From child-free escapes to 'extreme' day trips: The trends redefining Britain's summer holidays
At a glance
- 71% of British leisure travellers plan to visit a new destination this summer, signalling a shift towards novel experiences.
- Same-day return international flight searches rose 62% year-on-year; 58% of Brits willing to travel to dream destinations and back in one day.
- 30% of parents prefer holidays without children; 41% plan adults-only getaways, while family holidays remain the top trip type at 51%.
- Shanghai leads global trending destinations with searches up 88%; UK staycations surge in Morecambe (+106%), Carnforth (+86%) and Exmouth (+76%).
- 31% plan to spend more than usual (average £1,526), redirecting budgets toward experiences (27%), accommodation (21%) and passion-led travel like hiking (19%) and wellness (15%).
What the report covers
Booking.com's Summer Getaway Report analyses British summer holiday trends for 2026 using accommodation and flight search data combined with consumer surveys. It covers destination preferences, travel styles (solo, child-free, extreme day trips), experience types and spending patterns. Published in July 2026, the report tracks shifts in how UK leisure travellers approach holidays.
Key findings
British travellers are abandoning passive holidays for experience-driven trips. According to surveys, 71% plan to visit somewhere new, 65% choose experiences over switching off and 37% fit more into every trips than previously. While Spain remains the top overseas choice at 32% of wishlists, Booking.com search data shows Shanghai surged 88% year-on-year. UK staycations shifted dramatically: Morecambe searches climbed 106%, Carnforth 86% and Exmouth 76%. Shorter attention spans, admitted by 32% of respondents, are driving this intensified activity packing.
Extreme day trips have emerged as a distinct trend enabled by faster transport and changing work patterns. The survey finds 58% of Brits would travel to a dream destination and back in a single day, with 21% having already done so. Flight search data corroborates this, showing same-day return international flight searches rose 62% year-on-year. This reflects broader time compression: travellers reject the weekend break model in favour of maximised experiences within constrained timeframes.
Child-free and solo travel are reshaping market segmentation. Almost one in three Brits (30%) prefer holidays without children this summer; 41% plan adults-only trips and 37% actively seek adults-only accommodation. Solo travel accelerates, particularly to Portuguese destinations: Monção searches surged 5,288% and Machico 376%. Despite family holidays remaining the most popular trip type at 51%, the growth in adults-only and solo segments indicates carving of distinct, premium niches.
Travellers redirect spending toward experiences and romance despite cost-of-living pressures. 31% plan to spend more than usual, with average budgets reaching £1,526. Of this, 27% targets bucket-list experiences, 21% better accommodation and 18% upgraded flights. Romance features prominently: 76% plan summer trips with romance in mind. Traditional beach breaks are replaced by passion-led itineraries: hiking (19%), wildlife spotting (16%), solar eclipses (12%), stargazing (10%) and wellness pursuits including silent retreats (15%) and yoga (10%).
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| British leisure travellers planning to visit a new destination | 71% |
| Year-on-year increase in Booking.com searches for Shanghai | +88% |
| Brits willing to travel to dream destination and back in one day | 58% |
| Year-on-year increase in same-day return international flight searches | +62% |
| British parents preferring holidays without children | 30% |
| Year-on-year increase in searches for Monção, Portugal (solo travel) | +5,288% |
| Brits planning to spend more than usual on summer holidays | 31% |
| British travellers choosing experiences over switching off | 65% |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
Secondary destinations are capturing disproportionate growth. Morecambe (+106%), Carnforth (+86%) and Exmouth (+76%) surge alongside niche European cities like Budva, Montenegro (+56%) and Durres, Albania (+42%). DMOs must market distinctive, passion-led itineraries—hiking, wellness, cultural events—and capitalise on British travellers' shift away from generic beach-holiday narratives.
Hotels & hospitality
Adults-only demand expands rapidly: 41% plan adults-only getaways and 37% seek dedicated accommodation. Experience-led spending is rising, with 27% of increased budgets targeting bucket-list activities. Hotels must differentiate through curated experiences—wellness retreats, cultural programming, adventure partnerships—and develop adults-only tiers to capture this lucrative, growing segment.
Travel tech & distribution
Same-day return and extreme day-trip demand is real and growing (+62% year-on-year for international flights). Platforms must optimise for rapid-turnaround itineraries and mobile-first journeys. Solo travel demands attention: Portuguese niche destinations show exponential search growth. Recommendation engines should surface passion-led experiences—hiking, wellness, cultural events—to match travellers' experience-first mindset.
Methodology and limits
Booking.com combined multiple sources: Toluna surveyed 1,800 British leisure travellers; Opinium conducted an online omnibus survey of 2,000 UK adults (18+); Booking.com analysed accommodation search data (01.04.26–01.05.26 for summer 2026 stays) and flight search data (15 Nov 2024–15 May 2025 vs 15 Nov 2026–15 May 2026). Solo travel trends used accommodation searches by solo travellers (01.01.26–01.05.26 for summer stays). This brief is based on the publicly available press release; full methodology detail is not provided.
Official source
The report is © Booking.com. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
Check the official statistics on Pulse
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