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Beyond the Crowds: Expedia’s 2026 Destinations of the Year Put Big Sky, Okinawa and Florida’s Fort Walton Beach on the Rise

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1 year ago

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Expedia has named where travelers are heading next — and the map skips the usual suspects. Expedia Group released Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel on October 16, 2025, its annual global report built on first-party platform data and insights from 24,000 travellers across 18 countries, with third-party research conducted by OnePoll.

The 2026 Destinations of the Year, ranked by search increases, are led by Big Sky, Montana (+92%), Okinawa, Japan (+71%), Sardinia, Italy (+63%), Phu Quoc, Vietnam (+53%) and Savoie, France (+51%), followed by Fort Walton Beach, Florida (+45%), Ucluelet, Canada (+44%), the Cotswolds, U.K. (+39%), San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (+30%) and Hobart, Australia (+25%). The list is based on increases in flight and accommodation searches on Expedia.

Six of the ten — Big Sky, Okinawa, Savoie, Ucluelet, the Cotswolds and Hobart — also meet the criteria for Expedia’s new Smart Travel Health Check, a framework inspired by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) that recognizes destinations proactively managing tourism growth sustainably. “With 1 billion average monthly travel searches, Expedia Group isn’t just a travel marketplace — we’re a catalyst for positive change,” said CEO Ariane Gorin.

The trends behind the list are just as telling. Fan Voyage sends travellers seeking local sports experiences — sumo in Japan, Muay Thai in Thailand, Banana Ball in the U.S., curling in Canada and lucha libre in Mexico — while Readaways package literary-themed retreats and Farm Charm leans into farm stays and slow travel.

Set-jetting, travel inspired by the screen, is the money trend: Expedia projects it could become a potential $8 billion industry in the U.S. alone — a number that underlines how thoroughly screens now shape the travel map. Its 2026 set-jetting forecast points to Yorkshire (Wuthering Heights), Samoa (Moana live action), Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast (People We Meet on Vacation), Greece’s Peloponnese (The Odyssey) and Los Angeles (Nobody Wants This).

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Moxy Atlanta Downtown Brings Music-Themed Boutique Energy to the City Center

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4 days ago

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October 22, 2026

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Moxy Atlanta Downtown at dusk, with the Atlanta skyline behind it

Moxy Atlanta Downtown brings high-voltage boutique energy to the city center, pairing 183 music-themed guest rooms with three distinct gathering spaces.

Surrounded by landmarks like Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, the Georgia Aquarium, and World of Coca-Cola, the property greets incoming guests at Bar Moxy with a complimentary arrival cocktail before sending them through lyric-lined corridors layered with local street art.

Executive sessions find privacy inside the Library, an intimate salon configured for 12 guests with integrated AV solutions and high-speed Wi-Fi. Turnkey hospitality operations — complete with in-house culinary service and dedicated event staffing — support everything from seated society galas to high-profile corporate receptions.

For off-the-record entertaining, the Powder Room operates as a concealed speakeasy with an indoor-outdoor terrace behind an unmarked door.

Receptions migrate upstairs to the Jagger Suite, a disco-inflected rooftop lounge anchored by skyline views and a 12-foot disco unicorn, accompanied by rotating DJs and morning activations via LA cult breakfast import Eggslut.

It all adds up to one of downtown Atlanta’s most playful new places to stay — and to gather — this fall.

Follow Moxy Hotels on Instagram: @moxyhotels

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