A trend Hilton calls whycation suggests that even business travelers crave dialed-down experiences.
In 2026, people will be traveling with purpose and looking for experiences to dial down life’s distractions, says Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report. The findings are from 14,009 online interviews of adults from 14 countries planning to travel in the next 12 months, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Hilton in June, 2025. As well, the study includes proprietary insights from more than 5,000 Hilton team members and feedback from 1,000 Hilton Honors loyalty members.
“As we look ahead to 2026, it’s clear that the meaning behind each journey matters more than ever,” said Hilton’s President and Chief Executive officer Chris Nassetta in the report. “People are traveling with purpose, whether that’s to reconnect, recharge, (re)discover or just take a breath. At Hilton, we call this shift the whycation: it’s a global movement rooted in intentionality, where travel begins not with a destination, but with a motivation.” The trend applies to meeting and incentive attendees as well as to leisure travelers, he noted. “The same business travelers who appreciate the value of in-person connections are admitting that they also want to steal a few minutes of alone time away from the group.”
Counteracting the Busyness of Business Travel
While business travelers appreciate their professional relationships, they’re also prioritizing personal wellness and finding small moments of silence or solitude before or after their daily commitments, says the report. More than one in four actively seek alone time during work trips to fuel up or re-energize. Interestingly, more than half appreciate taking a break from their family or partner.
To counteract busy meeting agendas, some business travelers said they are rising as early as 5 a.m. to focus on their own personal goals such as working out or practicing yoga or meditation. During leisure time outside of planned activities, 29 percent of respondents said they enjoy exploring destinations with colleagues. In the always-important F&B category, close to 30 percent of global business travelers admitted to enjoying a private late-night meal or snack at the hotel after group events. And Hilton’s data from Lyft also shows that business riders are twice as likely to go to a tourist destination as other riders, making the most out of their time away from home.
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