Travel provides a mental health reboot

NEW insights from Amadeus have revealed that travel is increasingly being used as a mental health reset and not only as a leisure activity. An Amadeus research project, ‘Travel Dreams 2026: From data to delight’, finds that many travellers this year are prioritising having a ‘refreshed brain’ alongside ‘finding a new version of themselves’ and ‘greater confidence and independence’. Some 41% of the 6 000 global travellers surveyed aspire to return from a trip with a calmer nervous system, while a third describe an ideal destination as one where they are inspired to digitally detox because the world around them is more interesting. Premium The focus on mental health is reflected in the project’s research, which shows guests are willing to pay a premium for features that reduce friction, add comfort and give them a sense of control. The top six revenue-generating attributes identified were (in order of traveller preference): 1 Early check-in/late check-out 2 Room view/floor selection 3 Personalised welcome amenities 4 Sleep optimisation packages 5 Enhanced oxygen and air quality in rooms 6 Local experience kits/curated guides Some 74% of the travellers say they want their trips to be personalised and the results suggest that if modern retailing opportunities like room attributes are pitched strategically, they can deliver significant returns. A 150-room, mid-scale hotel could generate an additional US$1 million (R16,5m) in incremental annual revenue by monetising these popular attributes. AI AI implementation is accelerating. Only one hotelier out of 500 questioned was not planning to invest in this area in 2026. Per hotel, the average spend earmarked for AI in 2026 is $320 000 (R5,3m), rising to $400 000 (R6,6m) in the US. Hoteliers say this spend will focus on revenue intelligence, forecasting, automation and chatbots. Visibility within generative search is now essential for reaching target audiences. Getting generative engine optimisation and search engine optimisation right is the top reported demand-generation priority for hoteliers in 2026. However, the research makes one thing clear: travellers still value the human touch – they want people to welcome them, help them and look after them. Sustainability Sustainability has become a core expectation, with three-quarters of travellers saying sustainability credentials influence their hotel choice. Among travellers who value sustainability, many are also willing to pay a price premium, averaging 11,7% more for a night at a hotel with stronger environmental practices. All the hoteliers researched in the survey said they were actively planning to spend on sustainability initiatives in 2026, with an average spend of around 7% of total business expenditure. Over a third of hoteliers (35%) also stated that sustainability was a key factor in how they sought to differentiate a property.