In Brief: Tripadvisor booking data for the first half of 2026 indicates that travelers are increasingly choosing participatory cultural activities, outdoor recreation and destinations outside major tourism hubs rather than traditional sightseeing-focused trips.
Cultural Activities Record Strong Booking Growth
Tripadvisor’s 2026 Mid-Year Experiences Trends Report found that craft classes were the fastest-growing experience category during the first six months of the year. Bookings in the category rose 88% compared with the same period in 2025.
Bookings by U.S. travelers for craft classes in Japan increased by more than 300% year over year. Those reservations represented one in five craft classes booked globally through Tripadvisor.
Bookings for concerts and special events increased 87% in the first half of 2026, with European experiences making up most reservations in that category. Activities included fado music performances in Portugal and flamenco in Spain.
Cooking classes, craft classes and dance lessons were among Tripadvisor’s highest-rated experience categories, each with an average traveler rating above 4.8 out of 5.
Outdoor and Nature-Based Experiences Expand
Eco-tour bookings rose 62% globally, while fishing charter bookings increased 41% compared with the first half of 2025.
In the United States, submarine tours grew 111%, eco tours increased 83%, ski and snow activities rose 42%, and nature and wildlife experiences increased 41%. Shark diving, ziplining, parasailing, hiking and camping were among the highest-rated U.S. activity categories.
Day spa bookings rose 45%, with demand focused on thermal spas, mud baths and geothermal pools rather than conventional spa services.
In New Zealand, day spa bookings more than doubled from a year earlier. Rotorua, which has geothermal attractions, was among Tripadvisor’s fastest-growing destinations for experiences.
Bookings grew for whale-watching in Seward, Alaska, kayaking in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and geothermal activities in Rotorua. Growth was 61% in Seward, 69% in Vieques and 55% in Rotorua.
Coastal Destinations Benefit From Water Activity Demand
Coastal locations were prominent among the fastest-growing U.S. destinations for experience bookings. Catalina Island recorded a 383% increase, while La Jolla rose 67%, Newport Beach 64%, Myrtle Beach 54%, Panama City Beach 50% and Destin 49%.
U.S. submarine tour bookings rose 111%, fishing charters increased 57%, parasailing rose 45%, and boat rentals increased 37%.
Growth Shifts Beyond Major Tourism Centers
Destinations outside Tripadvisor’s 100 most-booked locations grew at more than twice the rate of the top 100 destinations during the first half of 2026.
Central America and the Caribbean accounted for four of Tripadvisor’s five fastest-growing countries for experience bookings. Guatemala recorded growth of 74%, followed by St. Maarten at 57%, Honduras at 49% and the Cayman Islands at 45%. Albania, where bookings increased 60%, was identified as a growing European destination.
Examples of activities in these destinations included visits to Mayan sites in Guatemala and travel along Albania’s coastline.
Methodology
Tripadvisor based the findings on experience booking data collected from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2026. Growth rates compare bookings during that period with the same dates in 2025.
Global category and destination rankings required at least 10,000 bookings, while U.S. rankings required at least 5,000 bookings. Review-based rankings required at least 500 reviews globally and 200 reviews in the United States.
