When Booking.com releases the results of one of its Travel Predictions reports, the travel industry pays careful attention. Now in its tenth year, Booking.com’s new Travel Predictions spotlight how people want to experience the world. Over the years, these insights have revealed shifts in travel, from cool-cationers chasing cooler climates given extreme heat to conscious travelers reshaping destination choices through social and environmental awareness.
Based on insights from more than 29,000 travelers across 33 countries and territories, Booking.com identified 10 defining trends for 2026. The findings reveal that vacations are becoming more individual, more experimental, and more unapologetically true to who travelers really are.
Among the trends that stood out to me for the coming year: “Hushed Hobbies: Quiet Pursuits for a Louder Sense of Calm.” With so much “noise” coming at us 24 hours a day— street or highway noise, TVs blasting, or mobile phones sending up-to-the-second news updates—people need to escape.
The Soothing Stillness of Nature
“Silence will be golden in 2026, as travelers look to swap the noise of daily life and distractions of an overstimulating world for the soothing stillness of nature to restore their sense of calm,” Booking.com says.
With 43 percent of travelers saying they would vacation specifically to feel closer to the natural world (including an overwhelming 81 percent of Gen Z), and one in four (25 percent) turning to “quieter” hobbies on vacation, travelers will be seeking restorative rituals that prioritize patience, reflection and stress relief.
From insect spotting and birdwatching to fishing and foraging, travelers are increasingly interested in pastimes that invite a deeper connection and close observation with an outdoor space. Over half (57 percent) say they would consider moth/butterfly watching or insect spotting, 73 percent fishing or birdwatching and 69 percent staying at a hotel where they are involved with foraging in local nature and wilderness hotspots for their meals, with these activities offering a way to connect more deeply with their surroundings.
“By slowing down and letting nature take the lead, travelers are redefining what it means to recharge by finding clarity not in doing more, but in embracing less,” Booking.com says.
One of the biggest trends in our industry is investment in accommodations that fit into the natural world without sacrificing too many of the luxuries and amenities guests expect.
Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors
Earlier this month, Marriott Bonvoy announced the launch of Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors. a digital platform designed to facilitate planning for outdoor travel. The platform allows users to search for and book accommodations and activities based on their preferred outdoor activities. It features over 450 hotels, 50,000 homes and villas, as well as curated tours and activities, offering options for skiing, hiking, biking, scuba diving, and more.
In conjunction with the platform, Marriott Bonvoy has introduced the Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy, a new brand offering accommodations with an outdoor focus. This collection includes properties such as cabins near national parks and boutique hotels in scenic locations. The brand aims to provide access to nature while offering standard hotel amenities.
The Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy includes two initial brands: Postcard Cabins and Trailborn Hotels. Postcard Cabins offers over 1,200 cabins across 29 U.S. locations, designed for guests seeking a nature retreat. Trailborn Hotels offers boutique accommodations in destinations like the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Grand Canyon.
Another Growing Outdoor Brand: Under Canvas
This past week, Green Lodging News reported on the New England expansion of Under Canvas.
Under Canvas White Mountains is set to open in June of 2026. This marks the brand’s second location in New England and its first in New Hampshire.
Set on 86 scenic acres, the new camp offers views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range, and is surrounded by rolling meadows, lush forests and orchards—providing guests convenient access to White Mountain National Forest—one of the most visited national forests in the U.S. Within a short drive, guests can explore Franconia Notch State Park, the Kancamagus Highway, and the iconic Mount Washington Cog Railway, along with charming gateway towns like Littleton, Bethlehem, and Lancaster.
Under Canvas White Mountains will feature safari-inspired canvas tents, each with a private deck, all featuring West Elm furnishings, an ensuite bathroom with a pull-chain shower, sink and flushing toilet, king-size bed, luxe linens, bedside lanterns, a wood-burning stove, and USB battery packs.
A defining element of the Under Canvas experience is its Mindful Approach—a commitment to sustainability, minimal land disturbance, and thoughtful design that harmonizes with the environment. The brand’s commitment to minimizing light pollution and protecting the night sky is setting the standard in the industry and, in-turn, earned Under Canvas recognition for having the first-ever DarkSky-certified resort in the world.
Whether in treehouses, cabins, yurts, or other accommodations “under canvas,” investors are seeing plenty of opportunities for growth as they plug in to travelers’ desires to get away from it all—well, away from most of it all.
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