How Travel's Hidden Trend Could Redefine Your Startup's Growth

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-28

It's 2026, and honestly, we're all traveling like never before. Sure, a love for new places isn't new, but the scale of it is staggering. We're talking about an $11 trillion global industry where demand just won't quit, even when our wallets feel the pinch. Think about it. According to Skift's 2026 State of Travel Report, a whopping 88% of folks still plan to travel this year. And across major markets, between 67% and 89% say travel is 'extremely' or 'very important' to their lifestyle. It's more than a rebound from the pandemic—it's a full-blown renaissance, driven by things like the World Cup and the now-famous 'Euro summer'. But here's the real question: why is everyone doing it? ### The Real Reason We're All Traveling It's not just about the destination anymore. Travel has always been one of the most powerful ways we build real connections. Sharing new experiences, facing unfamiliar challenges together—that stuff naturally brings people closer. And right now, that need for connection is becoming a top consumer priority. As digital life takes over and traditional communities fade, people are actively hunting for experiences that lead to actual relationships. For startups, that's a massive opportunity to design around the basic human desire to belong. We've spent years building the consumer economy on convenience, then efficiency, then personalization. Those things still matter, of course. But they're now making room for a new, social layer. People want to be brought together, and they're willing to pay for it. ### Community as Your Secret Weapon You should start thinking about community as your retention infrastructure. It's what gives customers a reason to come back beyond your core product or service. The cycle is powerful: - Participation leads to relationships. - Those relationships lead to repeat participation. - And that repeat participation fuels advocacy and community-driven loyalty. In short, experience design is the new feature innovation. It's not terribly surprising when you consider the global loneliness crisis. The World Health Organization says one in six people worldwide experiences loneliness, with young people hit especially hard. Pair that with widespread digital fatigue, and you've got a huge search for alternatives to constant screen time. This creates a wide-open space for founders. There's room for businesses that provide social infrastructure right alongside their traditional offerings. ### Travel Shows Us How It's Done Travel gives us a perfect case study. Its explosive comeback showed how resilient demand really is, while forcing the entire industry to rethink what travelers actually want. Now, the experience is becoming as important as the destination itself. Travelers are looking for self-discovery, connection, and belonging. Skift's report backs this up: 43% of travelers say experiences are the most important part of their trip. Consumers aren't just asking 'where should I go?' anymore. They're asking 'why am I going?' And more and more, the answer is about a deep desire for connection. The numbers are mind-blowing. McKinsey estimates the global market for travel experiences is worth over $3 trillion. Of that, domestic and international visitors account for roughly 30%, or about $1.1 to $1.3 trillion in annual spending. Paid, structured experiences make up around $250 to $310 billion of that pie. ### The Experience Economy Goes Offline This whole shift builds on the 'experience economy' idea from the late 90s, where experiences themselves become the product. But today, the value of those experiences is increasingly social. We're seeing run clubs, supper clubs, and hobby groups pop up as new social spaces. Even businesses born for digital connection are moving offline. It's a clear signal: the future isn't just online or offline. It's about creating meaningful, real-world touchpoints that satisfy our innate need to connect.