Phil Cabra Netherton, Marketing Director at Euroventure Travel gives his take on the key travel and tourism trends for 2026.

---

Do you think any of the anticipated travel themes for 2026 apply to younger travellers?

Yes, I think the fantasy, road trip, heritage and film location themes apply to a young travel audience.

Do you see evidence of these travel themes in your region of operation? If yes, which ones?

We haven’t really harnessed these themes, but rather have been aware that they are there.

What do you think is missing from the big OTAs’ travel trend lists for 2026?

OI would have been interested in seeing something around anxiety, since that is something we see – more young travellers have more anxiety issues than they did before. However, that’s not very positive and I wouldn’t expect those platforms to be focusing on it.

Regarding anxiety of young travellers, is that requiring more from you as an operator?

In terms of anxiety, there is no solution to the problem, but what it has led us to do is try to describe the product better in our brochure.

We don’t often talk about travel being the starting base of romantic relationships – do you have any stories to share about guests from your years of experience?

Yes, we have examples of couples going on group tours and also couples proposing on a group tour. If they proposed on an independent trip (I’m sure that happens a lot), I guess we wouldn’t normally hear about it. We also know of people meeting on a group tour and then going on to get married.

What is a travel theme or trend in your region that has faded in the last year? Is that a good or bad thing?

We are adapting to the theme of “online booking grounded in physical presence”, by investing heavily in our technology around building custom itineraries, whilst opening a physical walk-in agency to meet people face-to-face. Some of the research in these articles is about trusting AI content and we are preparing for a future where fewer and fewer people trust online content.

When and where will your walk-in location open?

Our walk-in agency will open mid-February 2026 at 12 Main Street, Grassington, Skipton, UK. It will be a travel agent so it will sell everything, but our own products will be centre stage.

How does your company identify relevant consumer trends and decide to act on them or not?

We identify trends by observing social media, and we decide to act on them if we get traction with it ourselves.

What’s the one word you would use to describe your organisation’s mood about 2026?

The one word I would use for 2026 is “hopeful”.

To read the full Youth travel trends in 2026 article, click here.