Latest and greatest travel trends for 2027

Travel Trends for 2027: History, Better Value and Switching Off

Travel forecasts for 2027 suggest holidays will increasingly revolve around personal interests, meaningful experiences and careful spending. Skyscanner’s latest report identifies seven emerging themes. These are predictions based on research and travel searches, rather than guaranteed changes in everyone’s behaviour, but they offer useful inspiration for planning a Scottish escape.

Grand Odysseys: travelling into the past

Grand Odysseys describes journeys inspired by history, mythology and legendary landscapes. Scotland is a land with a rich history going back to 1110 when Stirling Castle was built . The mythology of the Kelpies is aleays fascinating for visitors . Visitors want to understand the stories behind the places they explore, with films and television providing another route into historical discovery.

Scotland offers compelling possibilities. A Stirling castle visit could become an exploration of royal ambition, family rivalries and everyday medieval life. At Stirling, travellers can connect the landscape with Scotland’s struggles for independence. An Outlander itinerary could distinguish fictional adventures from the real struggles of Jacobite communities in the 18th century .

Currency Chasers: making holiday money work harder

Currency Chasers choose destinations partly according to favourable exchange rates. Skyscanner’s research suggests currency movements are already influencing some travellers to change their holiday plans. In the UK and abroad the cost of living crisis is real and affecting decisions being made by travellers .

Comparing the complete holiday cost makes more sense than judging value by currency alone.

For visitors considering Scotland, useful information includes transparent tour prices, clearly explained inclusions and exclusions and realistic spending guidance. A private tour shared between four friends may offer an appealing cost per person. Shorter excursions such as half day tours could also suit travellers who want a memorable experience while protecting their overall budget.

Signal Severance: permission to disconnect

Signal Severance reflects the desire to escape constant connectivity and digital devices to spend more time enjoying nature and relationships. The forecast links this behaviour with digital fatigue and interest in quieter escapes.

A Scottish version might involve a peaceful woodland walk, an unhurried lochside picnic or watching changing light across a Highland glen on a custom Highland tour . Disconnecting need not mean extreme remoteness or abandoning useful technology. Travellers could simply silence notifications and reserve their phones for photographs.

Tours at Private tours Edinburgh feature longer scenic stops and opportunities to listen, observe and enjoy conversation.

Four more trends to watch

Sten Do Surge concerns combined stag and hen celebrations, bringing friendship groups together before a wedding. Sound Bound focuses on discovering destinations through music, including local performances and unusual venues. Gym-cation combines travel with exercise and healthy routines. Pilgra-merch involves journeys motivated by distinctive products available in particular places.

In Scotland, possible experiences include a celebration outing, an intimate folk session, a guided countryside walk or a visit to an independent craft workshop.

For visitors to Scotland , there will be real opportunities: tours with guides explaining the history of each castle , make costs understandable, allow time to unwind and give visitors something distinctive to remember long after returning home.