Move over wellness travel, here comes longevity travel.
Not yet acquainted with that term? Now is the time to familiarize yourself because, according a panel of industry insiders and experts who spoke at the recent Luxury Summit in Las Vegas (part of the IMM Lux conference), longevity travel is the trend to watch in 2026.
“Next year we will be talking about longevity travel,” Melanie Brandman, founder and CEO of Brandman Agency, told a room full of media and public relations professionals. “If you look at what’s going on in the market out there – the uber, uber wealthy, that is their new private club membership: longevity centers. That is what we will be talking about this time next year, I promise.”
So what exactly does longevity travel entail? A smattering of publications has already begun to shed some light on this intriguing development.
An article from National Geographic published in March took a stab at summarizing this new style of travel, noting that “This surging trend has seen people exploring how to extend their lifespan,” adding that: “Longevity travel is one of the biggest trends of the year, as people worldwide become ever more fascinated with living a longer, fuller life. Many are spending significant sums, investing in state-of-the-art tests and biohacking treatments.”
This approach to travel may also include booking a health retreat in one of the planet’s legendary Blue Zones (places where people live to 100 on average), to learn about the Blue Zone lifestyle.
Esquire weighed in on this travel development with an article headline declaring: “Welcome to the Era of Longevity Travel.” Per Esquire, this type of travel is “a new worldwide travel trend that is sweeping the globe. It may even help you find your way to a healthier 100-year-old life.”
Importantly, the Esquire article goes on to explain that longevity travel experiences “transcend traditional wellness themes” and the travel industry is now “reshaping itself to cater to a new breed of active, health-conscious travelers of all ages.”
Additional trends to watch in 2026
While longevity travel is probably the buzziest trend prediction to come out of the Luxury Summit discussion, it certainly wasn’t the only one.
Another intriguing development on the horizon for 2026 is the expansion of nostalgia travel, which is a type of travel that includes globetrotters seeking out destinations and experiences tied to their memory, cultural heritage or times past.
Chris Davidson, a member of the travel intelligence team for the global travel marketing agency MMGY, says the demographic of travelers attracted to this type of exploration is diversifying.
“We’ve done more and more research into nostalgia and the power of nostalgia,” Davidson explained. “You would expect nostalgia to run richest in the boomer generation or possibly the Gen X generation these days. But we’re also seeing it appealing to younger generations.”
“It may have something to do with pre- and post-Covid,” Davidson continued. “It’s really interesting. (Travelers are) seeking out a simpler time and a simpler world. Maybe a more peaceful world.”
Kate Wik, chief marketing officer for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) said nostalgia is a trend Sin City has already begun to witness. That reality was unearthed when the city recently launched a new campaign that leans into use of the iconic “Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, which is 65 years old.
“What we found through research and testing is that even the younger segments that travel to Las Vegas, they resonate with the old, iconic images of Las Vegas. The neon, the lights. There is a pull, there is something there that is just so magnetic,” explained Wik.
“So we are absolutely leaning into this nostalgic past even though Vegas is known for this constant reinvention and bringing new events … Nostalgia absolutely has a pull at every single (age) segment.”
Meanwhile, Wik says Las Vegas intends to bet on event and exhibition tourism as one of the defining trends of the coming year. (At least for an event-driven city like Vegas).
“I would argue it’s not a new thing, but post-pandemic, live events and live sports tourism, we have leaned heavily into. And that has driven a lot of the recovery post-pandemic and led to record-breaking revenue across the destination for us,” said Wik. “So, while it’s not anything new, we are not taking our foot off the gas. We see that it is absolutely why consumers are traveling. They want to be a part of those major, cultural marquee events.”