December 11, 2025
TUI Musement publishes 2026 travel trends: city breaks, sportcations and local experiences
Tours & Activities
Analysis based on booking behaviour, traveller surveys and the impact of next year’s major global events
With 2026 just around the corner, TUI Musement, a leading provider of tours and activities, publishes the travel trends that will shape the coming months. The analysis highlights a wide range of behaviours reflecting how travellers are shifting towards more responsible, personalised and interest-driven experiences. Key trends include the continued rise of city breaks, the boom in sportcations, the growing popularity of local micro-adventures, and the increasing role of AI in trip planning, alongside other shifts and global events that will define next year’s tourism landscape.
- City breaks: a firmly established trend
TUI Musement has recorded an increase of almost 25% in bookings for experiences in urban destinations*, once again confirming the growing popularity of city breaks. These trips cater both to travellers’ need for flexibility and to the wide range of transport and accommodation options available, making it easier than ever to plan spontaneous getaways. In addition to classic destinations such as Barcelona, Paris and London, demand is rising for so-called “second cities”—urban hubs offering authenticity, fewer crowds and an expanding cultural scene, including Stuttgart, Glasgow and Segovia, among others. - Sportcations: sport as the reason to travel
More travellers are choosing their holiday destination based on the sports they love — whether attending major international events such as the Olympics or the World Cup, participating in marathons, touring football stadiums or enjoying active experiences. TUI Musement reports that bookings for sport-related activities have grown by almost 37% over the past year, and expects this trend to continue in 2026**. - Experiences for locals: micro-adventures close to home
Activities designed for local audiences—one of the fastest-growing categories in 2025 (+47%**)—show the increasing interest in rediscovering one’s own surroundings. Immersive exhibitions, comedy shows, theatre performances, neon painting workshops and food-themed evenings offer memorable moments without leaving the city and have become a key trend within the tours and activities sector. - Sustainable tourism: experiences with positive impact
A recent TUI Musement study found that 47% of respondents consider it very important for excursions and activities to be verified against sustainability criteria***. Travellers are increasingly seeking experiences that align with these values — from providers who minimise environmental impact to activities that deliver tangible benefits for local communities and enable responsible engagement with the destination. - Artificial intelligence: the new travel co-pilot
Artificial intelligence continues to establish itself as an essential tool for trip planning, reshaping the way travellers search, organise and experience their holidays. According to a TUI Musement survey, 49% of respondents have used AI-powered tools to plan a trip, while 25% have relied on them to create or refine their itinerary***. - Major events shaping travel movements in 2026
The year 2026 will be marked by global events capable of moving millions of people: from the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, to the Winter Olympics in Italy, as well as the total solar eclipse on 12 August, visible from northern Spain, Portugal, Greenland and Iceland. Cultural milestones will also play a role, such as the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death, with his architectural masterpieces remaining one of Barcelona’s strongest attractions.
Notes to editors:
*Analysis based on bookings for urban-destination experiences made with TUI Musement over the past year.
** Fastest-growing experience categories year-on-year.
***Independent study conducted by Appinio for TUI Musement.
** Fastest-growing experience categories year-on-year.
***Independent study conducted by Appinio for TUI Musement.
About TUI Musement
TUI Musement is a global Tours & Activities business that combines a highly curated product portfolio, scalable digital platforms and in-destination service by local teams, to source, develop, distribute and deliver products in three categories:
- Experiences: Excursions, activities & attraction tickets
- Transfers: Between airports, hotels and ports
- Tours: Multi-day itineraries encompassing hotels, experiences, guides and transportation
Available in all major beach and city destinations, products are sourced from leading travel businesses or developed in-house by TUI teams, including the TUI Collection, the flagship experiences portfolio of TUI Group.
Products are distributed to customers, including the +34,7 million TUI customers, through TUI websites and apps – such as the Tours & Activities dedicated TUI Musement app, as well as in-destination local teams and B2B partners, including some of the world's leading OTAs, tour operators, airlines, hotels, travel agencies and cruise lines. TUI Musement is one of the major growth areas of the TUI Group and employs approximately 7,000 people worldwide.
