Uncategorized

From child-free escapes to ‘extreme’ day trips: The trends redefining Britain’s summer holidays

Brits are breaking the holiday habit, with 71% planning to visit somewhere new this summer.*Shanghai is the hottest global summer trending destination, with searches up 88%.**Interest in the ‘extreme’ day trip is booming with over half (58%) of Brits wanting to travel to a dream destination and back in a single day.***Child-free escapes are on the rise, with 30% of parents saying they’d rather holiday without the kids.***Booking.com’s Summer Getaway Report reveals the trends reshaping how Brits holiday in 2026. Britain’s summer holiday is getting a makeover. Nearly three quarters (71%)* of Brits are planning to visit somewhere they’ve never been before, according to Booking.com’s Summer Getaway Report – and the data shows a nation hungry for new experiences and bigger adventures.Spain still tops the charts as the UK’s favourite summer destination – leading both Booking.com search data and holiday wishlists (32%)*** – but travellers are looking further afield. Booking.com search data shows Shanghai, China is this summer’s fastest-rising global destination for Brits, with searches up 88% year on year.**Closer to home, there is a fresh demand for UK breaks too, with Morecambe (+106%), Carnforth (+86%) and Exmouth (+76%) among the fastest-rising staycation spots, and rounding out the top five summer trending destinations alongside Shanghai and Santa Barbara.**Trending Global Getaways for summer 2026**Shanghai, China (+88%)Santa Barbara, USA (+57%)LA, USA (+26%)Kemer, Turkey (+25%)Santa Maria, Cape Verde (+24%) Trending European Escapes**Budva, Montenegro (+56%)Dublin, Ireland (+48%)Durres, Albania (+42%)Peschiera del Garda, Italy (+38%)Kotor, Montenegro (+34%) Trending UK Staycation Hotspots**Morecambe (+106%)Carnforth (+86%)Exmouth (+76%)Penzance (+45%)Stratford- upon-Avon (+42%)The rise of the ‘extreme’ day tripForget the weekend break. Brits are looking to embrace a bolder approach in the ‘extreme’ day trip. Nearly six in 10 (58%) say they’d travel to a dream destination and back in a single day, and one in five (21%) have already done it***. Booking.com flight search data backs the trend revealing that searches by Brits for same-day return international flights have risen 62% year on year.****This drive to do more extends to holidays overall. More than a third (37%) say they’re fitting more into every trip than ever before, and almost two thirds (65%) now choose experiences over simply switching off.***Sub-culture capitalsThat experience-first mindset is also reshaping why Brits choose to travel, with city breaks increasingly built around food (24%), festivals and cultural events (20%), art galleries (16%), coffee culture (14%) and vintage shopping (12%).***Almost a third (32%) admit it is their shorter attention span that is driving their desire to squeeze more into every getaway.***Child-free escapes take off this summerFamily holidays remain the most popular type of trip (51%)*, but many parents are carving out time for themselves too. Almost one in three Brits (30%) say they’d rather holiday without their children this summer. 41% are planning an adults-only getaway, and 37% are actively seeking adults-only hotels and resorts. It’s perhaps not a surprise, as over half of parents (51%) admit holidays with kids can be more stressful than relaxing.***Solo travellers head off the beaten trackSolo travel keeps gaining ground, and Portuguese destinations are leading the charge. Booking.com data shows searches for solo trips to Monção have surged 5,288%, while Machico is up 375%.*****Trending solo travel destinations:Monção, Portugal (+5288%)Machico, Portugal (+376%)Trapani, Italy (+131%)Porto Vecchio, France (+99%)Zakynthos Town, Greece (+93%)Love is in the air this summerRomance is also high on travellers’ priority lists, with 76%* of Brits planning summer trips with romance in mind. Nearly a quarter (23%) of single Brits hope to find love on their summer getaway, while 13% admit they have even travelled overseas for a date.***The year of the bigger holiday budgetDespite cost-of-living pressures, many Brits are refusing to cut back on travel. Almost a third (31%) plan to spend more than usual this summer, with average budgets reaching £1,526. Much of that extra spend is being allocated to bucket-list experiences (27%), better accommodation (21%) and upgraded flights (18%). That said, almost a quarter (22%) of savvy travellers are still choosing connecting flights to keep costs down.*** Passion-led travel replaces the beach breakThe traditional beach holiday is no longer the default with Brits increasingly building trips around personal passions – trips featuring hiking (19%), wildlife spotting (16%), solar eclipses (12%) and stargazing (10%) are all on the rise.***When it comes to hiking, solo travellers are swapping resorts for scenic trails, with searches for the Seven Sisters Cliffs up 661% and the Lake District up 164%.******Wellness is also climbing the travel agenda. From silent off-grid retreats (15%) to yoga breaks (10%), Brits are seeking more restorative escapes – saunas (22%), ice baths (12%), sound baths (11%), juice cleanses (11%) and breathwork sessions (11%) featuring in holiday plans.***Ryan Pearson, Regional Manager for UK & Ireland at Booking.com, says: “This summer, we’re seeing holidays redefined. While classic destinations remain hugely popular, travellers are becoming more intentional about why they travel – whether it’s to discover somewhere new, embrace a solo adventure or a child-free break, or to follow a personal passion. This year’s trends show people feel more inspired and adventurous than ever before.”Whatever your travel style this summer, Booking.com offers a wide range of places to stay and experiences to help you make the most of your trip.ENDSMethodology:* Toluna surveyed 1,800 British leisure travellers** Accommodation searches by UK travellers between 01.04.26 and 01.05.26 for stays between 26.07.26 and 04.09.26*** The Opinium UK Consumer Omnibus online survey of 2,000 UK adults (18 and over).**** Flight searches between 15 November 2026 and 15 May 2026, compared to 15 Nov 15 2024 and 15 May 2025***** Accommodation searches by UK solo travellers between 01.01.26 and 01.05.26 for stays between 24.07.26 and 04.09.26****** Accommodation searches by UK solo travellers between 01.01.26 – 14.04.26 for stays between 01.05.26 and 30.09.26Brits are breaking the holiday habit, with 71% planning to visit somewhere new this summer.*Shanghai is the hottest global summer trending destination, with searches up 88%.**Interest in the ‘extreme’ day trip is booming with over half (58%) of Brits wanting to travel to a dream destination and back in a single day.***Child-free escapes are on the rise, with 30% of parents saying they’d rather holiday without the kids.***Booking.com’s Summer Getaway Report reveals the trends reshaping how Brits holiday in 2026. Britain’s summer holiday is getting a makeover. Nearly three quarters (71%)* of Brits are planning to visit somewhere they’ve never been before, according to Booking.com’s Summer Getaway Report – and the data shows a nation hungry for new experiences and bigger adventures.Spain still tops the charts as the UK’s favourite summer destination – leading both Booking.com search data and holiday wishlists (32%)*** – but travellers are looking further afield. Booking.com search data shows Shanghai, China is this summer’s fastest-rising global destination for Brits, with searches up 88% year on year.**Closer to home, there is a fresh demand for UK breaks too, with Morecambe (+106%), Carnforth (+86%) and Exmouth (+76%) among the fastest-rising staycation spots, and rounding out the top five summer trending destinations alongside Shanghai and Santa Barbara.**Trending Global Getaways for summer 2026**Shanghai, China (+88%)Santa Barbara, USA (+57%)LA, USA (+26%)Kemer, Turkey (+25%)Santa Maria, Cape Verde (+24%) Trending European Escapes**Budva, Montenegro (+56%)Dublin, Ireland (+48%)Durres, Albania (+42%)Peschiera del Garda, Italy (+38%)Kotor, Montenegro (+34%) Trending UK Staycation Hotspots**Morecambe (+106%)Carnforth (+86%)Exmouth (+76%)Penzance (+45%)Stratford- upon-Avon (+42%)The rise of the ‘extreme’ day tripForget the weekend break. Brits are looking to embrace a bolder approach in the ‘extreme’ day trip. Nearly six in 10 (58%) say they’d travel to a dream destination and back in a single day, and one in five (21%) have already done it***. Booking.com flight search data backs the trend revealing that searches by Brits for same-day return international flights have risen 62% year on year.****This drive to do more extends to holidays overall. More than a third (37%) say they’re fitting more into every trip than ever before, and almost two thirds (65%) now choose experiences over simply switching off.***Sub-culture capitalsThat experience-first mindset is also reshaping why Brits choose to travel, with city breaks increasingly built around food (24%), festivals and cultural events (20%), art galleries (16%), coffee culture (14%) and vintage shopping (12%).***Almost a third (32%) admit it is their shorter attention span that is driving their desire to squeeze more into every getaway.***Child-free escapes take off this summerFamily holidays remain the most popular type of trip (51%)*, but many parents are carving out time for themselves too. Almost one in three Brits (30%) say they’d rather holiday without their children this summer. 41% are planning an adults-only getaway, and 37% are actively seeking adults-only hotels and resorts. It’s perhaps not a surprise, as over half of parents (51%) admit holidays with kids can be more stressful than relaxing.***Solo travellers head off the beaten trackSolo travel keeps gaining ground, and Portuguese destinations are leading the charge. Booking.com data shows searches for solo trips to Monção have surged 5,288%, while Machico is up 375%.*****Trending solo travel destinations:Monção, Portugal (+5288%)Machico, Portugal (+376%)Trapani, Italy (+131%)Porto Vecchio, France (+99%)Zakynthos Town, Greece (+93%)Love is in the air this summerRomance is also high on travellers’ priority lists, with 76%* of Brits planning summer trips with romance in mind. Nearly a quarter (23%) of single Brits hope to find love on their summer getaway, while 13% admit they have even travelled overseas for a date.***The year of the bigger holiday budgetDespite cost-of-living pressures, many Brits are refusing to cut back on travel. Almost a third (31%) plan to spend more than usual this summer, with average budgets reaching £1,526. Much of that extra spend is being allocated to bucket-list experiences (27%), better accommodation (21%) and upgraded flights (18%). That said, almost a quarter (22%) of savvy travellers are still choosing connecting flights to keep costs down.*** Passion-led travel replaces the beach breakThe traditional beach holiday is no longer the default with Brits increasingly building trips around personal passions – trips featuring hiking (19%), wildlife spotting (16%), solar eclipses (12%) and stargazing (10%) are all on the rise.***When it comes to hiking, solo travellers are swapping resorts for scenic trails, with searches for the Seven Sisters Cliffs up 661% and the Lake District up 164%.******Wellness is also climbing the travel agenda. From silent off-grid retreats (15%) to yoga breaks (10%), Brits are seeking more restorative escapes – saunas (22%), ice baths (12%), sound baths (11%), juice cleanses (11%) and breathwork sessions (11%) featuring in holiday plans.***Ryan Pearson, Regional Manager for UK & Ireland at Booking.com, says: “This summer, we’re seeing holidays redefined. While classic destinations remain hugely popular, travellers are becoming more intentional about why they travel – whether it’s to discover somewhere new, embrace a solo adventure or a child-free break, or to follow a personal passion. This year’s trends show people feel more inspired and adventurous than ever before.”Whatever your travel style this summer, Booking.com offers a wide range of places to stay and experiences to help you make the most of your trip.ENDSMethodology:* Toluna surveyed 1,800 British leisure travellers** Accommodation searches by UK travellers between 01.04.26 and 01.05.26 for stays between 26.07.26 and 04.09.26*** The Opinium UK Consumer Omnibus online survey of 2,000 UK adults (18 and over).**** Flight searches between 15 November 2026 and 15 May 2026, compared to 15 Nov 15 2024 and 15 May 2025***** Accommodation searches by UK solo travellers between 01.01.26 and 01.05.26 for stays between 24.07.26 and 04.09.26****** Accommodation searches by UK solo travellers between 01.01.26 – 14.04.26 for stays between 01.05.26 and 30.09.26