🤶 Travel tip #139: 5 things that are IN in 2026 and 5 that are OUT + 1 spot opened for Japan Sakura

Hi Reader,

Happy Friday!

This is my first travel tip of the year 😀 and it will be all about the trends that I am seeing for this year when it comes to travel.

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5 things that are IN in 2026, and 5 that are OUT

Listening to and being around travelers all day long means that I am pretty attuned, even if unconsciously, to the latest travel trends.

Just observing what is being talked about in our community

1. Being present offline, instead of always connected

I have personally felt like I am more and more trying to avoid spending time online, in front of any device at all and this is a growing trend.

Offline retreats or vacations to destinations without signal, or where phones have to be left outside, are on the rise.

If you don't feel like, or can, fully disconnect, even just a trip where you make an effort to be in the moment, present where you are with your full senses, without the constant interruptions that a device brings, can work wonders for your soul and wellbeing.

When we launched Solo Female Travelers Tours we decided to include photographers in many of our trips to facilitate this.

Many of us like to capture the experience with an image or video, but seeing the world through the camera lens adds a physical layer between you and the destination.

We wanted to remove excuses by letting someone else capture those moments, possibly better than you ever could, so you could smell, touch, feel and hear with your senses wide open.

The results have been great, and the photos captured are so much more vivid and candid; the smiles wider, the laughter more unfiltered.

In my personal travels, I crave analog connection. I travel for people, and less and less for the monuments or landmarks.

I am curious to see how the rest of the world lives, what makes them tick, how they eat, drink, feel, love, and a phone is a solid barrier.

The younger generations spend less time online, and especially, less time on social.

Technology has made travel sooooooo much easier than 20 years ago. I remember maps, and asking for direction, and call collect calls and internet cafes. More than the nostalgia for a time past, I miss the slowness and humanity that technology has eliminated.

I see 2026 as a more offline year for travel than any of the past 10 years.

2. Less Instagram-famous, more learning

In the last 10 years, travel has completely changed with the growth of Instagram and tiktok making places social media famous, and queues a desirable place to spend time on your trips.

Pancake shops in Amsterdam, staged water purification rituals in Bali, AI generated photos of places that don't exist, photos riding trains crossing tall bridges, photogenic cafes and food made for the gram, traveling 5 hours to take a photo without actually seeing anything else at that place, etc.

Some destinations have gone fully mad at the influencer game, and many travelers have turned their vacations into a queue-hoping endevour, spending time in line for Instagram famous snacks, pictures in front of fake reflections, or on tours that focus entirely on stopping at various Instagrammable spots instead of at historic places or archeological sites.

I feel we are ready to go back to the roots and ditch all this for genuine interactions and actually learning about the world.

Less social media focused photoshoots and more meaningful conversations.

3. Ditch the defined path for the "off-road"

There has been talk about travelers moving away from over crowded tourist destinations for years, and I think the last 2 have pushed everyone harder towards second tier cities, lesser known destinations and spots away from the usual tourist trails.

2026 is hopefully the start of a new trend that veers off-path and towards the 90% of the world that receives almost no tourism

We are doing our bit by offering tours to Ecuador, to the 90% of Bali that tourists don't see, to Madagascar, to Armenia, to the beautiful Japanese countryside meeting Ama divers, locally famous villages, and to some of the smaller Caribbean islands that cruise ships don't stop at like Anguilla or St Barth's on our sailing trip.

And for 2027 onwards, we plan to continue focusing on lesser known destinations and parts of the world with trips to the Dominican Republic, Uzbekistan, French Polynesia, and more.

4. Replace whistle-stop tours with meaningful moments

The best parts of most trips I have taken are always the time I share with local people, learning about the little things that make them different from what I am used to, or hearing how they see their world.

A couple of weeks ago I told you about my favorite parts of 2025, they were ALL moments shared with people, or wildlife encounters.

If I had rushed through a place, there wouldn't have been time for sunset dancing to local music, or cooking classes with new ingredients, or long meals accompanied by thoughtful conversation around feminism, women's role in society and recent changes.

Long gone are the days of 5 countries in 2 weeks where you have to wonder what country you are in based on the day of the week "If it's Tuesday, it must be Belgium".

Despite cruise travel is on the rise, I also see a new wave of travelers who seek to connect and learn beyond the surface, and know that this can only be done slowly, and thoughtfully and not just on a flag-touting tour with merely any time to stop and observe local life.

5. Ignoring the weight of expectations

Solo female travel has exploded since the pandemic and this means that there are so many of us out there, that visibility is starting to take over even in the media.

I read an article in the media about solo women traveling every day; It's happening, we are making this mainstream.

We are a long way to go still to achieve full acceptance, and many countries and societies still penalise women for wanting to travel solo, especially if they are married, but we are getting there, and we have to apologise and explain ourselves today much less than 10 years ago.

With this newfound freedom also comes the strength to travel however you want, without having to meet any predefine stereotype or anyone's expectations.

If you like active trips, you can sign up for an adventure of a lifetime

If you want to sit back and enjoy full relaxation at a beautiful all-inclusive resort, more and more are catering to women indulging.

If you want to backpack and meet others along the way, you can.

If you want to take a day off and do nothing in your hotel room, you should go right ahead.

And if you have a terrible day, feel alone, lost, or exhausted, that is also fine.

No matter your size, age, color or background, women are increasingly ignoring expectations and traveling however they want. Without having to justify their choices.

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This is what I see happening, have you observed anything else changing in travel?

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New spot opened One single spot opened up on our Japan trip in the spring for Sakura / Cherry Blossom season. Book it here. ​ 2026 / 2027 Full calendar of tours This is our full list of tours: ✅ = Trip is confirmed 💃 = I or Meg will co-host these trips 🏔️ Kilimanjaro climb on Intl Women's Day: ✅ 1 to 10 Mar or 1 to 15 Mar with safari extension >> Book here. 🚗 Cuba: ✅ 14 to 22 Mar || 12 to 20 Dec || New Year's Eve >> Book here​ 🌮 Oaxaca: 11 to 17 Oct || 8 – 14 Nov || 29 Dec 2026 to 4 Jan 2027 >> Book here​ ⛩️ Japan: 💃 ✅ 28 Mar to 7 Apr (Sakura season) [Photographer onboard] || 13 to 23 Jun || 13 to 23 Oct (Fall colors) >> Book here​ 🍝 Tuscany: ✅ 13 to 20 Jun || ✅ 5 to 12 Sep >> Book here​ 🧘‍♀️ Bali: 20 to 28 Jun || 29 Aug to 6 Sep [Photographer onboard] || 3 to 11 Oct >> Book here​ 🎄 Xmas markets: ✅ 21 to 29 Nov || 5 to 13 Dec >> Book here​ 🍷 Georgia: ✅ 5 to 13 Sep >> Book here​ 🇦🇲 Armenia: 💃 ✅ 13 to 19 Sep >> Book here (200 EUR off if you book Georgia + Armenia) 🦪 Croatia & Montenegro: ✅ 31 May to 6 Jun >> Book here​ 🏰 Scotland: 10 to 18 Oct >> Book here​ 🐑 Iceland: ✅ 11 to 18 Oct >> Book here​ 🦘 Australia: 💃 ✅ 11 to 22 Oct >> Book here [Meg will host this trip] 🥘 Barcelona & Beyond: ✅ 20 to 28 Jun >> Book here​ ⛵ Greek islands sailing trip: 💃 ✅ 29 May to 5 Jun >> Book here [Meg will host this trip, Photographer onboard]​ 🌴 Caribbean island hopping: 💃 💃 ✅ 13 to 20 Feb, 2027 [Photographers onboard, both Meg and I will host this trip] >> Book here​ 🐪 Morocco: 2 to 12 Oct [Photographer onboard] || ✅ 6 to 16 Nov [1 SPOT LEFT] >> Book here​ 🇦🇶 Antarctica: 💃 ✅ 13 to 27 Dec [5 SPOTS LEFT] >> Book here 🦁 Tanzania Value safari + Zanzibar: 28 Aug to 7 Sep (Great Migration) || ✅ 11 to 21 Sep (Great Migration) [1 SPOT LEFT] || 23 Dec to 2 Jan, 2027 (Xmas + NYE) >> Book here​ 🇹🇿 Tanzania Luxe safari + Zanzibar: ✅ 25 Sep to 5 Oct, 2026 (Great Migration) || 1 to 10 Nov, 2026 >> Book here​ ✅ 🦭 Galapagos sailing: 5 to 12 Dec >> Book here [Photographer onboard, 1 SPOT LEFT] 🇪🇬 Egypt: ✅ 3 to 12 Apr [SOLD OUT] || ✅ 30 Oct to 8 Nov [1 SPOT LEFT] || 4 to 13 Dec >> Book here​ ❄️ Swedish Arctic: ✅ 28 Mar to 3 Apr [SOLD OUT] >> Book here​ 🐬 Ecuador & The Galapagos: 💃 ✅ 5 to 17 May [SOLD OUT] >> Join the waitlist​

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Solo Female Travelers Co-Founders