New Research: Global Hotel Alliance Unveils 2026 Travel Trends 

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Across the travel landscape, a values reset is reshaping priorities. After years of growth and disruption, travelers are rethinking not only where they go, but also why they travel and what truly makes a trip worthwhile. Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), a collection of 50 independent hotel brands with more than 950 hotels in 100 countries, captures this shift through its 2026 Travel Trends Survey, a data-rich look at how travelers are redefining luxury, loyalty, and purpose for the year ahead.

Kristi Gole, executive vice president of strategy at Global Hotel Alliance, says the data tells a clear story. “We’re seeing travelers recalibrate, not retreat,” she explained. “Compared to 2025, there’s a subtle but meaningful shift toward quality over quantity. While slightly more leisure trips are planned on average, travel is becoming significantly more intentional, personal, and experiential.”

Below, four key trends illustrate how these shifts will play out in 2026.

Recalibrating Travel: From Quantity to Quality

Travelers are rethinking the pace and purpose of their journeys. GHA’s survey data shows that 65% say travel expresses who they are, with nearly half placing travel above career or education milestones. “So rather than chasing more trips, travelers are curating better ones — authentic, restorative, and aligned with their values,” Gole said.

That intentionality extends to pacing. Forty-two percent of respondents now prefer “unplanned, relaxing” trips that prioritize comfort, wellbeing, and time — what GHA calls the “slow and steady” trend. Luxury today is increasingly defined by balance and flexibility rather than material indulgence.

Destination choices are also diversifying. Japan and Thailand remain top picks, but the gap is narrowing. Interestingly, the United States has surged to the fourth most popular destination among GHA members after not ranking in the top ten last year — a notable shift, even as broader industry sentiment around U.S. inbound travel remains more cautious.

Hotel quality, safety, and location remain essential, but loyalty programs now rank above price and brand in booking decisions. “Loyalty program website or app continues as the preferred booking channel, followed by direct on the hotel’s site,” Gole said. “Loyalty benefits that enhance the stay experience remain the most valued, followed by member rates.”

The Selective Splurge: Spending With Intention

Even amid economic uncertainty, travelers are not cutting back — they’re spending with purpose. “This is a notable behavioral shift,” Gole said. “Travelers aren’t being frugal, they’re being discerning.”

Nearly 80% of GHA members say they will spend selectively on meaningful upgrades in 2026, and 86% refuse to compromise on hotel quality. The concept of the “selective splurge” — investing in experiences that feel personal and emotionally rewarding — is redefining premium travel.

“Hotels should think less about discounting and more about differentiating,” Gole explained. “That can include curating value-rich upgrades with exclusive access, time-saving services, or unique experiences that justify the splurge. The selective splurge is about spending with intention; hotels need to translate premium into personal meaning.”

This mindset favors experiences that create memories, not excess — a shift from luxury as display to luxury as connection.

Loyalty Redefined: From Programs to Ecosystems

If 2025 was about loyalty’s comeback, 2026 is about its transformation. Travelers expect loyalty to extend far beyond hotel stays, touching dining, wellness, shopping, and other lifestyle areas.

GHA’s data shows that 70% of members consider out-of-hotel benefits important, with nearly a quarter calling them “very important.” Younger travelers, in particular, view loyalty as an extension of their identity — not a transactional program, but a personal ecosystem.

“Loyalty programs have the advantage of being data-rich,” Gole said. “It’s about further developing that to ensure members are treated as individuals, and making sure that happens across touchpoints and experiences on and off property.”

Transparency also matters. “It’s about brands being clear about their values and mindful of their alignment with their customer base,” she added. For GHA, that means positioning its GHA Discovery program as more than a rewards platform. “The most successful programs will act as lifestyle ecosystems, helping members express who they are through how they travel.” 

Technology and Trust: Balancing AI and Authenticity

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how travelers plan and book, and GHA’s data shows the rapid growth in adoption. “Nearly two-thirds of our members have used a tool like ChatGPT to plan a trip, with almost four-fifths of our Gen Z travelers doing that,” Gole said. “And four-fifths said they’d be comfortable using an AI-powered travel concierge.”

“The opportunities are to personalize at scale, anticipate preferences, tailor communications, and streamline experiences like research, booking, and processes at the hotel,” she said. “AI also frees up staff to focus on the high-touch, better-as-human interactions.”

But balance is key. “The challenges are to keep the human element in the mix and not over-automate,” Gole cautioned. “Hospitality is about warmth, connection, and relationships. Technology should better enable that, but it can’t replace the emotional side.”

This focus on human connection extends to sustainability and ethics. Three-quarters of GHA members say sustainability remains something they appreciate and expect, especially among younger travelers who seek authenticity. “For Gen Z especially, sustainability is intertwined with identity and purpose, and it largely impacts their travel choices,” Gole said.

Social responsibility, too, has become non-negotiable. “Hotels and businesses are expected to do their part to help both people and the planet,” she noted.

A More Meaningful Future

Looking ahead, Gole expects this emerging mindset to shape travel well beyond 2026. “The one that resonates most is how travel won’t be about more, but about more meaningful experiences,” she said. “Travel will be increasingly defined by personal value creation — experiences that enrich a person’s mind, time, connection, and soul — with the biggest emphasis being on creating a feeling of inner peace.”

As GHA’s research shows, travelers are no longer just exploring destinations — they’re exploring themselves. The next evolution of hospitality will belong to brands that understand that distinction and design journeys that deliver not just experiences, but meaning.

This content was created collaboratively by Global Hotel Alliance and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.