UNPACK ’27: EXPEDIA AND STAYZ REVEAL THE TRAVEL TRENDS INSPIRING THE WORLD IN 2027

Expedia Group (EXPE) unveiled its annual Unpack ’27 report identifying five trends it expects to shape travel in 2027.

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10/14/2026 - 09:01 AM EDT

New Expedia Group report identifies five travel trends set to shape 2027, from carefree getaways and hobby-led trips to emerging destinations and the new Set-Jetting forecast.

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Expedia Group today unveiled Unpack ’27: The Trends in Travel™, the annual report exploring the destinations, experiences, and behaviours expected to shape travel in 2027.

Drawing on first-party insight from Expedia, and Stayz, as well as global traveller research and social listening, Unpack ’27 reveals the new places drawing travellers in 2027 and some surprising things they're doing when they get there.

“Travel is about creating memories and Unpack ’27 uncovers the destinations and experiences shaping those moments,” said Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group. “In 2027, travellers are being more intentional in choosing their next adventure, seeking experiences that are more personal and purposeful to them. We’re making it easier to discover, plan, and book the right trip, so travellers can spend less time managing the details and more time enjoying the moments that matter.”

Expedia Trends

2027 Destinations of the Year — Expedia's Destinations of the Year showcases some of 2027's fastest-growing travel destinations, using real search data to track where traveller interest is climbing:

South Lake Tahoe, California (+195%)
Hyogo, Japan ✓ (+95%)
Punta del Este, Uruguay (+65%)
Sedona, Arizona ✓ (+55%)
Busan, South Korea ✓ (+50%)
Holbox, Mexico (+45%)
Perugia, Italy ✓ (+35%)
The Tweed, New South Wales, Australia ✓ (+35%)
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada (+35%)
Chichester, U.K. ✓ (+30%)¹

Checkmarks designate locations recognised by Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check framework for managing tourism responsibly without overcrowding. Learn more about the Destinations of the Year and Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check here.

Un-Adulting — Travellers are reclaiming child-like joy with getaways built around play, spontaneity, and zero obligations. With Expedia data showing 50% of Aussie travellers are likely to book an Un-Adulting trip in 2027,⁵ theme park events just for grown-ups, immersive attractions, and nostalgic experiences are becoming the ingredients for a genuine break from being an adult. Un-Adulting trips are about wanting a carefree day (67%), a genuine break from responsibilities (56%), and want to relive childhood memories (40%).⁵

Among the Un-Adulting experiences to try in 2027 are Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo, Japan; Colour Factory Chicago, Chicago, U.S.; Park Xcaret, Cancun, Mexico; and Gold Coast: Dreamworld. See the full list of Un-Adulting experiences here.

Set-Jetting — Five years after Expedia Group first named Set-Jetting as a travel trend, screen-inspired travel continues to turn fictional worlds and filming locations into real-world itineraries. Nearly 1 in 5 travellers now report having booked a trip to a destination after seeing it featured in a TV show or movie.⁵

Nearly half of the travellers surveyed reported proactively researching or booking trips to destinations from upcoming TV shows and movies that haven’t even been released yet, rising to 57% among Gen Z and Millennials.⁵On social media, mentions of traveling to Miami increased by 64% year-over-year driven by the upcoming Miami Vice reboot.⁴

More than 25 years on, The Lord of the Rings remains the world's No.1 top set-jetting driver (27%), and with The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum set to hit screens next year, New Zealand is primed for a fresh wave of set-jetting demand.⁷

Other titles on the 2027 forecast include Emily in Paris Season 6, The White Lotus Season 4, Heated Rivalry Season 2, Miami Vice ’85, K-Pop: The Debut, Beach Read, Day Drinker, and the Ocean’s Eleven prequel. These anticipated releases are putting destinations on travellers’ maps before the first episode or scene arrives. Learn more about Set-Jetting here.

Stayz Trends

Hobby Hubs — For a growing number of travellers, trip planning starts with a passion rather than a destination, with Stayz research showing 88% are likely to take a hobby-focused trip in 2027.⁶ Holiday rentals are becoming gathering places for crafting weekends, photography retreats, board-game nights, birding trips, and antiquing escapes with 31% of Aussie travellers saying hobbies play a bigger role in how they travel compared to five years ago.⁶

Connection is key for those looking to engage in hobby holidays. The leading motivations for booking a Hobby Hub are spending time with people who share similar interests (51%), enjoying a hobby in a new setting (46%) and spending time on a hobby (37%).⁶Hobby Hubs bring people together around the activities they love, creating space to connect and enjoy those passions in a new setting.

Some great holiday rentals for Hobby trips include The Hiker’s House, Jarrahdale, Western Australia, Australia, and The Play House, Winchelsea South, Victoria, Australia. See more on Hobby Hubs here.

Heartland Holidays — Beach getaways may be the first destinations that come to mind when considering holiday home rentals, but Stayz has seen dramatic growth in interest for inland destinations. Searches rose most sharply for Canberra, ACT (+55%); Crackenback, NSW (+45%), and Mount Hotham, VIC (+40%), with Nannup, WA and Blue Mountains, NSW also gaining ground.³These smaller towns, and mountain escapes offer local character, cultural energy, outdoor access, and a slower pace away from the usual coastal hotspots.

Nearly 57% of travellers have gone on holiday to non-coastal destinations in the past 12 months, with the top driver for visiting landlocked locales being interest in the local culture, food, and art scenes, followed by a desire to explore off-the-beaten-path places, and affordability.⁶

To learn more about Unpack ’27: The Trends in Travel™, visit www.expedia.com.au/newsroom for the full report, downloadable assets, and brand-specific insights from Expedia and Stayz.

Notes to Editor

1. Destinations of the Year: Based on increases in flight and accommodation searches on Expedia from 1 September, 2025, to 27 July, 2026, vs. 1 September 1, 2024, to 27 July, 2025.

A checkmark denotes destinations that meet the Smart Travel Health Check framework, aligned with World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) principles. The Smart Travel Health Check helps travellers identify destinations that offer rich cultural and natural experiences without the overcrowding seen in many of the world’s most popular cities.

2. Un-Adulting: Social media data based on mentions of “Un-Adulting,” “carefree travel,” and similar terms on X, Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook from 15 April to 30 June, 2026, versus the same period in 2025.

3. Heartland Holidays: Based on holiday rental searches on Stayz.com.au from 1 September, 2025, to 31 May, 2026, versus 1 September, 2024, to 30 April, 2025.

4. Set-Jetting: Search data based on accommodation, flight, and/or package searches on Expedia Group brands in the 30 days after relevant title or filming announcements versus the prior 30 days.

Social media data based on mentions of the shows/films along with travel terms on online news outlets, blogs, and social channels including X, Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook from 1 March, 2026, to 10 June, 2026, compared to the same period the previous year.

Third Party Methodology:

5. Third-party research was conducted by market research company OnePoll in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. The study was conducted online between 4 August, 2026, and 14 August, 2026, among 2,000 adult respondents across Australia, who are planning domestic or international travel in the next three years.

6. Third-party research was conducted by market research company OnePoll in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. The study was conducted online between August 4, 2026, and 18 August, 2026, among 1,000 adults across Australia who have stayed in a holiday rental.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) is the global travel marketplace with one purpose: to help travellers explore the world, one journey at a time. Its ecosystem includes Expedia® and Stayz®, the largest B2B travel business and a premier advertising network. Expedia Group helps millions of travellers in more than 70 countries explore the world with confidence and ease.