Easyjet’s 2026 Report: Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Cyprus See Growth In Long-haul Alternatives As British Tourists Flock To Affordable Dark-sky Tourism

Published on February 5, 2026

As 2026 approaches, recreation trends are undergoing a monolithic shift. From longer short-haul flights to an accrued attraction connected dark-sky tourism, there’s a important translator happening successful really group travel. easyJet’s latest study offers a glimpse into nan future, revealing really Britain, alongside different nations, is embracing these changes. This move displacement is driven by a blend of purposeful travel and a desire for unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. With breathtaking caller trends and evolving traveller behaviour, nan scenery of tourism is bound to look different successful 2026.

In this article, we’ll research nan cardinal takeaways from easyJet’s study and what these changes mean for some nan aviation manufacture and travellers. EasyJet’s 2026 recreation report provides a broad position of what to expect successful position of trends, from much adventurous formation options to nan emergence of astronomy tourism. We’ll besides return a person look astatine really different generations are rethinking their recreation plans, really exertion is making recreation much accessible, and really sports holidays are evolving.

The Rise of Longer Short-Haul Flights

easyJet’s 2026 study highlights a increasing inclination successful longer short-haul flights. Traditionally, short-haul recreation has been defined arsenic trips taking nary much than 3 hours. However, nan study indicates that much and much travellers are seeking flights that autumn wrong nan 5 to six-hour range. This alteration is owed to nan desire to acquisition caller destinations that connection amended worth without nan committedness of long-haul flights. Countries for illustration Tunisia, Morocco, and Turkey are seeing increases successful bookings, pinch easyJet reporting a 21% emergence successful flights to these regions compared to nan erstwhile year.

• Tunisia is increasing arsenic a apical destination, peculiarly nan land of Djerba, pinch a 12% increase successful flights from nan UK.
• Tbilisi, nan superior of Georgia, is becoming a celebrated city-break destination, driven by caller nonstop routes from nan UK.
• Turkey, Morocco, and Cyprus are besides emerging arsenic awesome hotspots for longer leisure breaks, providing an affordable yet rich | taste experience.

The Astronomy Tourism Boom: A New Trend for 2026

2026 is predicted to beryllium a large twelvemonth for astronomy tourism. This caller trend, peculiarly celebrated among younger travellers (Gen Z), is being driven by a increasing liking successful astrophotography and dark-sky tourism. easyJet’s study reveals that TikTok is playing a cardinal domiciled successful shaping recreation choices, pinch users sharing captivating images of celestial events and stargazing locations.

• The total star eclipse connected August 12, 2026, will beryllium 1 of nan astir anticipated events for astronomy enthusiasts, particularly for those travelling to Spain, including Valencia, Palma Mallorca, and Ibiza.
• Dark-sky tourism, which involves visiting areas pinch small to nary ray contamination for optimal stargazing, is connected nan rise. These areas supply an perfect mounting for astrophotographers and star-gazers to seizure stunning celestial images.

Pilgrimage Travel: A Spiritual Revival

Another astonishing inclination highlighted by easyJet’s study is nan rise successful visit travel. Although belief journeys person been a portion of quality history for centuries, they are now making a comeback, peculiarly among younger travellers. Known arsenic Gen-P, these travellers are keen to research humanities visit routes, blending spirituality pinch civilization and a consciousness of connection. Popular destinations include:

• Santiago de Compostela successful Spain, a awesome Catholic visit site, remains a important tie for belief tourists.
• Lourdes, located successful nan South of France, continues to pull pilgrims from crossed nan globe, offering a unsocial blend of belief practice and earthy beauty.

Screen Tourism: Books, TV Shows, and Film Inspire Travel

easyJet’s investigation indicates that screen tourism, inspired by movies, TV shows, and books, is having a profound effect connected destination choices. With nan resurgence of celebrated TV shows for illustration The White Lotus, which is filming successful Europe successful 2026, much and much travellers are choosing to sojourn locations featured successful their favourite shows and films. The relationship betwixt media and tourism is stronger than ever, pinch 28% of British holidaymakers stating they would take a destination based connected its quality successful films, books, aliases TV shows.

• Shakespeare’s Verona and Hemingway’s Pamplona are becoming basking spots for literary tourism.
• The southbound of France, wherever parts of The White Lotus will beryllium filmed, is apt to spot a surge successful visitors eager to acquisition nan locations featured successful nan show.

Sports Holidays: Beyond Stadiums to Fan Zones

Sport holidays are besides evolving. The thought of attending a sporting arena purely for nan action successful nan stadium is changing. Now, travellers are seeking to immerse themselves successful nan atmosphere surrounding awesome sports events, particularly successful nan fan zones group up crossed Europe during awesome tournaments. With nan 2026 FIFA World Cup taking spot successful North America, easyJet predicts galore fans will opt to recreation to instrumentality zones successful European cities to bask nan buzz of nan tourney without nan long-haul flight.

• The popularity of padel and pickleball successful destinations for illustration Spain is adding a caller magnitude to sport-focused holidays. As these sports turn successful popularity, travellers are now seeking holidays wherever they tin prosecute successful activities for illustration padel and pickleball while abroad.

Technology’s Role successful Travel: AI, VR, and Translation

Technology is playing a important domiciled successful shaping recreation successful 2026. easyJet’s study shows that galore travellers are utilizing virtual reality (VR) experiences to preview destinations earlier they book their flights. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping pinch personalised recreation planning, ensuring that recommendations are tailored to individual preferences. Moreover, connection barriers are becoming little of an issue, pinch translation technology helping travellers navigate overseas countries pinch ease.

• 52% of British travellers opportunity they scheme to sojourn a new destination successful 2026, utilizing exertion to heighten their recreation experiences.
• 22% of Brits are now utilizing translator apps while overseas to make connection smoother, particularly successful countries wherever English is not wide spoken.

Generational Differences: The Changing Face of Travel

easyJet’s study besides delves into really different generations are shaping recreation behaviour. For instance, parents pinch pre-school children are travelling much earlier schoolhouse term-time restrictions begin. On nan different hand, empty-nesters, aliases “Home Alone” parents, whose big children enactment down to look aft nan location aliases pets, are rediscovering nan state to recreation erstwhile their children person grown up.

• Younger travellers are progressively opting for much meaningful recreation experiences that spell beyond relaxation, seeking trips that connection taste aliases belief enrichment.
• Older generations are enjoying greater elasticity successful their recreation plans, often choosing destinations based connected nostalgia aliases to reconnect pinch nature.

A New Era of Meaningful Travel

In 2026, recreation will nary longer beryllium conscionable astir getting away—it will beryllium astir uncovering meaning. With longer short-haul flights becoming nan norm, dark-sky tourism gaining traction, and pilgrimages and screen tourism shaping nan measurement group take destinations, recreation is evolving into a much purpose-driven pursuit. Technology is besides playing a pivotal domiciled successful making recreation much accessible and tailored, ensuring that nan acquisition is some memorable and meaningful.

As we look guardant to nan twelvemonth ahead, it’s clear that holidays successful 2026 will beryllium much intentional, pinch travellers seeking experiences that connection deeper connections, whether that’s done nature, culture, sport, aliases spirituality. Whether you’re booking a dark-sky tour for nan star eclipse aliases visiting a historic visit route, 2026 promises to beryllium nan twelvemonth wherever holidays person purpose.