The future of travel
Hands-on culinary travel MAKING, NOT TASTING, WHETS APPETITES Travellers now prefer skills over tasting and sampling. Airbnb reports bakery classes among its most-booked food experiences, from croissant workshops in Paris to mochi-making in Tokyo. Wine tourism is also shifting away from legacy regions towards emerging destinations such as the Finger Lakes, New York and Bangalore, India. Participation and learning drive deeper engagement, delivering longer-lasting memories and cultural connection than
Destination hotels take the lead WHEN THE STAY ITSELF BECOMES THE DRAW Accommodation is now a trigger, not just a base. Skyscanner finds 45% of travellers have chosen a destination based on accommodation alone, rising to 61% among Gen Z. Design-led, experience-forward properties are increasingly driving destination choice. Hotels are becoming destinations in their own right, using architecture, programming and community engagement as marketing assets. Property identity now matters as much as location. The ‘Pawprints Economy’ now bites PET OWNERS TRAVEL MORE, STAY LONGER Travel with pets is moving rapidly into the mainstream. Research from Shape Insight shows 27% of pet parents who travelled with their pet in 2025 were doing so for the first time, highlighting accelerating demand. As regulations evolve, animals are moving from cargo to cabin. Policy changes are unlocking mobility. In China, China Railway Express has piloted pet-friendly journeys on the Beijing-Shanghai route. In Italy, new ENAC rules now allow medium and large dogs to travel in the passenger cabin, while the UK’s reintroduced pet passport removes costly single-use health certificates, restoring pre-Brexit freedoms. Innovation is extending beyond transport.
27%
of pet owners travelled with their pet for the first time in 2025
1 in 3 prioritise destinations perceived as safe and 63% would pay extra for specific room features
traditional dining-led itineraries. ‘Pick ’n’ Stays’ the new personalisation CHECKING INTO THE UNBUNDLED ROOM
Personalisation has finally reached the hotel room. ‘Pick ’n’ Stays’ enable guests to select precise attributes rather than broad categories. Amadeus’ Travel Dreams research shows 63% of travellers are willing to pay extra for specific room features, with clear differences across traveller types. Business travellers prioritise productivity tools; Gen Z values entertainment and tech; wellness travellers favour in-room kits and meditation spaces. Tools such as Hotelverse intensify anticipation by letting guests explore digital twins before booking. For hotels, unbundling the stay unlocks creativity and new revenue by selling lifestyle, not just space.
Below: Making noodles and broth with a ramen legend – Airbnb Originals
188 | ITB GLOBAL TRAVEL COLLECTION
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