SINGAPORE, June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trip.com Group says 2026 is shaping up to be another record year for travel, with travellers increasingly looking for quicker escapes, family-focused holidays, cooler destinations and AI-assisted planning. Looking back at the first half of 2026, the company found that users from Mainland China, the United Kingdom and Malaysia were among the most avid travellers, covering up to 2,800km on average.
Across regions, major tourism hubs continue to dominate flight bookings, with Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Taipei ranking among the top cities. For the second half of the year, outbound flight bookings from Europe, East Asia and Southeast Asia are already showing double-digit year-on-year growth during the summer and school holiday period.
Quick getaways are leading summer travel
Trip.com Group says short trips are dominating summer plans, with average trip durations ranging from 2.92 days to 3.8 days and short-haul flights making up most bookings. In Europe, short-haul flight bookings are up 73% year on year. Long weekend travel remains especially popular, with bookings for trips of four days or less rising by more than 40% in East Asia and Europe, and by more than 15% in Southeast Asia.
Family travel keeps gaining ground
More travellers are also choosing family trips this summer, helped by school holidays. Hotel bookings by families with children aged 12 and below have increased across regions and more than doubled in markets such as Mainland China, South Korea and Japan. Trip.com Group says family-first experiences are increasingly shaping booking decisions, from flight timings to accommodation near child-friendly attractions and activities.
In Southeast Asia, some of the top-booked attractions this summer include Bali Zoo in Indonesia, Desaru Water Adventure Park and Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm in Malaysia. In East Asia, theme parks such as Universal Studios Japan, Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland remain strong favourites.
Cooler destinations and AI planning are rising
As temperatures rise, travellers are increasingly swapping traditional sun-and-sand breaks for cooler-weather experiences. Trip.com Group says searches for cooler destinations and coolcations have risen 74% year on year since the start of 2026, while interest is growing in destinations such as Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Wales, Inner Mongolia, Sapporo and Yunnan.
The company also says AI is becoming a bigger part of the travel journey. Google search interest for “help plan my trip” grew 190% year on year, while TripGenie AI-assisted order volume on Trip.com increased by around 400% year on year. Beyond pre-trip planning, use of TripGenie tools such as hotel comparison, menu assistance and live translation also increased by around 300% year on year.
Trip.com Group says the shift suggests AI will continue becoming a more integral part of travel planning and in-destination support as travellers look for faster, more personalised ways to explore the world.
