Skyscanner's 2027 Travel Trends report — built on searches and survey data from more than 28,000 travellers — puts historic journeys front and centre, coining the trend "Grand Odysseys". The timing is no accident: Christopher Nolan's Odyssey blockbuster and films like Gladiator have been sending people straight from the cinema to the booking page. TikTok backs it up, with cinematic travel content views up 346% year on year and #HeroJourney posts up 452%. A third of people say the film inspired them to plan an epic-themed trip, and nearly a quarter of Millennials have already travelled in the footsteps of ancient stories — a figure that climbs to 30% among Gen Z.
The report's partner AllTrails ranked its top five historic hikes for 2027, and Greece dominates. First place goes to the Cape Drastis Loop on Corfu, tipped as the real-world stand-in for Homer's mythical Phaeacia, where a shipwrecked Odysseus recounted his ten-year journey home. Third is China's Xi'an City Wall, a Ming Dynasty stroll past ancient gateways and sweeping views. Fourth is Monte Santa Caterina on the Italian island of Favignana, home to a historic castle and its own Odysseus connections, and fifth is Rizes Cave (the Cave of Eumaeus) on Ithaca, reached through olive groves above the Ionian — the spot where Odysseus reportedly sheltered on his return. The only non-Homer entry is Argentina's Horcones-to-Espejo lagoons route, which threads past glacial lakes in the shadow of Aconcagua, South America's highest peak.
Grand Odysseys is one of seven trends in the report. "Signal Severance" sees a quarter of Gen Z travellers planning to disconnect entirely in 2027, with demand rising for digital detox spots in Finnish Lapland such as Kittilä and Rovaniemi. Souvenir tourism is also shifting: one in four travellers have taken a trip specifically for items they can't buy online, from the cult Trader Joe's tote to Ritz Paris merch.
Other trends to watch include the "sten do" — combined stag-and-hen celebrations abroad, chosen by 25% of travellers for being cheaper and easier to organise. Gym-cations are booming too: 67% of Millennials favour hotels with nutritious breakfasts, 40% of Gen Z prioritise on-site gyms, and "Gym Hotel" TikTok views have jumped 659%. Concert travel is evolving as well, with a quarter of fans saying the venue matters as much as the line-up — ancient caves and pyramids included. Finally, "currency chasers" are rerouting trips to where their money stretches further: 45% of Gen Z have swapped destinations on exchange rates alone, with Vietnam a favourite.
Why it matters: if you've ever wanted your holiday to mean something more than a beach lounger, 2027 is the year operators will make it easy. Walk a trail Homer wrote about, switch off in the Arctic, or plan a trip around a gig in a cave — the industry is clearly listening. Travellers after substance, story and a break from the scroll all benefit from this shift. Story via Euronews Travel.
