How Connection Is Quietly Rewriting the Rules of Commerce

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-28

We all know travel is big. But by 2026, it's become something else entirely. It's not just a hobby; it's an $11 trillion global force. And here's the thing—demand isn't budging, even with everyone watching their wallets. Think about that for a second. According to Skift's latest report, 88% of people still plan to travel this year. Prices go up, plans get adjusted, but the desire to go doesn't disappear. For most people, travel isn't a luxury anymore. It's a core part of who they are and how they live. We saw it with the World Cup bringing waves of visitors to North America. We hear it in everyday talk with phrases like "Euro summer." This isn't a trend. It's a full-blown renaissance. And it's pointing to a much deeper shift in what consumers actually want. ### The Real Reason We're All Traveling Now So, why is everyone so desperate to get on a plane or hit the road? It's worth asking. Deep down, travel has always been one of the best ways to forge real connections. You explore a new place, share a weird experience, or navigate a challenge together. That stuff bonds people. It just does. Now, layer on our modern reality. Our screens are where we work, shop, and even socialize. Meanwhile, old-school community spots—like local clubs or neighborhood gatherings—aren't what they used to be. It's no wonder people are hunting for experiences that lead to actual, in-person relationships. For anyone building a startup, that's a massive signal. There's a huge opportunity to design products and services around this basic human need to belong. We've spent years optimizing for convenience and personalization. Those are still important, absolutely. But now there's room for a third pillar: the social dimension. People aren't just buying a thing; they're buying into a chance to connect. And they'll pay for it. ### Community as Your Secret Retention Weapon Here's a powerful way to think about it. What if community wasn't just a nice-to-have, but your core retention strategy? It's the infrastructure that gives customers a reason to come back, long after the novelty of your product wears off. The cycle is pretty beautiful when it works: - Participation leads to new relationships. - Those relationships lead to repeat participation. - That repeat participation turns into genuine advocacy. Suddenly, you're not just selling features. You're designing experiences. That's the new innovation frontier. Honestly, this makes perfect sense when you look at the data. The World Health Organization says one in six people worldwide feels lonely, with young adults hit particularly hard. We're all feeling that digital fatigue, too. Tired of the constant scroll, searching for an alternative to life lived through a screen. That fatigue is often cited as a major driver of the loneliness epidemic. For founders, this creates a clear opening. There's space for businesses that build social infrastructure right into what they offer. ### Travel Shows Us How This Works Let's stick with travel as our example. Its crazy-fast comeback after the pandemic proved the demand was rock-solid. But it also forced the industry to ask a tougher question: what do travelers *really* want now? The answer is that the journey itself is becoming as important as the destination. It's less about the pin on a map and more about self-discovery, connection, and finding your place. Back to that Skift report—43% of travelers say experiences are the most important part of the trip. Consumers are thinking bigger. They're asking "why am I going?" not just "where?" And more and more, the answer is about connection. The numbers are staggering. McKinsey estimates the global market for travel experiences is worth over $3 trillion. A huge chunk of that, between $1.1 and $1.3 trillion annually, comes from people seeking out those connected experiences. ### The Offline Shift of the Experience Economy This whole shift sits on top of an older idea called the "experience economy." The gist is that experiences themselves become the valuable product. Today, the value of an experience is increasingly measured by its social power. We're seeing it everywhere. Run clubs, supper clubs, niche hobby groups—they're the new town squares. Even companies born digital, built for connecting people online, are realizing the need for a real-world component. The move is decisively offline. It all points to a simple truth. In a world that can feel fragmented and digital-first, the businesses that thrive will be those that remember a fundamental human truth: we all want to belong. The next wave of commerce won't just be about what you sell, but who you help your customers become—and who they connect with along the way.