Looking ahead: B&R’s travel trends for 2025/2026

It’s the busiest time of year at Butterfield & Robinson, with last-minute summer plans made, holiday travel starting to come together and adventures timed to 2026 major events influencing travel trends. 

Our Experience Designers, the experts who seek out the newest and very best for travellers and plan every trip that B&R offers, share the definitive trends they’ve identified for the year ahead. 

Microexperiences make the trip 

To truly understand a destination, travellers are craving connection with locals in meaningful—and memorable—ways, particularly if it indulges a passion. These experiences can be personalized to each traveller and offer first-hand access to communities and their traditions.  

Eugenie Weiss, B&R’s Experience Designer for Burgundy, France, offers an example: “I heard travellers commenting on harvesters in the vineyards they were biking by, and how much they would love to experience that another time. Minutes before I took them to the winery for a private tasting, the winery team let me take our travellers into the vineyards with the harvest team for 30 minutes. In a flash, our four travellers were given a basket, a pair of scissors, protective gloves, and off they went into the vineyards of Côte de Nuits to harvest grapes! The smiles on their faces and the sound of their laughter were unforgettable.” 

The discerning traveller is aging down 

Young Gen X and Millennials—the under 50 crowd—are seeking experiential, “wow-factor” trips. The wow isn’t just about luxury, but connectivity, slowing down their pace of travel and prioritizing authenticity.  

Rob Grieve, B&R’s Experience Designer for Oceania, sees this especially for far-flung destinations like Australia and New Zealand. “It’s the honeymooners, the young retirees who want to get away and those organizing multi-generational family trips who want to make the most of still having the ‘grandies’ around. They love learning, experiencing and local and unique connections.” 

Off-season adventures for authenticity 

B&R travellers are well aware of overtourism and the importance of sustainable travel and they’re changing their travel patterns to respect the destinations they visit. They want to avoid crowds and access the places they visit at their most authentic.  

Mario Koch, B&R’s Experience Designer for Central Europe and Scandinavia, explains: “Travellers are becoming increasingly conscious of sustainability, seeking trips that align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals—not just reducing CO2 emissions but also fostering local economies, respecting biodiversity and preserving cultural heritage. This is paired with a growing appetite for travel during quieter periods.” 

It’s time to break out of comfort zone 

Our travellers are itching to try new things and stretch themselves physically and mentally, whether that’s by exploring a new destination, staying at an off-the-radar hotel or using their vacation time to learn a new (sometimes very niche) skill.  

Marya Valli, B&R’s Experience Designer for Switzerland, has leveraged the country’s traditions and landscape to deliver on this trend. “They might try something loud and crazy like yodelling to the cows—with a professional yodeller to teach them—or e-bike up a challenging mountain pass, e-mountain bike when they have never cycled off asphalt in their lives or go swimming in a glacier-fed stream.” 

A renewed focus on arts and culture 

Travellers are in search of cerebral experiences that enrich knowledge they may already have or teach them something entirely new. It’s a niche wellness trend that’s being explored foremost through the arts.  

Andres Reyes Ottonello is B&R’s Experience Designer for Catalonia, Andalucia and Portugal’s Algarve region. He shares an example of how memorable these experiences are: “I was working with travellers seeking authentic local experiences that reflected their interest in art. We took them to a restorer’s home in a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Seville, where they met the experts who explained their work, and then shared an aperitif together. It was more than just an activity; it was a genuine conversation and a life experience that spoke specifically to their curiosity and passion.”  

If you’re looking for inspiration for your next adventure, B&R’s Experience Designers unlock incredible experiences on every trip we design. Explore our trips here.