Hilton officials say the driving theme of travel in 2026 won't focus as much on where travelers want to go as why they want to go.
The company's newly released 2026 Trends Report identifies 2026 as the year of the "Whycation," in which travelers will seek a higher degree of silence, solace, comfort and familial connections.
On the latest episode of the CoStar News Hotels podcast, Hilton's Senior Vice President of Strategy, Insights and Full Service Brands Jess Petitt said the focus this year is on the "emotional resonance of travel."
"It prioritizes the personal growth and connections that we expect to create when we build out these itineraries for when we travel, and so we believe 2026 is going to be all about this intentionality," he said.
The latest iteration of the trends report was put together in conjunction with research firm Ipsos, with additional help from consumer research company Morning Consult and trend forecasters Globetrender, with data based on surveys of Hilton Honors members and more than 5,000 Hilton team members.
Petitt said other key takeaways from the 2026 report include:
- The top motivation for leisure travel is resting and recharging (54% of respondents), followed by spending time in nature (37%) and improving mental health (36%).
- Roughly half of travelers (48%) add solo travel days around family trips and a similar ratio (54%) take business trips to "get a break from their family or partner." Petitt said he tends "to think of this as mental health comes in so many different ways."
- Comforts of home are increasingly important during travel, with 77% saying they enjoy visiting grocery stores abroad and 64% saying they prioritize their pets' needs.
(Hilton) - Fitting travel in around work is a major priority as 72% of survey respondents want to take time off to travel and explore their passions, 60% say they'd take monthslong or yearslong breaks from work to travel if possible, and 44% say they'd leave a job if denied vacation.
- Family connections are key for travel with 73% encouraging children to participate in planning vacation, 78% saying children inspire travel experiences and 73% saying their "travel style has been shaped by their parents."
Petitt said he can look back at his own upbringing as an example of that last trend.
"My mom was a travel journalist for Travel Magazine. My dad worked in for hotel companies, and so I had the benefit growing up of doing a lot of travel," he said. "... If you make me go to a beach, that's a work trip. Sand is just another form of dirt is how I think. But if you can get me to a mountain, that, to me, is a family vacation, and that very much is inherited through my family."
The report also notes road travel is making a comeback, with 71% saying they will drive for their next vacation.
For the rest of the interview with Hilton's Jess Petitt, listen to the podcast above.