What did we learn from 2025? Sustainable tourism trends that will shape 2026

In 2025, sustainability was increasingly seen as more than just a "green" issue; it became a community and quality of life matter. According to Booking.com's 2025 research summary, 53% of surveyed travellers were already highly aware of tourism's impact on communities, and 69% expressed a desire to leave destinations in better condition than they found them. This mindset is expected to grow further in 2026: guests will not only seek "beautiful accommodation" but also experiences that avoid overcrowding, conflict, and "invisible damage".

This shift points to the increasing importance of transparent, comprehensible information in 2026. Data and feedback that help determine how well a place or service fits into its local environment. The I-DEST approach builds on this: it doesn't label destinations as "good" or "bad," but provides context, enabling travellers to make more informed decisions.

In 2025, it became clear in many places that managing crowds cannot rely solely on communication. By 2026, many destinations will focus on increased tourist taxes, new fees, and regulatory measures, partly to reduce pressure and partly to fund infrastructure. For instance, in 2026, several popular destinations are expected to introduce higher or new tourism taxes and entry fees, as reported by the news. This trend is likely to become even more prominent in Europe in 2026: moving away from the "everything for everyone, always" model towards prioritising liveability and capacity.

According to UN Tourism forecasts, this approach will gain further traction in 2026, particularly in Europe. In this context, digital and data-driven solutions that predict pressure and suggest alternative times or locations will become increasingly valuable. The I-DEST approach, in this sense, doesn't dictate directions but makes patterns visible for destinations and providers to create more liveable environments.

The European Commission's Transition Pathway for Tourism approach in 2025 continued to emphasise that the competitiveness and sustainability of tourism in the coming years will be built on the trio of green transition + digital transition + resilience. In 2026, solutions that measure operations (energy, waste, mobility pressure) and enable destinations to intervene based on data rather than intuition (e.g., timed communication, traffic diversion, capacity management) are expected to accelerate.

In 2026, more destinations will use data to manage energy consumption, visitor flows, and seasonality. This kind of measurability is not only important for providers but also for travellers, who increasingly value transparent operations. The I-DEST plays a mediating role in this process: connecting data, interpretation, and decision support.

The World Economic Forum's 2025 materials describe the future of tourism as an ecosystem where personalised experiences and business development go hand in hand with strengthened social and environmental commitments. In 2026, artificial intelligence and data-driven planning will become part of everyday practice: optimising routes and timing, directing demand to less crowded time slots, improving capacity utilisation, reducing "unnecessary movements," and minimising waste. In short: AI is not a trend in itself but a tool to deliver the same experience more intelligently and with less impact.

This logic aligns closely with the thinking represented by I-DEST: the goal is not to recommend "more" but to provide the right experience at the right time and place.

The demand for longer stays and slower, more immersive travel is not just about experiences. UN Tourism and several European policy analyses also highlight that longer stays, as opposed to shorter, frequent trips, offer more balanced pressure on destinations while providing more stable economic benefits for local providers.

Similar conclusions appear in the European Commission's tourism analyses, where the "longer stays, fewer trips" logic is seen not only as an environmental issue but also as a resilience and competitiveness factor. In 2026, more destinations and providers are expected to consciously encourage longer stays – not just through discounts but by offering richer, locally-focused experiences.

This is not only an environmental issue but also one of quality of experience. The I-DEST approach aligns with this trend: its content and analyses do not list quick "tick-box" attractions but help interpret a region as a more complex entity.

It is telling that UN Tourism and major tech/data actors (such as Amadeus) are organising region-specific programmes and events focused on Travel Insights 2025 & Trends 2026. This indicates that in 2026, knowledge about "what works" will circulate faster within the system: destinations and providers won't start from scratch but will work from adaptable patterns, comparable data, and toolkits.

The I-DEST programme supports knowledge sharing not only with monitoring data but also with free, multilingual e-learning materials available on Moodle.

One of the key lessons of 2025 is that sustainable tourism is not a separate trend but a prerequisite for higher-quality travel. In 2026, destinations and travellers who not only react to problems but think ahead – in terms of timing, pressure, and community impact – will have the advantage.

In this environment, decision-support approaches like I-DEST's help facilitate more conscious travel not with loud messages but with clear information and context – ultimately leading to a better experience for everyone.