Travel Trends 2026 #3: Altitude Shift (according to Skyscanner)

Every year, Skyscanner publishes its Travel Trends Report, mapping how travelers’ motivations and lifestyles evolve across the world. For 2026, the report identifies seven key trends that redefine how people connect with places, nature, and themselves. In this series, I take inspiration from Skyscanner’s 2026 Travel Trends and explore each theme through the lens of […]

Travel Trends 2026 #2: Shelf Discovery (according to Skyscanner)

Every year, Skyscanner releases its Travel Trends Report, offering insights into how travelers’ habits and expectations evolve around the world. For 2026, the platform identified seven emerging travel trends that blend curiosity, creativity, and lifestyle in unexpected ways. In this series, I take inspiration from Skyscanner’s 2026 Travel Trends and explore each theme through the […]

Travel Trends 2026 #1: Glowmads (according to Skyscanner)

Every year, Skyscanner releases its Travel Trends Report, offering a window into how travelers’ habits and desires are evolving worldwide. For 2026, the platform identified seven new travel trends, each one blending lifestyle, emotion, and aspiration in unexpected ways. In this series, I take inspiration from Skyscanner’s 2026 Travel Trends and explore each theme through […]

The WOW Factor Isn’t (Just) Surprise: It’s (Above All) Intensity

In a world of pre-told travel experiences, does the wow factor still exist? In an age where everything seems already recounted, spoilt by photos, reels and reviews, every destination appears already experienced before we even set foot there. Can we still create wonder? To answer these questions, we must first understand what we really mean […]

Whycation 2026: The Trend I Predicted Is Now Mainstream

Ten years ago, I was already talking about the “Tourism of Meaning” or “Meaning-Based Tourism“: a way of traveling that doesn’t just ask “Where am I going?”, but digs deeper into the question, “What does this journey represent for me?”. Today, Hilton’s new 2026 Trend Report introduces the concept of “Whycation”: trips that begin with […]

Analyzing Tourism Trends: The 7 Drivers of Tourism Trends Insights™

In tourism, timing can make the difference between becoming a pioneer or just another follower. Identifying early signals before they turn into mainstream trends gives destinations and operators the ability to innovate earlier, differentiate their offer, and secure a competitive edge. Moving “early” allows stakeholders not only to stand out in crowded markets, but also […]

Solarpunk and Tourism: a Weak Signal to Monitor

Solarpunk was born as a strand of speculative fiction, but today it has evolved into a cultural movement that imagines a positive future where technology, nature, and communities live in balance.It is an optimistic, almost rebellious vision that stands in contrast to “climate doomerism,” promoting biophilic aesthetics, green architecture, and regenerative community practices. But what […]

Neurodivergent Travellers are a Trend We Cannot Ignore

Tourism is undergoing a profound transformation: the focus is no longer only on physical accessibility, but also on cognitive and emotional inclusion. More and more neurodivergent travellers – people on the autism spectrum, with ADHD, dyslexia, or other neurological differences – are asking for experiences designed for their specific needs. Far from being a marginal […]

The Lifecycle of Tourism Trends: from Seed to Mainstream

Introduction. From Signal to Phenomenon A tourism trend never appears out of nowhere. Before a theme reaches the pages of newspapers or destination catalogues, it has already travelled a path made of fragile signals, niche communities, and early experimentation. In previous posts, I presented two examples of emerging micro-niches, Cat Tourism and Decora Fashion x […]

Decora Fashion and Tourism: A Colourful Weak Signal to Watch

Decora fashion is one of Harajuku’s most iconic styles. Emerging in the late 1990s, it is defined by layering colorful clothes, hair clips, toys, stickers, and accessories until the body becomes a walking rainbow. More than a look, it is a philosophy of joyful maximalism — a playful rebellion against minimalism and conformity. Today a […]

Cat Tourism: Why Cats Are Becoming a Global Travel Trend

Cats have always captured human imagination. They are symbols of independence, mystery, and comfort. In the past decade, they have also become global stars of social media. But now cats are moving from our screens into our travel itineraries. From islands where cats outnumber people to hotels adapting to feline guests, Cat Tourism is becoming […]

Tourism Trends Insights™: How to Anticipate Trends for Innovation

Tourism changes faster than the strategies of many destinations and operators. Those who fail to innovate risk a decline in demand and a loss of competitiveness. To stay relevant, it is not enough to follow what works today: we need tools to anticipate emerging trends and turn them into concrete opportunities. In recent years, new […]

Digital Nomad Destinations: Six International Case Studies

The rise of remote work has reshaped the global landscape of labor and mobility. What seemed almost impossible just a few decades ago – working from home, or from anywhere in the world – is now a common reality. In this fast-changing scenario, countries and cities are competing to attract remote professionals, turning digital nomads […]

Tourism Offer Innovation: The Key to Move Beyond Overtourism

In recent years, international tourism has revealed its most problematic side: overtourism. It is not only about seasonal crowds, but a phenomenon that changes residents’ lives, damages the environment, and weakens the visitor experience. From Venice to Barcelona, and even in natural sites such as Maya Bay, overcrowding has become a symbol of the contradictions […]

Robots in Action: Real-World Applications in the Hospitality Sector

“The Impact of Robotics and Automation on Hospitality: An International Case Study Analysis” (Chengi A., 2025) is the title of an outstanding thesis I had the opportunity to supervise, authored by graduate student Alessia Chengi. Her research investigates how emerging technologies—particularly service robots and smart automation—are transforming hotel operations, redefining staff roles, and influencing the […]

Experience Co-Design and Sustainable Tourism: 10 International Case Studies

1. Introduction “Designing Travel Experiences in Sustainable Tourism: Analysis and Comparison of International Case Studies” is the title of the thesis recently presented by Claudia Porcu at IULM University in Milan. (originally written in Italian). (Porcu, C., 2025).I had the pleasure of supervising the project as thesis advisor, supporting a research path that skilfully combined […]

Travel Trends 2025 #7: Gami-vacation (according to Skyscanner)

Every year, Skyscanner releases its Travel Trends report. For 2025, the platform identified seven imaginative, hybrid, and often surprising ways people will travel next. In this series, I take a closer look at each trend through the lens of tourism innovation, experience design, and destination strategy. Source: Skyscanner Travel Trends 2025 > https://www.skyscanner.net/travel-trends/gaming Gami-vacation Trend […]

Travel Trends 2025 #6: Horti-Culture (according to Skyscanner)

Every year, Skyscanner releases its Travel Trends report. For 2025, the platform identified seven imaginative, hybrid, and often surprising ways people will travel next. In this series, I take a closer look at each trend through the lens of tourism innovation, experience design, and destination strategy. Source: Skyscanner Travel Trends 2025 > https://www.skyscanner.net/travel-trends/botanical “Horti-Culture” Trend […]

Travel Trends 2025 #5: ART-Venture (according to Skyscanner)

Every year, Skyscanner releases its Travel Trends report. For 2025, the platform identified seven imaginative, hybrid, and often surprising ways people will travel next. In this series, I take a closer look at each trend through the lens of tourism innovation, experience design, and destination strategy. Source: Skyscanner Travel Trends 2025 > https://www.skyscanner.net/travel-trends/art-culture Art-Venture Trend […]

Travel Trends 2025 #4: Cowboy Core (according to Skyscanner)

Every year, Skyscanner releases its Travel Trends report. For 2025, the platform identified seven imaginative, hybrid, and often surprising ways people will travel next. In this series, I take a closer look at each trend through the lens of tourism innovation, experience design, and destination strategy. Source: Skyscanner Travel Trends 2025 > https://www.skyscanner.net/travel-trends/cowboy-core Trend Overview […]