HORIZONS
FUTURE OF TRAVEL
Horizons: Looking to the future of travel and tourism
Economic uncertainty hasn’t diminished people’s desire to travel, but it has changed how they choose to spend.
Rather than treating travel as a luxury, travellers are increasingly viewing it as a worthwhile investment. That doesn’t mean they’re spending without restraint. Instead, they’re making more deliberate decisions about where their money delivers the greatest value.
Across every stage of the journey, travellers are looking for products, services and experiences that reduce friction, increase flexibility and deliver genuine value. They’re also becoming more selective about premium upgrades that don’t clearly improve their trip.
At the same time, technology is reshaping how people discover, compare and book travel. AI is making inspiration and planning more intuitive, but travellers continue to value trusted information, transparent pricing and brands that help them make confident decisions.
This section explores the behaviours shaping the future of travel, from the growing role of AI and changing booking habits to evolving expectations around value, sustainability and trust. Together, they highlight the biggest opportunities for the travel industry in 2027.
Demand
Travel is a top priority
After analysing Skyscanner search data alongside our survey of travellers and speaking to partners, one thing is clear: travel remains resilient.
Despite broader consumer spending slowing throughout much of 2026, as well as airlines navigating a complex mix of supply and demand pressures across global markets, demand for travel remains strong. Rather than travelling less, people are planning more carefully, budgeting more thoughtfully and prioritising the experiences that matter most.
Insights
80% are planning to travel the same amount or more in 2027.
Trip searches on Skyscanner across the globe are up 17% year on year.1
Travel remains a priority purchase. The opportunity for travel providers is less about generating demand and more about helping travellers book with confidence.
Value
Budgets are concentrated on the big-ticket items
As household finances remain under pressure, travellers are becoming increasingly selective about where they spend. Rather than simply looking for the cheapest trip, they’re focusing their budgets on the parts of travel that matter most, including flights and accommodation, while becoming more cautious about optional extras.
This shift is changing not only what travellers buy, but how they plan and book their trips. People are spending more time comparing options, weighing trade-offs and seeking confidence they’re getting the best overall value.
Travellers plan to spend more in 2027 vs 2026
When choosing a destination, the biggest cost considerations are:
Flights
Accommodation
Price is a primary factor driving decision-making
The most popular prompt used globally in Skyscanner’s Search with AI tool over the past six months has been “cheap flights”.2
Travellers are using natural-language searches such as:
“Help me find cheap flights to Australia in March.”
“Where are the best beaches for families in Italy?”
Search with AI enables travellers to compare destination data side-by-side with a visual display of flight pricing, weather, flight duration and destination vibes, so they can make confident decisions faster.
Travellers are concentrating their budget and decision-making effort on flights and accommodation.
Brands that combine competitive pricing with clear, transparent information and an easy booking experience will be best placed to earn trust and win bookings.
Spending
Discretionary spending is becoming more selective
Instead of spending more on luxury, travellers are choosing upgrades that make their trip smoother and more convenient.
Travellers are most likely to spend on:
tours and activities
travel insurance
seat selection
Compared with last year:
plan to upgrade their room (vs. 21% last year)
will purchase extra baggage (vs. 17% last year)
plan to use airport lounges (vs. 16% last year)
Travellers aren’t necessarily spending less; they’re spending more selectively. Brands that clearly demonstrate value throughout the booking journey will be best placed to capture discretionary spend.
Planning
Earlier planning creates more opportunities
Despite ongoing global uncertainty, booking behaviour has remained remarkably consistent year on year.3
Travellers now book around 9 weeks before departure
Search activity peaks during April, May and June
Average trip length is 9.6 days
Knowing when people typically book travel gives brands a better chance to inspire them before they’ve made up their minds.
Trust
Travel is social – and word of mouth carries weight
While technology continues to transform travel planning, trusted recommendations remain the strongest source of inspiration.
Travellers’ favourite sources for trip inspiration are:
YouTube
39%Word of mouth
37%Film and TV
18%Guidebooks
16%
Authentic storytelling remains one of the most effective ways to influence travel decisions. Brands that create credible, relatable content will continue to stand out.
AI
Travellers are using AI, but trust is still a concern
AI continues to play a part in the travel planning journey, but confidence hasn’t kept pace. Just 42% of travellers feel confident using AI-generated recommendations to plan and book trips in 2027, down from 44% last year.
Gen Z are most confident using AI.
Gen Z
71%Millennials
50%Gen X
44%Boomers
27%Silent Generation
5%Travellers are mostly using AI to help them:
Research a destination
31%Compare flights and accommodation
27%Get inspired to visit somewhere
20%The biggest worries around AI are:
The accuracy of information
55%There’s no one to contact if something goes wrong
40%
“AI should make travel feel simpler, not more complicated”
“The biggest opportunity isn’t replacing human decision-making; it’s helping travellers discover inspiration. Trust remains fundamental, which is why AI works best when it’s paired with transparent information and a trusted travel platform.”
Piero Sierra
Chief AI Officer, Skyscanner
AI is making it easier than ever to discover and compare travel options, but trusted brands still play an essential role by providing accurate information, transparent pricing and support when travellers need it most.
Confidence
Travellers look beyond price when choosing a provider
With more choice than ever, travellers want richer information to book with confidence, including details on accessibility, sustainability and family suitability.
These features are becoming an increasingly important part of the booking journey:
Did you know Skyscanner has family filters, an entire team devoted to accessibility and an ‘underrated’ destination filter to help drive tourism to less-known places?
look for family-friendly facilities
look for accessibility information
look for sustainability information
Richer product content builds confidence. Giving travellers the right information before booking can reduce friction, increase trust and improve conversion.
“Success will come from delivering transparent information, exceptional value and experiences”
“We’re seeing travellers become increasingly intentional in how they plan and book. They continue to prioritise travel, but they’re weighing every decision more carefully, from price and flexibility to accessibility and sustainability. Success will come from delivering transparent information, exceptional value and experiences that genuinely help travellers make confident decisions.”
Cat King
Chief Commercial Officer, Skyscanner
Sustainability
Travellers want practical ways to embrace sustainability
Travellers are looking for simple ways to make more sustainable choices, without adding significant cost or complexity.
Travellers’ favourite sources for trip inspiration are:
want more train and public transport integration
want more sustainable packages and tours
want more lower-emission transport options
Accessibility
Making travel more accessible
Through our Accessibility Programme, we’re building more inclusive travel experiences and making it easier for travellers to find providers offering accessible online booking.
Making sustainable options easier to find and choose helps brands meet growing traveller expectations. We also make it easier to identify providers offering accessible online booking, supporting travellers who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers.
Overtourism is influencing destination choice
More travellers are choosing quieter alternatives, from shoulder-season trips to lesser-known places.
For destinations, that’s an opportunity to attract new visitors while easing pressure on the busiest hotspots.
will choose less crowded places nearby
will still visit their favourite places, but in the quieter shoulder season
will visit quieter destinations
We’re helping travellers discover destinations beyond the tourist trail through features like our Underrated Destinations filter.
We’re also working with tourism organisations to spread visitor demand more evenly to support sustainable tourism.
Growing interest in alternative destinations and off-peak travel are giving brands the opportunity to inspire demand and attract new audiences.
Millennials
Spotlight on Gen Z
As the final wave of Gen Z reaches adulthood in 2027, a new generation of independent travellers will enter the market.
Raised in a digital-first world, Gen Z expect travel to be seamless, personalised and transparent. They prioritise travel, are value-conscious and seek authentic experiences and trusted recommendations.
Gen Z destination choices are driven by:
Safety
57%Weather
43%Budget accommodation
40%Travel distance
25%Gen Z’s favourite planned experiences include:
Beach holidays
53%Shopping
39%Bringing home a souvenir
37%Local food
34%Enjoying a local music festival / carnival
32%
For younger travellers, the combination of shopping and souvenirs suggests travel is as much about finding something to bring home as it is about the experience itself.
Gen Z get their holiday recommendations from:
Family
67%Friends
56%Online reviews
26%
Insights
Only 12% of Gen Z trust AI tools the most, while 15% rely on celebrities or influencers.
This generation is reshaping their priorities beyond holidays by:
Considering a career based on opportunities to travel or work abroad
45%Choosing travel over saving for financial goals
19%
The path ahead
“It’s clear that people are continuing to invest in and prioritise travel, with a keen focus on optimising the value of their bookings. As AI continues to influence travel planning, the brands that come out on top will be those that combine intelligent technology with trusted data, transparent pricing, and experiences that genuinely help people travel with confidence. Meeting the next generation of traveller expectations will require the industry to move beyond transactions and become a trusted partner.”
Bryan Batista
CEO of Skyscanner