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What’s Trending
01/ On Google
“Best places to see fall foliage” trended +140% this week as travelers plan for fall travels following Priceline’s release of its annual list for top fall foliage destinations.
02/ With Media
This week the media were interested in expert advice on luxury wine travel, best spots for winter trips, travel experts input on Expedia’s 2026 Hot Island List, destination dupes avoiding overcrowding, must buy products for a trip to Africa, uncharted remote expedition cruising, and more.
Reddit’s recent deal with Google AI, which permitted Google to use its online message boards to train AI models, is proving to be ineffective as a growing number of news outlets are considering blocking Google Gemini's AI Overview feature, arguing that it has drastically declined traffic to their websites.
03/ In the Zeitgeist
Nantucket locals are pushing back against the growing wave of influencers on the island by putting up signs displaying “No Influencers”, sparking discourse led by popular content creator and owner of lifestyle brand Dairy Boy, Paige Lorenze, who criticizes the sign for anti-femininity.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is expected to have one of the biggest box office openings of 2026 as moviegoers turn out in large numbers for the latest Marvel film.
Industry Insights
Expedia’s 2026 Island Hot List has named its top 10 up-and-coming island destinations from around the world, highlighting standout experiences that include romance, wellness, adventure and family travel.
Social media is driving a rise in ‘Risk Tourism,” as travelers pursue extreme experiences and viral moments for Instagram and TikTok, raising safety concerns at popular destinations.
Mount Olympus has officially earned UNESCO World Heritage status after a 12-year campaign. While operators welcome the recognition, they caution that increased tourism must be carefully managed to protect the mountain’s ecosystem.
Fall travel trends emerging for 2026 include shoulder season becoming the new peak season, “cool” destinations replacing traditional hot-weather escapes, wellness clubs, the Great American Road Trip, unplugged and off-grid getaways, astrology and astrotourism, grocery store tourism, and experiential safaris.
Barcelona is taking a harder stance on overtourism with a “not one tourist more” approach. New measures include raising the city tax on short-stay cruise visitors to €24 per person and reducing cruise terminals from seven to five by 2030 to better manage visitor impact.
New Expedia data shows World Cup travel interest remains strong following the tournament, with 11 countries experiencing major travel surges as fans plan trips inspired by the stories and cultures they fell in love with during the World Cup.
The Bad
Celebrity Cruises was met with backlash from angry passengers after the cruise line raised their automatic gratuity charges with a same day notice, causing passengers to threaten to pull their separate fee payments and strictly tip crewmembers with cash.
