Travel appetite is holding firm in 2026, but how, where and how often people go away is changing. Two in three consumers (65%) across the UK, US, France and Germany have been on holiday in the last six months or plan to go in the next six.
That headline hides a widening gap. Europeans are travelling at near-record rates, while some Americans are pulling back on frequent trips as affordability bites. The cost of living is still the number one reason people take fewer holidays, and many are trading down on accommodation to keep travelling.
Meanwhile, technology is changing how trips are planned, with AI tools moving from novelty to the booking journey.
Now in its fourth wave, YouGov's annual travel report has tracked these shifts since October 2023. Download the report to see what is driving demand in each market, and where the opportunities lie for travel brands in the year ahead.
Among the key findings:
- Europe leads, the US lags: around half of Brits (54%), French (52%) and Germans (47%) travelled in the first half of 2026, compared with just a third of Americans (33%).
- Cost of living still bites: half (50%) of those taking fewer holidays blame the high cost of living, and 36% say they simply can no longer afford it.
- AI enters the itinerary: 18% have used AI tools to choose a location, hotel or airline (+8 points vs 2025), and 44% would consider it.
- Under-35s power demand: 50% of under-35s expect to take two or more holidays in the next 12 months, and they are more likely to plan trips abroad, long-haul and adventure holidays.
Inside the full report: market-by-market breakdowns, how travel habits differ by age group, four waves of trend data since 2023, and a UK brand spotlight from YouGov BrandIndex.