Omio’s NowNext 2026-2027 Travel Report Reveals The Top Six Trends Shaping British Travellers’ Journeys

Brits are leading the charge with a higher desire to travel more often - with 41% admitting they have or would consider taking unpaid leave to travel for an event, passion or hobby

London, UK: 20 October 2026 - Omio, the leading multimodal travel booking platform, today releases the 3rd edition of its annual NowNext Travel Report, developed in partnership with YouGov. 

Travel demand remains strong worldwide, but UK adults show an above-average desire to travel more often. British travellers are also adapting their trips to a shifting travel landscape driven by financial pressures, personal passions, and extreme heat. 

YouGov surveyed 8,505 adults in Brazil, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US (2,128 from the UK). The report is based on 7,357 respondents with any likelihood to travel in the next 12 months (1,838 from the UK). 

The report includes the TRAVEL NOW barometer, reflecting on the current-day status of last year’s insights, with TRAVEL NEXT exploring six emerging trends in how consumers want to tailor their holidays over the next 12 months. 

TRAVEL NOW

• TRAVEL RISING: 77% of Brits say they are likely to take, or have already booked, a holiday or leisure trip in the next 12 months and the desire to travel more often is higher amongst Brits (49%) compared to the surveyed market average of 43%.

• HOME & AWAY: Two thirds of UK travellers (66%) expect to travel within their own country, while 59% expect to visit another country within their continent.

• ASIA APPEALS: Outside Europe, Asia leads among the regions Brits expect to travel to, selected by 22% of UK travellers.

• THE TACTFUL TOURIST: Over the past two years, concerns about tourism pressure have influenced some travellers’ decisions and behaviours. One reported response – travelling outside the busiest season – was less common among UK travellers than across the six surveyed markets (19% vs. 22%).

• WORLDWIDE WEARY: 67% of UK travellers report that global events or disruption will influence how they plan their trips. However, compared to its counterpart countries, the UK has the highest rate of travellers who admit such events won’t impact their travel plans (24%).

• MONEY MATTERS: For 41% of Brits, travel is a priority compared to other non-essential spending and 74% expect to take at least one action to manage travel expenses. This is led by searching for better deals or planning flexibly (34%), and 22% will reduce other spending to travel - rising to 30% of British 25-34 year olds. 

• TRIP OR BUST: Younger Brits are more determined than ever to make a trip happen. 37% of Gen Z plan further ahead compared to 20% of baby boomers, and 27% reduce other spending versus 15% of baby boomers.

TRAVEL NEXT

PICK & MIX TRAVEL
From taking a train to another city to catching a ferry to an island, multi-stop trips let travellers build bespoke itineraries and get more from one holiday. In the next 12 months, 42% of UK travellers are planning or seriously considering a holiday with multiple destinations within the same country or region.

In fact, Brits who have taken, are planning or seriously considering such a trip view these more favourably for savvier reasons, with 43% enjoying getting more experiences from one trip without having to take more holidays - more than in any other country. 

Almost half (46%) say it makes the holiday feel more varied, memorable, or special; 38% say better use of time or money appeals to them; and for 32%, the journeys between stops become part of the overall experience.

And a little R&R is a priority for UK adults too. 36% say slower-paced holidays appeal to them more now, and for 32% taking a holiday mainly to rest rather than see or do as much as possible is more desirable.

SUMMER SHADE
Coolcations can mean more than heading somewhere cooler. Nearly three quarters (72%) selected at least one specific way to adapt when planning a future holiday or leisure trip during hot weather. 42% would consider travelling in a different month or season, rising to 44% among British women compared to 39% of men. A further 28% would consider adapting the timing, route, or mode of transport. 

For a quarter of UK adults (25%), heat can shape the trip itinerary, as they would consider restructuring the day around cooler hours, and it's even more of a priority among Gen Z (30%).

FANS GO THE DISTANCE
Travelling for big events and hobbies isn’t new, but the sacrifices enthusiasts are prepared to make to get there are revealing. When asking Brits what they have done, would seriously or may consider doing for a passion-led trip, 73% selected visiting a destination they hadn’t considered to make it to an event, 69% spending significantly more, 41% taking unpaid leave to go and a further 61% accepting a longer or less comfortable journey. 

The trade-offs extend beyond finances and the journey: 56% selected travelling alone if nobody they knew shared the interest and 49% using most of their annual leave - with Gen Z leading the charge at 58%. 

IN SEARCH OF CONNECTIONS
While we rely on smartphones more than ever, shared journeys can still make space for conversation. When travelling by train, bus, plane or ferry, 77% of UK adults express at least conditional openness to interacting with people they do not already know. 

Like people from other countries, Brits' openness takes different forms. While 25% welcome conversations like exchanging top travel tips or discussing the destination, 24% enjoy getting to know new people while travelling. However, for 26%, it depends entirely on the journey, their mood, or who is around.

FINAL TRAVEL BOSS
It might be 2026, but planning travel still has pain points. Among UK travellers who took a holiday or leisure trip involving multiple bookings, destinations, or transport connections in the past two years, 67% reported at least one planning or trip-management issue. Over one in five (21%) Brits said one person ended up responsible for most of the planning and travel administration, while 16% have had to track bookings and tickets across different emails, apps or websites.

Brits are also levelling up their preparations when it comes to practical steps, with the majority (84%) taking at least one action to reduce the impact of possible disruption. In fact, 43% of British travellers arrive earlier than necessary, or the day before, when travelling for an important event or onward departure - considerably higher than the six-market average of 31%. Additionally, 42% keep tickets, itineraries, and important information available offline; and 41% leave additional time between connections, more so than in any other country. Brits are also embracing digital tools, with 29% using a travel app to monitor their journey and receive live updates - more than any other country surveyed. 

Naren Shaam, CEO of Omio, said: “Travellers are increasingly looking to be proactive and shape journeys around their own priorities – from multi-stop trips to slower, familiar holidays – while being prepared to adapt when plans change. Our goal is to make increased complexity easier to manage, giving consumers more control, while leaving space for the spontaneous human connections that make journeys truly memorable. At Omio, we’re building an AI-native platform that helps travellers discover, compare and book the right journey for them, with less friction from inspiration to destination.”

Read the full NowNext ’26/27 Travel Report: https://www.omio.com/nownext-report

Methodology

Omio developed the NowNext 2026-2027 Travel Report in partnership with YouGov, a renowned international online research data group. The total sample size was 8,505 adults in the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, the USA, and Brazil, of whom 7,357 said they were very likely/somewhat likely/not very likely or didn’t know whether they would take a holiday or leisure trip in the next 12 months. The report is based on respondents with any likelihood of travelling in the next 12 months (excluding not at all likely). Fieldwork was undertaken between 3 and 10 September 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted equally by country to produce an ‘average’ value.