Seven travel trends that will define 2027
Source: BBC Travel ↗
Travelers in 2027 are gravitating toward destinations that feel like stepping into another world, with 65% of those surveyed by Booking.com expressing interest in paranormal experiences such as haunted histories and supernatural encounters. This surge is reflected in online searches, where Pinterest reported a 465% rise in “Scotland Highland aesthetic” queries and a 45% increase in “ethereal places.” Cultural futurist Jasmine Bina, CEO of Concept Bureau, attributes the trend to a broader cultural craving for awe and connection to something larger than everyday life, noting that “people want to feel connected to something bigger than themselves, to surrender to something that totally envelops them.” Popular suggestions include Zermatt, Switzerland, which fans liken to the fictional city of Velaris from Sarah J Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series.
A parallel shift is reshaping men’s group travel, as traditional boys’ golf weekends give way to retreats focused on emotional wellbeing and open conversations about masculinity. Lemongrass’s 2027 trends report, citing Bupa UK research that 50% of men have faced mental‑health challenges, highlights the rise of “boys’ trips” that combine physical activity with opportunities for self‑reflection. Explorer Levison Wood observes that men tend to speak most honestly while engaged in shared tasks like walking or camping, and Bina adds that “therapy and self‑reflection have seeped into every part of life,” expanding the cultural definition of masculinity. Programs such as Both Sides Retreats in the UK exemplify this movement, offering men a chance to reconnect with purpose in a supportive environment.
Nostalgia‑driven “un‑adulting” vacations are also gaining traction, especially among Gen Z and millennials, with Expedia finding that 57% of travelers are likely to book such trips in 2027, rising to 71% for younger cohorts. Theme‑park operators are responding: Walt Disney World introduced an adults‑only lounge at Epcot and late‑night events, while Universal Studios Japan launched an adults‑only Halloween Horror Nights experience. Meanwhile, the growing reliance on AI for travel planning—used by 40% of Americans—has heightened the desire for genuine human connection, prompting 60% of travelers in Hilton’s 2027 Trends Report to favor shared water‑based wellness activities and 66% of Priceline respondents to pay extra for personalized service. Bina sums up the zeitgeist: “Everything has become synthetic… we are surrounded by deepfake AI, bosses sending ChatGPT nonsense to their teams, misleading packaging – we are seeking real, shared experiences.”
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Investors abroad usually reprice their bets when this kind of news lands.
- ▶Foreign direct investment decisions can hinge on how this plays out.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Flights and hotels at the destination might cost more if demand jumps after this.
- ▶A little flexibility on dates can help dodge any price bump.
🏦Rates & Banksmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Banks generally prefer a wait-and-see approach before touching their rates.
- ▶Your loan or mortgage rate is more likely to drift than to lurch here.
❤️Healthhigh impact
What this means for you
- ▶Travel vaccinations, where needed, are best sorted well ahead of departure.
- ▶Local emergency numbers are worth noting before you even land.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶A quiet review of where your savings sit rarely does any harm.
- ▶Markets have a habit of overreacting first and settling down later.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶A cooling or warming market usually takes months to fully show up in prices.
- ▶First-time buyers watching the market closely might see little change in the short term.
📊 Country financial snapshot
United Kingdom
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook; each figure shows its year, and current-year values are IMF estimates. Policy rates and sovereign credit ratings are from the News Effects country dataset and show their own as-of date. Not investment advice.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.6%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.2%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 1.3% with inflation at 3.3%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.3%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.4% with inflation at 2.4%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 8.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at -0.5% with inflation at 8.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6.5%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at -3.9% with inflation at 4.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.