Older, higher-spending customers are choosing cooler destinations, more city breaks, slower travel, deeper ‘cultural immersion’ and wildlife encounters, according to AITO’s latest Travel Insights Report.
The report collated more than 8,300 responses to a survey sent to customers of AITO tour operators, agents and tourist boards, 93% of whom were over 50. The largest share spent £2,500 to £5,000 per person on their holidays.
The survey revealed that 35% of this specialist market now opt for city breaks, while 30% seek to enhance their ‘personal growth’ with cultural and wildlife experiences, and more than a quarter take dedicated hiking or walking holidays.
More than a fifth are choosing countries with cooler weather, such as Norway, Finland and Iceland, or the cultural heartlands of Germany and Switzerland.
AITO said it had also identified a ‘significant rail renaissance’, with more than a third of customers travelling by train. “This preference for slower, more scenic travel goes in hand with the rising interest in Northern and Central Europe, regions where world-class infrastructure allows for a more sustainable and slower approach to touring,” it said.
The long-haul market is also proving strong this year, said AITO. North and Central America (including Canada and the Caribbean) remain the most popular regions, closely followed by Southeast and East Asia.
Africa is continuing to rise in popularity, while the Indian subcontinent remains ‘strongly represented’, it said, with South America close behind. Australia and New Zealand remain ‘broadly stable’.
The polar regions are growing in popularity, although numbers remain low in comparison, added AITO.
Some 10% of customers use AI to plan a holiday, though 60% said they were unlikely to do so and AITO noted that the ‘vast majority’ cited ‘a clear preference for the reassurance and personalised service of a professional travel organiser’.
The vast majority – 80% – also stated a preference for brands with strong sustainability credentials, although AITO admitted that ‘booking habits don’t always reflect these values’. However, it said: “There is a growing intent to prioritise responsible choices and local community support.
“A say-do gap persists, yet anecdotal evidence shows travellers are increasingly taking sustainability seriously once they reach their destination.”
AITO Executive Director Martyn Summers added: “The findings of our Travel Insights 2026 report underscore the remarkable resilience of the specialist travel sector, even as we see a gradual shift toward financial caution in the broader economy.
“What is perhaps most striking is the universal demand for human expertise. In an era of increasing automation, 100% of our respondents cited professional knowledge as their primary decision-making driver, leading to a world-class Net Promoter Score of 87.4 for our travel agents.
“Whether they are seeking deep cultural immersion in Asia or slow-travel rail adventures across Europe, our travellers are choosing the security and nuance of a specialist professional over AI-generated alternatives.
“For 2026, the value of a holiday is being measured by the depth of the experience and the peace of mind that comes from booking with a trusted expert.”
