WTM London 2026 Report: 60% Seek Luxury Holidays as 58% Travel Abroad for Events

Global research reveals a shift towards experiences and value for money, while Spain introduces new accessible tourism guidelines and easyJet Holidays highlights AI-powered customer service.

World Travel Market (WTM London 2026) has highlighted significant shifts in international travellers' priorities, with growing interest in experience-led tourism, events and more meaningful forms of luxury, alongside the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence and improved accessibility across the travel industry.

The findings were presented during the launch of the Global Travel Report, produced in collaboration with Tourism Economics, as part of WTM London, held from November 3 to 5, bringing together thousands of companies and professionals from the international tourism industry.

Survey findings presented in the report revealed that 60% of respondents are seeking luxury holidays, with the experiences offered by destinations becoming increasingly important compared with traditional displays of luxury.

Dave Goodger, Managing Director at Tourism Economics, explained that declining purchasing power is encouraging travellers to reconsider how they allocate their budgets and seek better value without necessarily giving up travel.

During a specialist session, Chase Gray of Skift Advisory suggested that the future of luxury would increasingly be defined by "access rather than excess", with greater emphasis on exclusive experiences, personal enrichment and meaningful human connections.

The Global Travel Report found that 58% of international travellers surveyed said they had travelled abroad specifically to attend an event during the previous two years.

The findings highlight the growing importance of passion-driven tourism, including music festivals, sporting events and cultural experiences.

Visit Philadelphia also presented its approach to connecting major concerts with additional tourism experiences, encouraging visitors to explore the city beyond the event venue.

Spain's national tourism office launched a new set of hotel guidelines and a digital campaign under its Spain for All strategy, aimed at helping hospitality establishments communicate accessibility features and services more clearly to travellers with different needs.

The initiative focuses on improving the information available before booking, enabling visitors to assess whether a hotel or other accommodation meets their individual requirements.

Garry Wilson, CEO of easyJet Holidays, highlighted how artificial intelligence can handle routine customer enquiries, including airport transfer arrangements, allowing employees to dedicate more time to complex requests.

He also emphasised the importance of structuring tourism content so that it remains visible and accessible through AI-powered search tools, while ensuring that information continues to be attributed to its original sources.

Discussions at WTM London 2026 reveal growing attention to the overall travel experience, alongside improvements in the digital information travellers rely on when comparing destinations and making reservations.

For Arab tourism companies and hotels, the findings offer trends worth examining, particularly in developing event-related travel experiences, communicating accessibility services and integrating intelligent technologies into customer operations.

However, these trends alone do not demonstrate future increases in revenue or market share. Measuring their commercial impact will require actual data on bookings, visitor expenditure and traveller satisfaction.