EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — HomeToGo, the world’s largest vacation rental marketplace, has unveiled its 2026 Travel Trends Forecast, highlighting key themes and emerging destinations for the year.
The report, based on HomeToGo’s search and pricing data and a survey of traveler sentiment, reveals that 76% of U.S. travelers plan to vacation in 2026, with 26% opting for longer, more extravagant trips.
Additionally, 57% of travelers intend to spend more on vacations compared to 2025, signaling a growing appetite for travel.
In response to these preferences, HomeToGo has identified five travel trends for 2026, each featuring six affordable and lesser-known destinations. These 30 locations have experienced a search increase of over 100% year-over-year for 2026 stays, yet none rank among the top 1,000 most-searched destinations, making them true rising stars.
Among the highlighted destinations, El Paso stands out as a “rising star” for nature enthusiasts, with a 191% increase in searches.
The forecast notes that frontier-style towns with a modern Western flair, such as El Paso, are attracting U.S. travelers in 2026.
El Paso is celebrated for its small-town charm and desert landscape, fitting into the “Neo-Western Revival” category of the report.
Read the full survey here.
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