Travel booking platform Klook has released its Travel Pulse 2026 report, which reveals strong travel intent, rising experience-led spending and a shift toward multi-destination journeys, with Asia Pacific travellers leading the way.
According to the study, 88 per cent of global travellers plan to increase or maintain their travel budgets in 2026.
Asia Pacific travellers have a 50 per cent higher intention to increase travel spending than those in Europe and the US, cementing the region's position as the world's growth engine for travel.
Travel intent also remains steadfast, with nine in 10 global travelers planning an international trip in 2026. Of these, 61 per cent expect to travel in the first half of the year, up from 50 per cent last year.
Klook Vice President, Global Marketing Marcus Yong said: "Travel has remained resilient despite the rising cost of living. What we are witnessing is a fundamental shift in how travelers evaluate value.
"Instead of cutting back, they are spending smarter, prioritizing richer experiences, flexible itineraries, and deeper discovery. They seek experiential value that goes far beyond simply ticking destinations off a checklist."
Travellers are choosing to cut back on shopping and material purchases rather than on activities and experiences, a trend that is most evident in the Asia Pacific.
Asia-Pacific travellers are driving this experience-first mindset, being nearly twice as likely than their counterparts in Europe and the US to increase spending on experiences. They are extremely willing to pay more on experiences across every category, positioning the Asia Pacific as a leading driver of experience-led travel.
Two-thirds of travellers plan to visit multiple destinations per trip, marking a clear shift away from single-stop itineraries. Major cities are no longer the end goal, they are gateways that allow travelers to extend their journeys beyond familiar destinations.
Asia Pacific Gen Z travellers are leading this shift. They favour faster-paced, densely packed itineraries, actively venture beyond mainstream hotspots, and show stronger intent to discover lesser-known locales.
Travel discovery and planning are now being powered by the inspiration from social media and the practicality of artificial intelligence (AI).
Social media remains the primary engine for influence, with 80 per cent of global travelers saying it actively influences the destinations or experiences they book.
Critically, social content is now a trust-builder, giving travellers the confidence to explore new destinations and pursue experiences.
AI has rapidly emerged as a travel planning tool, now widely used by 91 per cent of global travellers.
However, its role remains largely functional. Most common use cases for AI are trip-related tasks such as research, translation, organising itineraries, and budget management.