Travel trends · The journal
Less rushing, more living: a slower kind of travel
Longer stays, train journeys, and wellbeing without the packed schedule.
Travel Babez Editorial · October 17, 2026 · 2 min read
Slow travel is a useful question
What if you came home remembering a neighborhood instead of a checklist? The Amadeus and Globetrender Travel Trends 2025 report identifies slow travel as an industry theme. That is a starting point for planning, not proof that everyone travels this way—or that one style of trip is morally better than another.
For your own itinerary, the useful question is simple: where can you remove friction? Fewer hotel changes, a more direct arrival, and one less early alarm can make the trip feel less like logistics. Keep the experiences you genuinely want and let the filler go.
Stay longer in one place
Try giving a city enough time for both the well-known sights and ordinary moments: buying breakfast, revisiting a park, or returning to a café you liked. Choose a base that works for your daily plans, and account for actual journey times rather than distances on a map.
Longer stays are not automatically cheaper. Compare the full cost, including transport, meals, taxes, and cancellation flexibility. If you will work during the trip, check the legal rules, internet reliability, and time-zone demands before calling it a workation.
Let the journey become part of the day
Rail can be an enjoyable alternative where the route makes sense. Check the specific service, transfers, luggage rules, station access, and ticket conditions. A scenic journey is only relaxing if you have allowed enough connection time and know where you are boarding.
Do not assume every train journey is easier, faster, or more accessible than a flight. Compare door-to-door options for your own needs. If a late arrival would leave you navigating unfamiliar streets tired, a different service or an extra night may be a better fit.
Wellbeing without a performance
Wellness travel can be as simple as protecting sleep and not overbooking yourself. Reserve a spa treatment if you enjoy it, choose a walk that matches your abilities, or spend an afternoon reading. You do not need an intensive program to justify taking a break.
Use trends as inspiration rather than instructions. The report cited here is from 2025; this article is not a live ranking of 2026 bookings. Your best plan may include a fast-paced day followed by a quiet one. The goal is a trip that suits your energy, budget, and reasons for going.
