Ways & fashions: in every journey a language is reinvented

To understand how travel is changing, it is also necessary to understand the new words that describe it. Club Med's "dictionary" of travel trends 2026 tries to condense into seven neologisms the desires of families, mountain lovers, safari dreamers and travellers in search of quality time, under the banner of tourism that is increasingly more experience-oriented than simply destination-oriented. The first term is "cooltitude", the evolution of coolcation: the summer mountain becomes a climatic and emotional refuge, with fresh air, accessible nature and high comfort. According to research conducted by SWG for Club Med, 58% of Italians prefer the mountains in summer and over 65% choose comfortable facilities. The "kinship escape", on the other hand, is the trip that strengthens family ties, with grandparents and grandchildren setting off together, often without parents, for a holiday that aims to build lasting relationships. With "spafari" and "surfari" one enters the territory of adventure, declined in two opposite and complementary travel models: the first combines the charm of the African safari with a "carefree" organisation, responding to the desire for wild nature without too many logistical complexities; the second, on the other hand, is synonymous with movement to follow the wind and the waves, without rigid itineraries. Then there is 'gig-tripping', the trip built around leaving for a concert or festival, for a shorter but more intense holiday. Then there are the 'dupe destinations', 'look-alike' destinations of those plagued by overtourism, less crowded but just as fascinating. And finally 'noctourism', with the night elected as the new stage of the journey, between stargazing and activities designed to slow down.