How are Australian and New Zealand travellers making decisions in 2026? A new Urban List 26 travel report of more than 11,000 culture seekers across Australia and New Zealand finds the desire to travel remains strong, but the confidence to commit has stalled.
Up In The Air, the Urban List 26 travel report, shows some 77 per cent of travellers say global instability is influencing their travel decisions and 67 per cent feel more cautious about travel than they once did.
The research combines multiple Urban List datasets spanning travel, dining and lifestyle behaviours to map how consumers are making decisions in 2026.
The study explores the emerging shifts shaping travel behaviour in 2026, including flexible travel planning, the growth of local exploration and the rising influence of dining on travel decisions.
Overall, the Urban List 26 travel report found that the travel industry is facing a confidence challenge rather than a demand challenge: people still want to go, but are spending longer in the decision phase before they book.
What the numbers say
Nearly half of respondents (49%) describe themselves as “cautious but willing” when it comes to booking big trips.
Yet the appetite to act is still there when the prompt is right: four in five say they will book quickly when influenced by the right recommendation.
The report points to cost, timing, world events and personal bandwidth as the variables travellers are now weighing into every decision.
Why the confidence gap matters for advisors
Urban List CEO Jacqui La’Brooy said the shift changes the role brands must play to influence modern travel decisions.
“Travel remains one of the most emotionally important categories in our audience’s lives. What has changed is the amount of consideration that now sits between wanting to go and actually booking. Brands have become incredibly good at inspiring people. The bigger opportunity now is helping them feel confident enough to act,” she said.
“People are still dreaming, saving, researching and sharing travel ideas. They’re just carrying more variables into every decision.”
Urban List Head of Strategy Hamish Taylor said the Urban List 26 travel report highlights a growing gap between inspiration and commitment.
“For years, travel marketing has focused on creating wanderlust. The challenge today is that wanderlust isn’t the issue. People already want to go,” he said.
“What we’re seeing is a generation spending longer in the decision phase. The travel brands that succeed will be those who can reduce friction, build confidence and help people move from maybe to booked.”
Travel is broadening beyond the big trip
The Urban List 26 travel report also found that the definition of exploration is widening. As larger trips become harder to lock in, many travellers are recreating the emotional benefits of travel closer to home through dining, local experiences, short stays and spontaneous escapes.
Urban List commercial content strategist Maisie Gray said the trend is opening new pathways for discovery.
“We’re seeing people seek novelty more often, but in smaller and more immediate ways. The overnight stay, the regional lunch, the spontaneous weekend away or the restaurant everyone in the group chat is talking about are all playing a bigger role in how people experience exploration,” she said.
Urban List strategist Eden Cloeraine said the findings from the Urban List 26 travel report reflect a broader cultural shift toward confidence-led decision-making, which also mirrors what’s driving travel advisor growth right now.
“People aren’t necessarily spending less on experiences, but sharper thought is going into where they spend their time, money and attention,” Cloeraine said.
“The role of trusted recommendations has become more important than ever. In a world full of options, confidence has become one of the most valuable currencies a brand can offer.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: The data is in the advisor’s wheelhouse: if four in five travellers act fast on a trusted recommendation, travel agents can close the confidence gap. With cost, timing and world events keeping clients in limbo longer, the value isn’t inspiring the trip, it’s reassuring them to book.
