Experience travel surges

Tripadvisor’s 2026 Trendcast — drawn from more than 1 billion reviews and contributions — finds experiences are now leading trip decisions, reporting pet‑friendly bookings up 260% year‑on‑year and extreme‑adventure experiences rising 79%. (tripadvisor.mediaroom.com) Booking.com’s “The Era of YOU” survey of over 29,000 travellers shows appetite for ultra‑personalised, immersive offerings: 71% said they’d consider a fantasy‑inspired “romantasy” retreat and 53% said they’d take part in a role‑play retreat. (news.booking.com) Expedia Group’s Unpack ’26 report, combining first‑party platform data and a 24,000‑person survey, highlights fast‑rising search interest for its Destinations of the Year (for example Big Sky +92%, Sardinia +63%, Okinawa +71%), a signal platforms are spotlighting experience‑led inventory. (expedia.com) Major online travel agencies are matching that demand with packaged experiences: Expedia’s Vienna flight‑plus‑hotel listings show packages from about $1,484 for 2026 departures. (expedia.com) Expedia and other OTAs display current deals for long‑haul and island escapes — Mauritius all‑inclusive packages are appearing from roughly $1,700 and Ibiza package pages show starting rates near $1,856 (price snapshots taken from OTA listings in March 2026). ( ) Scotland’s Cairngorms is being promoted as a summer retreat zone: VisitCairngorms lists an active “Offers” page with about two dozen current special offers, and specialist operators like Wilderness Scotland advertise structured wellness and guided retreats (examples showing week‑long trips from roughly $3,496). ( ) Airbnb’s 2026 predictions report registers a 35% surge in interest for national‑park and outdoor experiences and finds 65% of top‑searched 2026 travel dates align with major global events, underscoring both short, event‑driven escapes and longer nature‑based packages. (news.airbnb.com)