Forget cookie-cutter itineraries. According to Booking.coms latest research, 2026 is ushering in the era of radical personalisation, where your vacation becomes a mirror of your most authentic self – quirks, fantasies, and all.
1. Romantasy retreats
Romantasy retreats top the list, with 89% of Hong Kong travellers ready to escape into enchanted castles and mystical forests straight from their favorite fantasy novels. Three-quarters would even join role-play retreats based on beloved books or films.
2. Road trips
Road trips are getting a reboot. A surprising 88% are open to carpooling with strangers on vacation, turning solo drives into opportunities for spontaneous connection. Plot twist? Boomers are more excited about self-driving vehicles than Gen Z.
3. Robot craze
Vacation rentals are going full sci-fi. Nearly nine in ten would book a home with robotic chefs and cleaning bots, partly for convenience, partly for the bragging rights.
4. Skincare treatments
The wellness boom evolves into dedicated “glow-cations,” where 86% seek skin-specific treatments, with AI identifying the perfect climate-matched destinations for their complexion.
5. Memories become destinations
Technology now pinpoints exact locations from old photos, allowing 77% to recreate cherished memories across generations.
6. Kitchenware as keepsakes
Travelers are hunting hand-painted spice jars and artisan kitchenware as design-led souvenirs that tell stories long after the trip ends.
7. Relationship test
Nearly three-quarters would deliberately head to remote locations to test how companions handle discomfort, with Gen Z leading this relationship stress-testing trend.
8. Astrology practices
Spiritual guidance such as moon phases, astrology and mystical practices shapes itineraries, as 72% would cancel trips based on advisors recommendations, far exceeding the global average.
9. Treat yourself
Travel isnt about traditional milestones anymore. Its about celebrating promotions, fitness transformations, or simply the fact that youve worked hard and deserve it.
10. Sense of calm
Eighty-eight percent would stay at hotels where they forage for meals, swapping daily noise for natures restorative stillness and closer connection to the natural world.
Cover photo by Cederic Vandenberghe on Unsplash
