Travel specialist Scott Dunn weighs in on the rising trends set to shape the travel landscape in 2026
Saying that discerning travellers are leaning ever more toward experiential travel may no longer be the freshest observation. It is, however, an undeniable sentiment, one increasingly shared across the luxury landscape.
Over 2025, we’ve watched travellers show a growing appetite for destinations a little further afield, choosing less familiar corners of the world, from Peru and Tanzania, to sidestep overtourism and to chase experiences that might genuinely feel once-in-a-lifetime.
So perhaps it’s only natural to take a closer look at the trends now rising to the surface. And although we’ve yet to ring in the new year, is it ever really too early to start thinking about a getaway?
According to a report by Scott Dunn, an award-winning luxury travel service renowned for designing bespoke itineraries for its clients, 2026 will continue the drift toward experiential travel, albeit with a few noteworthy nuances.
The travel expert is seeing a growing demand for family travel, with teenagers—often an afterthought in luxury trip planning—emerging as surprisingly influential voices. Their preferences, shaped by social media as much as by a desire for independence, are guiding families toward hands-on, culturally grounded experiences.
“Luxury travel is moving beyond the traditional markers of prestige,” says Mike Harlow, general manager of Scott Dunn Asia. “Immersive experiences and younger voices are driving the next wave of demand.”
Scott Dunn’s most recent survey shows that over 70 per cent of teenagers proactively offer ideas on where to go, with nearly 40 per cent successful in changing their parents’ minds about a destination. More importantly perhaps, the report finds that 80 per cent of teenagers turn to TikTok and Instagram for inspiration, translating into an appetite for activities that go beyond traditional sightseeing.
It is these preferences and an increasing desire for novel, meaningful experiences that are also shaping interest in nocturnal travel, ethical wildlife encounters, and conscious cuisine. Scott Dunn’s report notes that travellers who have already experienced more traditional safaris or well-trodden natural landmarks are now curious about what these environments feel like at different hours and in different states of stillness.
Night-time activities such as guided safaris in Zambia’s South Luangwa, jaguar tracking in Brazil after dusk, and kayaking under Norway’s Midnight Sun offer perspectives that are more atmospheric.
A similar sensibility is emerging in the culinary sphere, where travellers are showing renewed interest in food experiences rooted in sustainability, provenance, and cultural tradition. And while fine-dining is still a draw for discerning travellers, luxury hotels that offer farm-to-table stays and high-end restuarants with strong sustainablility credentials are seeing high demand.
“Culinary experiences have always been a huge motivator for our guests’ travels,” says Geraleine Yap, Scott Dunn’s Europe travel specialist. “We see that travellers are moving away from purely prestige-driven dining, and choosing authentic experiences that connect them with the place they are in.”
