1、mastercard economics instituteThe new travel equation:Macro,machines,motivationTRAVEL TRENDS 20262Contents3Travel 20264The external forces shaping travel8FX sensitivity across destinations10AI-enabled traveler12The intentional AI traveler15Personal motivations for travel17The journey,not the destina
2、tion19Conclusion23Travel often starts with a vision of a destination.In 2026,that vision takes shape in a more unsettled world.Geopolitical conflict has become part of the backdrop,shaping routes,costs,and safety perceptions.Disruptions to energy supplies and airspace have already translated into fe
3、wer scheduled flights on some corridors,rerouted connections,and the rise of alternative transit hubs,particularly across AsiaPacific(AP)and parts of Europe.Yet,the impulse to travel endures.Familiar motivations like climate,cuisine and culture still matter,now weighed alongside new constraints.Wher
4、e to go remains important.How to get there,and at what cost,increasingly defines the journey.Against that backdrop,budgets ultimately dictate the specifics of the trip.Value is top of mind for travelers particularly amid rising energy prices,volatile foreign exchange rates,and diverging income growt
5、h but travelers can optimize their travel decisions by leveraging digital and AIdriven tools.And once travelers reach their destination,their spending decisions whether for accommodations,food,history or retail will often reflect underlying economic and cultural differences.The Mastercard Economics
6、Institute(MEI)sees macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions,rapid advances in AI,and personal motivation as three key forces shaping how and where consumers spend when they travel.Travel 2026 INTRODUCTION4These themes emerged from our research:TRAVEL REPORT 2026These trends are not static.In todays