With the arrival of autumn comes a flurry of new travel trend reports and predictions for the coming year.
The latest body to make its predictions is UK-based travel and tourism marketing brand Lemongrass, which has revealed its picks of the top trends for 2027.
Experts at the company believe that a lot of travel undertaken next year will revolve around the “anti-optimised” holiday, which means that travellers will be choosing to do less and spend longer in a destination, rather than rush about and tick off everything on a perfunctory list.
The Lemongrass travel trend report has also revealed that travellers are also moving away from bucket lists, biohacking and AI-generated itineraries and are instead plumping for deeper, slower and more emotional experiences.
“For years, travel has been caught up in the language of optimisation – more destinations, more experiences, more personalisation and more efficiency,” said Mirjam Peternek McCartney, CEO and Founder of Lemongrass Marketing. “But our 2027 trends suggest that travellers are beginning to ask a much more human question: how do I want to feel?
“This isn’t a rejection of technology, luxury or ambition. It’s a recalibration. People want travel that gives something back – whether that means feeling calmer, understanding a place more deeply, connecting with other people, or simply having the freedom to enjoy a moment without having to maximise it.”
Here are some of the findings from the report.
The anti-optimised holiday and other insights
Lemongrass says “anti-optimised holidays” – that is, cramming every minute of a trip with activities – could be on the way out.
Travellers are increasingly looking for trips that feel less like a checklist and more like a proper break – with fewer destinations, simpler itineraries, longer stays and plenty of time to simply see where the day takes them.
The new meaning of having a luxurious holiday could just be having nowhere to be.
Nervous system design
Wellness is moving beyond spa treatments, health checks and the latest biohacking trends.
Increasingly, hotels and destinations are looking at the whole environment, from lighting and sound levels to access to nature, food, movement and opportunities to connect with other people.
Rather than adding more treatments to an itinerary, the focus is shifting towards creating spaces that naturally help guests slow down, rest and recover and, most importantly, leave feeling better.
From bucket list to depth list
AI can increasingly give travellers a pretty good idea of what to expect before they even set off. As more of the planning process becomes automated, though, there’s growing interest in the things an algorithm can’t quite provide, namely context, curiosity and human insight.
Instead of chasing supposedly hidden gems or ticking off must-see sights, travellers are likely to seek out expert-led tours, cultural trails, literature, history, architecture, workshops and conversations with people who actually live there.
The appeal is less about discovering somewhere first and more about understanding it properly, rather than just working off a checklist.
Epistemic vigilance and the AI trust gap
As AI takes hold of all aspects of travel, knowing what information to trust could become just as important as finding it in the first place.
Travellers are increasingly having to navigate AI-generated content, synthetic images and paid-for recommendations, making first-hand experience and local knowledge more valuable.
That means they’ll also likely want to trust tour operators or travel agents who can say “we’ve been there and seen it first-hand”, rather than an AI programme which is effectively just winging it.
Other travel trends to expect in 2027
Alongside the headline findings, the report also identified 10 other trends which we can expect to see play out in the coming year.
Shifting conversations around masculinity are, apparently, creating a new travel market for men seeking physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Fitness, nature, mindfulness and outdoor experiences are no longer being used by men just to improve performance, but also to facilitate connection, resilience and meaningful friendship.
Climate change is undoubtedly having an impact on travel, and it’s not just where people go, but how the destinations themselves cope.
In 2027, it seems that travellers won’t want to just escape the heat, but also put value on spots which offer resilient infrastructure, flexible experiences, strong local knowledge and tourism businesses able to respond when conditions change.
That leads into the next trend: citizen science.
Travellers are increasingly moving from observing nature to actively participating in its protection, whether that’s wildlife monitoring, water sampling or recording species. The aim of playing such a role in conservation can mean that tourists achieve a deeper connection with the places they visit.
More tourists will also want to leave places better than they found them, and not just in nature terms. The challenge is making meaningful, locally led conservation and community projects accessible without slipping into traditional voluntourism – and that leads into the new “giving journey” trend.
It’s similar to another trend: journeys “without sacrifice or sermon”.
Sustainable travel is becoming less about compromise and more about the experience. Rail, for example, can offer a more scenic, comfortable and enjoyable way to travel – as well as a lower-impact one. Sustainability is often embraced when it delivers a better experience, rather than making people feel less guilty.
Next up is “earned travel”, or the rejection of trips that are too easy.
Travel has never been more convenient – and that may be exactly why some travellers are starting to seek out the opposite.
From remote landscapes to independent adventures, a bit of effort, uncertainty and spontaneity can make a trip more rewarding. Increasingly, getting there is part of the experience.
At the same time, travellers will be hunting for the next trend, which is the so-called “joy economy”.
With uncertainty and digital overload everywhere, travellers are looking for things that simply make them feel good – from play and surprise to connection and escapism. They’re using travel as a form of emotional restoration, and not just something to do.
That ties into the mystic outlands trend, which will see folklore, fantasy and atmospheric landscapes drawing travellers looking to step into another world, not just a destination – whether that means dark skies, ancient forests or places steeped in stories.
More travellers will be asking “who gets to tell the story?” rather than “where are we going?”.
Travellers are increasingly interested in who gets to tell a destination’s story, with female guides, historians, artists, chefs and community leaders bringing different perspectives, especially in areas where the female voice has typically been overlooked.
Finally, according to the report, “near is the new far”.
In 2027, it predicts that travellers will realise they don’t always need to go far to get away. Short-haul trips, rail journeys, staycations and off-season breaks offer an easier escape, with less time, cost and hassle.
Short-haul travel can be cool – and as enjoyable and meaningful as destinations thousands of miles away.