According to a new report, 2027 travel will be filled with checking off bucket-list experiences, tasting viral dishes, and reprioritizing travel budgets.
On October 13, Priceline released its 2027 Where to Next? Travel Trends Report, outlining predicted traveler behaviors, desires, and the most sought-after destinations for the coming year.
Per the report, the eight travel trends on the horizon for 2027 are:
- TripMaxxing: This means saving money on one part of a trip so you can splurge on another that you feel is worth making a priority. For example, you might fly economy on a long-haul flight to ball out at a glitzy 5-star stay in your destination. Priceline claims 62% of those surveyed said that they “cut back on one aspect of a trip so they can upgrade another, including 18% who do so often or all the time.”
- GLP VIP: For those using weight loss drugs, “GLP-1-friendly amenities are becoming a new travel must-have.” The report provides examples of how accommodations are adapting, such as in-room refrigeration for medication and gyms with plenty of strength-training equipment.
- Checkmark Chasing: Unsurprisingly, 2027 travelers will still want to adventure and experience things on their personalized, curated radars. In fact, the report says “most Americans (80%) are interested in pursuing some type of checklist travel goal.” Moreover, “nearly one in three (32%) say completing a travel checklist would feel more satisfying than a once-in-a-lifetime dream vacation.”
- High-Touch Hospitality: A significant 66% of travelers said they’d pay more for a stay where the hospitality includes “exceptional attention” to them as guests. In a world of robot hotel staff and increasing AI integration, travelers are also “putting a premium on the human interactions that make a stay memorable.”
- Vacation Vetting: Exciting for those interested in expat life, travelers are predicted to explore whether their 2027 destinations are places they could actually live. Priceline’s report noted that Gen Z and millennial tourists get a sense of everyday life in the destinations that they visit by “shopping at a local grocery store (45%), visiting a coffee shop on a weekday morning (28%), or even browsing real estate listings mid-trip (24%).”
- Phone to Table: It’s no secret that social media is majorly influencing the foods and restaurants that travelers want to try. That trend is expected to continue next year, as “80% of Gen Zers and Millennials would consider booking a trip for a food experience.”
- Personality Mapping: Travelers will continue getting personal in their AI prompts, incorporating things like “personality types, value systems, love languages, and even dream journal excerpts.” In the end, the jet-setters are looking for hyper-personalized travel recommendations.
- Party On: Priceline says 2027 travelers will want to party, especially during the day. For context, the report noted that the travel trend comes “after years of collective cultural stress.” Significantly, 75% of those surveyed said they are “directing their budgets toward daytime activities like festivals and pool parties over nightlife.”
What Else Should Travelers Know From Priceline’s 2027 “Where To Next?” Report?
The report highlighted 10 top travel destinations for 2027, including two already-buzzing hotspots – Fes, Morocco, and Da Nang, Vietnam. The other places name-dropped were Birmingham, Alabama; Block Island, Rhode Island; Beacon, New York; Snoqualmie, Washington; Bayfield, Wisconsin; Innsbruck, Austria; Miches, Dominican Republic; and Adelaide, Australia.
Consumer travel trends expert and Priceline’s head of communications, Christina Bennett, shared helpful information on how tripmaxxing can serve wallet-conscious travelers. Regarding what the latter should consider while planning their 2027 travels, she said, “Think about the one or two things you’re most excited about — maybe a really special excursion or a hotel with a view that you’ll remember — and give yourself room to splurge there. Then look for easy places to save [money], like grabbing breakfast from a local grocery store or being a little flexible on your flight … It’s not just about spending less but spending on what truly feels worth it to you.”
The expert also provided insight on what types of trips will feel most meaningful and fulfilling to travelers in 2027. Her response echoed the Where to Next? report’s highlighted travel trends, such as checkmark chasing, personality mapping, and high-touch hospitality.
Bennett said, “The trips that mean the most next year will start with the reason for going, not just the destination. For a lot of people, that could mean checking off a bucket list, like finally hitting all 50 states, or planning a whole weekend around a dish they keep seeing on their feed. We’re also seeing more travelers sharing things like their love language or personality type with AI to plan their trip. The destination still matters, but the trips people remember most are the ones that feel personal to them.”
The data for Priceline’s report was collected partly in collaboration with Wakefield Research, a market research firm, and Current Forward, a consumer insights firm. Priceline also relied on its own “proprietary search and pricing data” to complete the report.
