Currently at the height of summer travel, travellers are embracing a “seize the day” mentality, despite continued increases in flight and fuel prices. Priceline’s inaugural summer travel report found travellers to be concerned about the cost of travel, yet 70% of respondents expressed a desire to do whatever it took to travel this summer.
Nowhere was this more evident than travel for the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Interest in experiential travel, particularly around events, continues to surge. CNBC reported that the 2026 FIFA World Cup was the most lucrative sporting event in history. CoStar data through June 27 shows that hotels in U.S. host cities averaged RevPAR gains “well above 20%,” surpassing the group’s initial projection of 13%. Miami led with a 51.6% increase in RevPAR, followed by San Francisco at 40.7%. And, throughout the tournament, social media was flooded with travellers from abroad being delighted by American culture, including Buc-ee’s, chain restaurants and ranch dressing.
At the same time, travellers are also investing more in travel insurance as the war in the Middle East continues and other safety concerns arise. According to Allianz’s Global Travel Confidence Index, travel anxiety is hitting younger travellers harder, with those under 35 reporting the highest levels of anxiety. Similarly, travel insurance company Squaremouth reported customers booking travel insurance further out than before.
Below is a snapshot of the travel and hospitality trends our global PR teams have gathered from recent studies, media feedback and industry events.
TRENDS IMPACTING THE TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
- Fluxury Travel: Travellers have acknowledged that they will have to get creative with their summer holiday budgets, but that doesn’t mean they’re budget travellers. Coined “fluxury travel,” these holidays fall somewhere in the middle between all-out luxury and strict budget travel. Travellers are selecting the experiences that are important to them, splurging on some aspects of the holiday while saving on the less important details. This includes spending one night at a five-star hotel and the rest of the holiday at a simpler accommodation or booking a dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant while keeping other holiday costs low, enabling aspirational travel without overspending.
- The Choosy Traveller: Travellers are being more discerning with their holiday decisions as budget concerns continue to be top of mind. According to MMGY’s Portrait of American Travelers™ “Summer Edition,” expected holidays and travel spending in the next 12 months have softened since earlier this year, reflecting a more deliberate approach to destination selection. A report from Hotels.com found that Americans are increasingly using points, bundled packages and timing hacks to stretch their holiday budgets. Skyscanner’s annual Smarter Summer Report found that 73% of Americans surveyed said visiting somewhere no one they know or follow on social media has travelled to is appealing, solidifying the interest in lesser-known or “off the beaten path” destinations.
- Coolcations Are Back: Sweltering summer temperatures in Europe have resulted in a renewed interest in destinations with milder climates. Lonely Planet compared guidebook sales in May 2026 to April 2026 and found an affinity for cooler destinations and bucket-list, nature-driven adventures where travellers can enjoy the outdoors in the summer months, escaping the heat waves in their home destinations. Scandinavia, Canada and Alaska topped the list. Similarly, Criteo’s summer travel trends report found that travellers were 17% more likely to choose colder cities over warmer alternatives during peak summer months.
UK Media Opportunities and Shifts
- Emma Justice has been appointed travel director at Prima alongside her role as travel director at Good Housekeeping.
- Olivia Empson has been appointed U.S. correspondent at The Times and The Sunday Times. She was previously a contributing features writer at Vanity Fair.
- Hayley Minn is now working as a freelance journalist after her role as deputy travel editor at the Mail Online was made redundant.
- Lauren Geall has been appointed deputy site editor at Women’s Health and Men’s Health. Lauren was previously acting health and fitness editor at Stylist.
- Leah Kelly has been promoted to editor at Travel Bulletin.
- Frances Hedges, deputy editor at Harper’s Bazaar, will be leaving in October to commence a new role as editor at Grazia.
DACH Media Opportunities and Shifts
- Hamburg-based Jahreszeiten Verlag is expanding its premium publishing portfolio with the launch of Essenz, a new annual bookazine that brings together curated editorial content from its brands AW Architektur & Wohnen, Der Feinschmecker, MERIAN and Robb Report. Designed as a high-quality collectible with a circulation of 30,000 copies, the publication combines long-form journalism across design, travel, gastronomy, luxury and lifestyle, supported by a dedicated newsletter and positioned as an additional environment for premium advertising partnerships.
- Condé Nast has secured a licensing agreement that will keep the German edition of Glamour in publication on a quarterly basis, reversing earlier plans to discontinue the title as part of a broader international restructuring. The women’s fashion and lifestyle magazine will be published by Munich-based Beautiful Minds Media, the publisher of titles including MADAME and T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
- Renowned publishing house Burda is expanding the freundin brand (leading women’s lifestyle magazine) with the launch of freundin – Gesund leben, a special-interest magazine dedicated to women’s physical and mental health. It is supported by a live event and the brand’s recently launched podcast to extend audience engagement beyond print.
- Motor Presse Stuttgart has launched Healthy LONGEVITY, a new cross-media health brand developed in partnership with the Ganske Publishing Group, combining a premium print magazine with a newsletter and content extensions across Men’s Health and Women’s Health.
BENELUX Media Opportunities and Shifts
- In September, Dutch women’s lifestyle brand VIVA will return online after five years under editor-in-chief Wieke Veenboer as part of Kompas Publishing. The renewed platform will target women aged 28 and older, with a strong focus on community, personal stories, careers, relationships, mental health, lifestyle and travel. Podcasts, video, events, print products and the possible return of the VIVA400 awards are also being explored, creating an important new opportunity for early relationship-building and lifestyle and travel pitching.
- Frank van Hoorn has been appointed deputy editor in chief at Dutch current affairs magazine EW. Business, economic, political and international story angles are most relevant.
- Sijthoff, publisher of Adformatie and Binnenlands Bestuur, has acquired Dutch marketing, communications and digital knowledge platform Frankwatching, which will continue to operate as an independent brand.
- TalkRadio has launched as a 24/7 online audio news channel that will provide short audio news bulletins compiled from ANP reports and KNMI weather information. The launch reflects the continued growth of automated and on-demand audio news distribution.
- Mediahuis Belgium has introduced a new leadership structure across three major news titles and has appointed Indra Dewitte as overall editor in chief of Nieuwsblad, Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Belang van Limburg. Johan Vercammen leads Nieuwsblad, Steven Vankerckhoven remains editor in chief of Gazet van Antwerpen and Koen Goris leads Het Belang van Limburg. Former Nieuwsblad editor-in-chief Liesbeth Van Impe is moving to the United States, where she will continue as a senior writer covering American current affairs.
- PUB has expanded its Belgian print and cross-platform offering by publishing nine print editions in 2026, compared with five previously, alongside its digital channels, newsletters and events.
India Media Opportunities and Shifts
- Based on industry reports, newsroom announcements and LinkedIn chatter, there have been no high-profile editorial moves officially announced in the Indian media this month.
U.S. Media Opportunities and Shifts
- Stacey Leasca is now editor at large for Hotels Above Par, in addition to her freelance work.
- Megan duBois is now senior editor at LuxuryVacationist, a new travel site from the team that runs FamilyVacationist and TourScoop.
- Nikki Vargas is now associate editorial director at Travel + Leisure.
- Zach Wichter left his position as a consumer travel reporter at USA Today.
- Penske Media Corporation acquired Vox, forming PMX, which will combine Penske titles such as Rolling Stone, Billboard and Variety with Vox titles SB Nation, PopSugar and more.
- The Wall Street Journal announced a multiyear deal to provide content on Delta Airlines flights and to the company’s employees. SkyMiles members can unlock a 24-hour trial to The Journal when they log in to Delta Sync Wi-Fi.
