My favorite part of January are all the trends lists popping up everywhere. This morning I heard that the culinary buzzword for 2026 will be "swangy," which is a portmanteau of "sweet and tangy." Swangy food absolutely will replace the so-last-year "swicy" — sweet and spicy — flavors you're probably familiar with, like hot honey fried chicken and spicy margaritas.
I have a bit of a reputation for collecting trends and buzzwords in the hospitality space, and I do an annual podcast with Hertelier's Emily Goldfischer on the topic, linked here in case you missed it. I'm fascinated by the art of trend forecasting, seeing what will stick — whether it's a flavor, a color, even an economic descriptor — and what just doesn't catch on.
We're only a week into the new year, but I'm ready to call my travel trend word of 2026. It's "analog."
I'd like to say that I pulled this word out of thin air, but of course I didn't. Many of the big travel trendwatchers out there have talked in recent months about how travelers crave a return to simplicity, to in-person experiences and connections with other people. "Analog" sums that up nicely, and I'm all for it.
To me, "analog" is a great descriptor of that other famous travel buzzword, "authentic." It recalls simplicity, in real time, in person. It's the opposite of "digital," but in this case, I interpret analog experiences as ones that simply aren't over-reliant on the digital.
In a travel setting, to be analog is to sit at the bar and chat with the bartender instead of your phone. It's about taking your time. It's sitting in the hotel lobby for a few extra minutes enjoying the atmosphere instead of spending that hour cramming in more emails from your room.
There's enough noise and — to borrow another travel buzzword — uncertainty around us, I could use a little analog break.
What's your travel trend word of the year? Email me or find me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
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