New data from eDreams Odigeo reveals where travellers will head in 2027, and how major cultural events will influence demand.

Rio de Janeiro is currently the world's most-booked destination for 2027, while Bangkok and Tokyo top global travel searches, according to new data from travel subscription platform eDreams Odigeo.

The online travel company's annual A Year in Travel report reveals a mix of long-haul adventures and European city breaks in early bookings for next year, alongside sharp increases in travel searches linked to concerts and sporting events.

Madrid, Bangkok, Rome and Paris complete the five most-booked destinations globally for 2027, while Paris, London and Phuket follow Bangkok and Tokyo in the search rankings.

For British travellers, Barcelona, Malaga, Rome, Dublin and Madrid are the most-booked destinations so far, although searches suggest strong interest in travelling further afield. Bangkok and Tokyo lead UK searches, followed by Geneva, Milan and Orlando.

The figures reflect bookings made well in advance, meaning long-haul destinations are likely to be overrepresented at this stage. European destinations could climb the rankings as travellers make shorter-notice bookings throughout 2027.

London also remains a draw for international visitors, ranking fourth globally for hotel bookings in 2027, behind Rome, Barcelona and Paris. It is also the fourth most-searched destination worldwide.

Concerts and sporting events drive travel demand

Milestone cultural and sporting events are already having a significant impact on travel demand for next year. Following the announcement of Oasis tour dates for spring 2027, searches for travel to Glasgow surged 2,380% compared with the previous year, while Munich recorded an increase of 1,605%.

Harry Styles' announcement of new London concert dates also prompted a 221% increase in searches from within the UK. International interest was particularly strong from Denmark (+1,139%), Mexico (+700%) and Austria (+687%).

Meanwhile, global searches linked to the 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup in Brazil have increased 40% year on year. Searches for travel to Australia during BTS's 2027 tour dates have risen 43%, while Olivia Rodrigo's Los Angeles concerts in January have generated a 32% increase.

Second cities and Mediterranean escapes gain ground

The report also looks back at booking patterns in 2026, revealing growing demand for destinations beyond established tourism hotspots.

Among British travellers, Preveza-Lefkada in Greece recorded the largest year-on-year increase in flight bookings, rising 165%, followed by Zakynthos (+123%). Valencia in Spain saw bookings grow 76%, while Reus in Catalonia increased 44%. Rhodes and Minorca both recorded growth of 39%.

Despite this shift towards Mediterranean beach holidays, European city breaks continued to dominate overall bookings. Barcelona was the most-booked destination among UK travellers in 2026, followed by Amsterdam, Malaga, Istanbul and Paris.

Globally, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Palma de Mallorca and London were the five most-booked destinations.

However, some of the fastest growth came from destinations in the Southern Hemisphere. Durban in South Africa recorded an 80% increase in global bookings, followed by Melbourne (+57%), Cape Town (+55%), Johannesburg (+50%) and Sydney (+48%).

The company notes that some of this growth reflects the expansion of its Prime travel subscription service into new markets, including Australia and South Africa.

For the first time, the report also includes hotel booking data, revealing increasing demand for smaller European cities. Globally, hotel bookings for Cagliari in Sardinia increased 78%, followed by Dublin (+76%), Tirana (+74%), Madrid (+63%) and Manchester and Zaragoza (both +57%).

Among UK customers, Manchester recorded a 112% increase in hotel bookings, while Dublin rose 85% and Belfast 56%.

Shorter trips and AI reshape travel habits

Trips of less than a week remain the most common form of travel. Globally, 33% of flight bookings were for trips lasting three to four days, compared with 36% among British travellers. Hotel stays were even shorter, with 69% of global bookings and 68% of UK bookings lasting one or two days.

The growing influence of concerts and sporting events was also evident throughout 2026. Following the announcement of Celine Dion concerts in Paris, flight searches for travel between September 12 and October 15 increased 52% compared with the same period in 2025.

Shakira's concert announcements prompted increases in travel searches to France (+486%), Germany (+463%), the Netherlands (+365%) and Spain (+345%). Meanwhile, searches from Germany for travel to London during Bruno Mars' summer tour dates rose 966% year on year.

Following Arsenal's qualification for the Champions League final, searches from the UK to Budapest increased 99% compared with the previous week.

Pablo Caspers, chief travel officer at eDreams Odigeo, says: "2026 has underlined that people are increasingly making in-the-moment travel decisions, inspired by major events and once-in-a-lifetime experiences and they want complete peace of mind. That's why flexibility matters so much. It isn't just resonating with existing travellers, it's actively shaping how the next generation chooses to book."

Travellers are seeking value

Separate consumer research conducted for the company in June 2026, involving 9,000 respondents across the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, found that 39% had been inspired by social media to visit somewhere new.

The same research found that freedom and independence were the leading motivations for solo travel, cited by 38% of respondents. Another 27% associated travelling alone with self-discovery and experimentation, while 23% were motivated by opportunities to meet new people.

Dana Dunne, CEO of eDreams Odigeo, says: "People's appetite for travel is as strong as ever, and we expect 2027 to be another big year based on the early signs. Travellers think carefully about where, when and how they book, and they look for real value, which is why subscription travel is gaining ground."

Dunne also points to the growing role of artificial intelligence in travel planning and booking.

"This year, agentic AI has moved from idea to reality, opening up new ways for people to discover and book travel. Whether a trip begins by typing, speaking or asking an AI assistant to act, it still has to end in a real booking: live inventory, secure payment and support if plans change."

The company has announced partnerships with Visa and Amazon's Alexa+ as it looks to connect its travel booking services with AI-powered platforms.

The A Year in Travel 2026 report draws on flight booking and search data from eDreams Odigeo's travel brands, including Opodo, eDreams, Go Voyages and Travellink. Its year-on-year analysis covers January 1 to October 31, 2026, compared with the equivalent period in 2025.