Adventure travel boom puts India, Japan, and Jordan top for 2026 bookings

Adventure specialist Much Better Adventures has identified India, Japan, and Jordan as its fastest-rising destinations for 2026, reflecting a wider shift toward experience-led travel.

New analysis from the operator’s 2026 Trending Destinations Report, based on year-on-year booking data and Google search trends, shows demand accelerating for trips that prioritise culture, challenge, and personal growth over traditional beach holidays.

Bookings to India have surged by 214% in the past year, with travellers drawn to experiences ranging from Himalayan trekking to cycling through rainforest regions and exploring culturally rich cities such as Kochi. Japan follows with a 163% rise in bookings, alongside a 122% increase in Google searches for “Japan travel”, as visitors seek a mix of heritage, food culture, and modern pop influences. Jordan has seen bookings climb 124%, driven partly by renewed interest in Petra, while travellers also look beyond headline sites to community-based experiences.

Sam Bruce, Co-Founder of Much Better Adventures, said: “Adventure travel shows no sign of slowing down this year, and it’s great to see travellers shifting their focus away from popular, well-trodden spots to more unique and culturally immersive experiences.

“They don’t just want to visit new places, they want to immerse themselves in different activities and explore in fresh, exciting ways that have a positive impact on the people and place they’re visiting. Our booking data highlights where this demand is strongest and helps us map it against the experiences available.”

Elsewhere, Peru (+103%), Greece (+73%), Tanzania, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, and Canada have also recorded strong growth, underlining the mainstreaming of adventure travel for 2026.

Much Better Adventures recently identified six key activity trends set to shape how people explore the world in 2026.