Predictions for the coming year dominate travel industry news during the final quarter of each year. OTAs and other search platforms publish travel trends lists, uncovering the themes and popular destinations behind consumer search data. Hyper-personalisation and quirky accommodation trends are in view for 2026, but what about long-term trends?
We’ll take a look at ‘hushpitality’, ‘glowmads’ and other short-term predictions for 2026 in a separate article. However, Professor Greg Richards covered some of the key long-term trends for youth travel at WYSTC 2025 in Lisbon last month. His exclusive workshop highlighted youth travel’s track record and identified several global trends to be aware of.
Youth travel is estimated to make up, on average, 23% of international arrivals each year. In 2024 youth travel put more than 370 billion US dollars into the global economy – a contribution that exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 figures.
Professor Richards highlighted international youth arrivals as a stable and robust segment of visitors for many destinations. In places like Singapore, young people make up 40% or more of arrivals. Interestingly, younger visitors can also bring higher spending to some destinations, as data from Barcelona show.
An increase in the number of international students globally, as well as an increase in young women travelling solo, were also noted as interesting shifts for those serving young travellers.
Trends for businesses to keep in mind for the long term of international youth travel relate to changes in the world’s population. There is potential for more young travellers as the youth segment of the global population increases.* In particular, an increase in the youth population of Sub-Saharan Africa could mean an increase in young travellers from this world region. Although the proportion of young people in developed economies will decline over time, the shrinking of these markets will be largely offset by increasing spending power in emerging markets.
Along with gradual changes in the world’s population and youth travel source markets, shifts will likely come in youth travel styles and motivations. It follows that new destinations could emerge to meet new demands of new youth travel markets.
How emerging and traditional youth travel destinations will adapt and evolve in relation to long-term world population shifts will be interesting to watch. Global economics and visa / border policies will continue to be important to facilitate unique international travel experiences for young people and influence the youth travel industry’s international trade patterns.
*OECD data indicate the global population of people aged 15-24 is expected to exceed 1.3 billion by 2040. In 2020, 1.2 billion people were in this age category.