D/R DOWNLOAD 6.12

What’s Trending

01/ On Google

• “Best budget travel destinations” trended +40% this week, indicating that travelers are increasingly looking for affordable getaways that deliver memorable experiences without the high price tag.

02/ With Media

• This week, media were interested in design-forward hotels, events for America 250, coolcations, nostalgia travel, and more.

03/ In the Zeitgeist

• The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off this week, with Mexico taking the first match over South Africa. Group stage games continue this weekend across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

• SpaceX went public today at a valuation of $1.77 trillion, making Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. 

• Prada is foraying into space travel. The fashion house is working with Axiom Space to provide a Liquid Cooling and Ventilation garment for the 2028 Artemis IV mission, meant to be worn under astronauts’ spacesuits to circulate cold water across major muscle groups, absorb heat, and deliver oxygen.

Industry Insights

• Americans are seeking to take playcations this summer, prioritizing outdoor activities such as surfing, hiking, boating, national and state park exploration, and more.

• Coachella was named the world’s most attractive festival in a new global index, beating out several international contenders and cementing the U.S. as a powerhouse in the industry. Other U.S. events in the top 20 include Ultra Miami, the Kentucky Derby, and South by Southwest. 

• Grief retreats are booming and wellness resorts around the world are including mindful activities like yoga, meditation, and grief workshops in offerings as travelers increasingly seek ways to beat the loneliness epidemic and tend to their mental wellbeing. 

• Travelers in North America should prepare for packed skies, lengthier customs processing and airspace restrictions due to the World Cup in June and July.

• Adventure travelers are gravitating toward remote destinations to experience “wild wellness,” as they seek a reprieve from overstimulation, high populated areas, and digital consumption.

• Global airlines will collectively pay $100 billion more for jet fuel this year, causing profits to fall by 50% and driving consumer ticket prices even higher. 

• The wellness industry is tapping into a new market: new moms who are in search of self-care. From vitamins and beauty products to wellness treatments and postpartum retreats, brands are offering products and experiences to help women transition into motherhood.