The Six Tourism Trends for 2026
Regenerative tourism, slow travel, well-being: the six trends reshaping the industry in 2026. Analysis and opportunities for hoteliers in Québec.
ARTICLE
Emilie Penazzi
1/4/2026
From Sustainable to Regenerative: Québec in the Age of "Net Positive" Territories
After a decade dominated by green labels and environmental best practices, a new approach is gaining ground in sustainable travel: regenerating rather than compensating. Earning a sustainability certification remains a priority for our environment, but the tourism ecosystem is now going further, as seen in New Zealand, one of the pioneers of regenerative tourism. Québec, which has already embedded the concept of responsible growth in its tourism strategy, now stands at a strategic crossroads. The challenge is no longer to "do less harm," but to restore natural environments, revitalize riverside communities and involve Indigenous communities in shared governance.
In 2026, Québec's tourism sector is positioned to become a North American model: a territory that chooses to improve its ecological and social well-being through the welcome it extends to visitors. The key question for hoteliers will no longer be "are we sustainable?" but "how does our presence genuinely improve the territory that hosts us?"
Slow Tourism: The Rise of the "Detour" Is Reshaping the Map of Québec
At international trade fairs, on social media and across the world, the trend is confirmed: travelers want to slow down. Traveling less far, staying longer, putting down roots in a territory: slow tourism is redrawing the travel map.
Our province holds a strong structural advantage: the Bas-Saint-Laurent, the Côte-Nord, the Outaouais, Abitibi, Saguenay and Chaudière-Appalaches already embody this promise of slowness and depth, far removed from the instagrammable checklist reflex.
With its expanding infrastructure, including train, ferry, micro-adventure, soft mobility and proximity hospitality, Québec has all the ingredients to become the leading slow destination of Francophone America. In 2026, the "detour" could well become the new norm. Tourism performance will no longer be measured solely in volumes and figures, but in the quality of territorial rooting and length of stay.
Well-Being 2.0: Québec as a Laboratory for the Regenerative Stay
In 2026, wellness travel is shifting to a new dimension. While Nordic spas have long served as the emblem, the wellness trend is broadening its reach within the tourism universe. Sleep programs, yoga or anti-burnout retreats, longevity stays, science-based nutrition and integrated mental health support are all responses to specific needs.
France, for example, is ahead of the curve, having already developed these programs extensively, such as thermal spa treatments covered by social security since 1947. A genuine industry segment, thermal, medical and wellness tourism is widespread and popular in France, with enthusiasts traveling the country to restore themselves through a "cure." A trend within the trend, pre- and postnatal support at thermal resorts is gaining ground.
Québec, already associated with winter comfort and therapeutic natural spaces, is naturally well-positioned in this movement, especially given that Québec's generous maternity leave creates ideal conditions for mothers to invest in quality recovery time. The question now is how independent hotels can partner with experts (clinicians, outdoor guides, nutritionists) to create regeneration retreats that go beyond simple relaxation. This is a maturing sector that Québec could reinvent while establishing itself as a pioneer. The challenge for hoteliers committed to this path will be to move beyond generic wellness and build credible offerings, in partnership with qualified local professionals.
From AI at Any Cost to "100% Human Service": A Counter-Trend in the Making
As the hotel industry seems swept up in the excitement around artificial intelligence, a parallel trend is quietly emerging: a deliberate, anticipated return to human service. Who does AI serve best in our field, for those who have already adopted it: the tourists or the hosts? A rhetorical question, to be interpreted as a reminder that the value of AI should not be measured only economically, but above all qualitatively.
In 2026, the real revolution may not be technological, but relational: what should the right role of AI be? What are the limits of its use, for what truly matters? Deeply human service is becoming a differentiating factor. By way of comparison, relational authenticity could become as powerful an argument as sustainability labels were in the early 2000s.
Immersive Phygital: When the Hotel Becomes Stage, Narrative and Spectacle
The hotel stay is undergoing a quiet revolution, becoming a scripted, staged experience. With virtual tours already influencing bookings, some pioneers are envisioning hotels with shifting décors, lighting and sound experiences that create a sensory signature. As this trend gains momentum internationally, Québec holds an unexpected advantage: a world-class creative ecosystem, from design to digital arts, led by studios like Moment Factory. They collaborated with a widely cited example, the Grand Magic Hotel in France, which uses a full digital staging concept to transform the stay. In Old Montréal, SonoLux, developed with the support of consultant Daniel Gallant, opened with the ambition of revolutionizing the hotel landscape through contemporary art.
The challenge in 2026 will be to observe how this immersive culture can spread beyond major projects, reaching rural inns, characterful small properties and local tourism. Phygital, rather than a mere technological gadget, is becoming a genuine artistic lever for identity expression.
Golf Tourism: An Underestimated Driver of Territorial Development
Golf-related tourism is experiencing a renewed surge of interest at the international level. Driven by the demand for outdoor experiences during and after COVID-19, active stays and accommodations offering integrated golf services, golf tourism has the wind in its sails, and a solid swing.
In several regions of the world, golf resorts are already genuine centers of attraction, combining accommodation, gastronomy, wellness and nature activities. Québec holds significant potential, with all the ingredients for a successful golf stay: a varied offering, exceptional landscapes, quality greens, a growing positioning on short active breaks and ongoing improvements to access, including air connections. The offering exists, yet it remains fragmented and in need of structuring to establish Québec as a true top-tier golf destination.
2026 will mark the transition from a scattered offering to a structured tourism product: signature courses, characterful accommodations and services tailored to local, North American and European clienteles. As regions seek sustainable economic drivers, golf tourism represents one of the most promising vectors for the diversification of Québec's tourism offering.
In conclusion, these trends share one thing in common: they demand less talk and more coherence.
Québec's hotel industry is entering a phase of strategic and operational maturity where each project will need to demonstrate its territorial, social and human value.
In 2026, the properties that will stand out will not be those that follow trends, but those that know how to translate them into credible and sustainable models.
At Emilie, Bonjour!, my work consists of supporting and structuring these projects through to completion. You have an ambition and want to discuss it? Contact me for a free first meeting.
