The Global Travel Landscape 2026
At a glance
- Two in three consumers (65%) across the four markets have holidayed in the last six months or plan to in the next six.
- Around half of Brits (54%), French (52%) and Germans (47%) travelled in the first half of 2026, against 33% of Americans.
- Half (50%) of those taking fewer holidays cite the high cost of living; 36% say they can no longer afford to travel as often.
- 18% have used AI tools to choose a destination, hotel or airline, up 8 points on 2025; 44% would consider doing so.
- Half of under-35s expect to take two or more holidays in the next 12 months, according to the survey.
What the report covers
The report examines how consumer priorities, affordability and technology are shaping travel decisions in the UK, US, France and Germany. Published by YouGov as its annual travel report, it has tracked these shifts since October 2023. It is aimed at travel brands seeking to understand market-by-market demand drivers for the year ahead. The publicly available text covers headline findings; market, age-group and brand detail sits in the full report.
Key findings
Overall travel appetite is holding firm, with 65% of consumers having holidayed recently or planning to within six months. Beneath this headline, the report describes a widening gap: European respondents, notably in Britain, France and Germany, report travelling at near-record rates, while Americans are more often pulling back on frequent trips because of affordability.
Cost of living is the main constraint on holiday-taking. The report finds half of those taking fewer holidays cite high living costs, and 36% say they simply can no longer afford to travel as often. Rather than abandoning trips altogether, consumers are described as trading down on accommodation to keep travelling.
Technology is changing how trips are planned. According to the survey, 18% of respondents have used AI tools to choose a location, hotel or airline, an increase of 8 percentage points on 2025. A further 44% say they would consider doing so, suggesting AI is moving from novelty toward part of the booking journey.
Younger travellers are a significant source of demand. The summary reports that 50% of under-35s expect to take two or more holidays in the next 12 months, and that they are more likely to plan trips abroad, long-haul and adventure holidays. Detailed age-group breakdowns are in the full report.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Consumers who have holidayed in last six months or plan to in next six | 65% |
| Travelled in first half of 2026: Britain / France / Germany | 54% / 52% / 47% |
| Travelled in first half of 2026: US | 33% |
| Taking fewer holidays citing high cost of living | 50% |
| Cannot afford to travel as often | 36% |
| Used AI tools to choose destination, hotel or airline | 18% (+8 points vs 2025) |
| Under-35s expecting two or more holidays in next 12 months | 50% |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
The report points to a US market travelling less often than European peers, with affordability cited as a constraint. Destination marketers may consider value-oriented packaging and clearer price communication when targeting American visitors. Understanding which segments, such as under-35s, expect more frequent holidays can help set campaign priorities for the year ahead.
Hotels & hospitality
Consumers trading down on accommodation rather than cancelling trips suggests mid-range and value tiers may retain demand that premium-only offers could lose. Because a growing share of travellers have used AI tools to choose a hotel, property information should be accurate and accessible to automated search and comparison services.
Travel tech & distribution
The 8-point rise in AI-assisted booking decisions between 2025 and 2026, with 44% open to such tools, indicates a growing role for conversational discovery. Distribution platforms may need structured, machine-readable inventory and transparent pricing to stay visible to these tools and to cost-sensitive users.
Methodology and limits
The findings come from YouGov's annual travel survey, now in its fourth wave and tracking trends since October 2023. Sample size, fieldwork dates and weighting are not stated in the publicly available text. Figures are survey-based and reflect respondent self-reporting; statements of intention, such as expecting holidays or considering AI tools, are not observed behaviour. This brief is based on the publicly available summary only.
Official source
The report is © Yougov. 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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