) while 27% see solo travel as an opportunity for self-discovery/experimentation. 23% are motivated by the chance to meet new people. Emphasising the benefits of travelling solo, 43% of US travellers would choose solo trips for mental clarity and a sense of renewal.

• Social Media &Travel

The most recent global survey2 from eDreams ODIGEO revealed  that 39% of global travellers have been inspired by social media to visit somewhere new. Discovering hidden gems and off-the- beaten-track destinations is the biggest draw (31%) . When it comes to what travellers share from their trips, landscapes and landmarks are the most popular content globally (74%).

• Music-Driven Travel

Music continued to be a significant driver of travel in 2026. Following the hotly-anticipated release of Celine Dion tickets eDreams recorded a 52% increase in flight searches to Paris for travel between September 12 and October 15 2026, compared to the same period in 2025. In March 2026 the announcement of Shakira’s September concerts  prompted a surge in travel searches including to France +486%, Germany (+463%), Netherlands (+365%), Spain (+345%), and the UK (+105%). Following Bruno Mars’ January announcement of his summer 2026 world tour, searches for travel to London over the tour dates spiked: especially from Germans - 27% of all searches (+ 966% compared to the previous year).

• Sports-Driven Travel

eDreams ODIGEO’s data also revealed  surges in interest around  key sporting events. For the Champions League final – Arsenal versus Paris Saint Germain - searches for travel from the UK to Budapest rose by 99% between 5–7 May (compared to the previous week) after Arsenal’s semi-final victory secured their place in the final, where searches also increased 119% year on year. The World Cup drove massive crowds including a spike in interest in travel from the UK to Miami for the quarter-final against Norway - +243% year on year. eDreams’ global survey3 revealed  that 34% of fans would travel within their own country for a sporting event, and 24% would travel internationally. Football was the biggest draw (53%) followed by the Olympics (32%), and motorsport and tennis (18% each).

• Coolcation

Coolcations are emerging as a growing trend as travellers swap traditional summer sun for cooler mountain escapes. eDreams ODIGEO’s survey 4  found that 34% of global travellers would choose a ‘detox’ break in nature, lakes or mountains,  18% look for adventurous activities to support their mental wellbeing. There were spikes in searches for cooler destinations following summer heatwaves. In the UK, searches made between 21-25 June compared to the week prior showed an uptick in interest to Gothenburg (+33%), Stockholm (+22%), and Zurich and Geneva (both +20%). eDreams also evaluated global searches in this period finding that Oslo (+42%), Stockholm and Geneva (both +19%), hit the top coolcation spots.

• Travelling Etiquette

eDreams ODIGEO’s global survey5 on traveller etiquette at airports and on planes, revealed that 59% of respondents would feel more comfortable arriving at the airport earlier than needed; 36% arrive according to airline guidance and just 4% risk getting to the airport just before take-off.

Another global survey6 into on board traveller etiquette found 33% of  travellers would  help a fellow passenger stow their luggage, regardless of the size of the bag. Italian and German travellers are the most willing to lend a hand (40% each). British travellers are the least likely to help (22%). Globally, 44% of travellers believe the armrests should be shared with the passengers on either side. Just 9% would claim both armrests for themselves - and men are more likely than women to do so (12% vs. 7%).

• Travel Hygiene

Looking at how people approach travel hygiene before, during and after a trip, eDreams ODIGEO’s global survey found7 26% of travellers say they shower as soon as they get home compared to 22% who sort through everything first. A surprising 12% say they ignore their suitcase for up to 3-5 business days after landing. The Great Underwear Debate? Globally, 54% take more than one pair of underwear per day just in case.  Most prepared are Americans; 64% over-packing underwear. 14% of French travellers pack  less than one pair a day ( 4% admit to re-wearing used pairs).

New:

Pablo Caspers, Chief Travel Officer at eDreams ODIGEO, comments: "2026 has underlined that people are increasingly making in-the-moment travel decisions, inspired by major events and once-in-a-lifetime experiences and they want complete peace of mind. That's why flexibility matters so much. It isn't just resonating with existing travellers, it's actively shaping how the next generation chooses to book."

Upcoming International Events in 2027

eDreams ODIGEO looked into top searches for upcoming events in 2027, with The FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place from 24 June -25 July in Brazil, global searches are up +40% versus last year.

Music fans are just as committed in 2027. eDO notes a +390% increase in searches to Bulgaria (11 – 15 May) following the country’s 2026 Eurovision victory. The popular K-pop group, BTS, will continue their “Arirang” World Tour in 2027, with overall searches for the Australian leg up +43%. Searches made between April and October 2026 for the hotly anticipated Olivia Rodrigo “Unchained” tour show for  LA show dates (12– 29 January 2027) +32% uptick in interest. The Oasis tour announcement also  sparked a surge of travel searches for  spring 20278 with  Glasgow up +2380% and Munich +1605%. Searched9 to London following Harry Styles’ announcement for new 2027 “Together, Together” London tour dates, within the UK were up +221%, compared to the year before and Denmark (+1139%), Mexico (+700%) and Austria (+687%) show the greatest interest for 2027 dates.

Dana Dunne, CEO of eDreams ODIGEO, said: “People’s appetite for travel is as strong as ever, and we expect 2027 to be another big year based on the early signs. Travellers think carefully about where, when and how they book, and they look for real value, which is why subscription travel is gaining ground.”

“This year, agentic AI has moved from idea to reality, opening up new ways for people to discover and book travel. Whether a trip begins by typing, speaking or asking an AI assistant to act, it still has to end in a real booking: live inventory, secure payment and support if plans change. That is the engine we have spent more than a decade building, and our partnerships with Visa and Amazon’s Alexa+ extend it to the places where travellers are starting to plan. For us, every new AI interface is another way to reach our travel subscription engine, so that an appealing suggestion becomes a holiday someone can actually take, wherever the conversation starts.”

Also check-out the Opodo page!