Tripadvisor "Trendcast 2026" Highlights the Rise of "Sweat Jetting"

Tripadvisor officially released its second annual "Trendcast" report today, January 28, identifying "Sweat Jetting" as the defining travel identity of 2026.

This trend sees travelers moving beyond passive relaxation to "fitness tourism," where trips are built around marathons, ultra-marathons, and extreme outdoor challenges.

Data shows a 260% surge in pet-friendly "VIP" (Very Important Pet) bookings and a 79% jump in "extreme adventure" experiences, such as tracking snow leopards in Ladakh or trekking across glaciers, as travelers prioritize personal bests over simple sightseeing.

The report also identifies "Noctourism" and "Soft Clubbing" as breakout categories, with 61% of travelers now opting for nighttime activities like stargazing or "museum lates" to avoid the intense daytime heat and crowds.

This shift is being driven by a desire for "meaningful immersion," where even family travel is becoming "child-led"—experience bookings for heritage tours and cooking classes with children's tickets are up 19%.

From the listening bars of Tokyo to soundbaths in Joshua Tree, the 2026 traveler is seeking restorative, communal experiences that feel intentional rather than generic.

This "experience-first" era is having a direct impact on how destinations market themselves. Traditional luxury is being replaced by "Niche Retreats" that focus on specific life stages, such as menopause breaks or grief-recovery weekends.

The Tripadvisor data confirms that 2026 is the year where travel becomes "precision-focused" on the traveler's mental and physical health. Whether it is a "Mara-cation" in Patagonia or a "bookish getaway" to a themed library, the "one-size-fits-all" holiday is officially a relic of the past.

For the 2026 traveler, these trends offer a roadmap to more personalized journeys. As AI tools continue to simplify the "how" of travel, these cultural shifts are redefining the "why."

Tripadvisor’s report suggests that the most successful destinations this year will be those that can offer a "human-centric" connection, whether through high-intensity athletics or the quiet, restorative atmosphere of a vinyl-focused listening bar.