Bright Ideas in Travel 2026

In 1867, while crossing the Atlantic aboard the steamship Quaker City—on what would be a five-month journey from New York to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East—Mark Twain famously wrote that encountering diverse cultures on our travels dismantles prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Today, almost 160 years since Twain’s account of his trip was first published, global travel has become astoundingly more accessible, efficient, and interconnected.However, mere exposure to new places and perspectives no longer automatically makes for an enlightened global traveler. In 2026, being well traveled is not about how many places you tick off but how you choose to engage with them while there.The question, then, is how and where to find the experiences that reward that kind of travel. Differentiating greenwashing and hype from truly meaningful initiatives is harder than it ever was. I know, because for the past three years, I have sifted through them to arrive at our annual Bright Ideas in Travel winners—a collection of projects that champion the values that should, per Twain’s idealism, help expand our worldview: sustainability, accessibility, inclusion, conservation, community, and well-being.This year we received more than 200 submissions from every continent, featuring the most innovative and impactful hotels, airlines, cruise lines, destinations, start-ups, organizations, and travel operators. To dwindle it down to 25 winners, we applied a rigorous framework of inquiry around environmental and societal impact. For example, we asked questions regarding: the amount of CO2 emissions reduced; kilos of food waste eliminated; the amount of funds raised; and the number of local workers hired. Equally, though, we examined how these projects would further the pleasure, discovery, and enrichment of travel itself.We’re proud of where we landed. This year’s list showcases the zero-emissions technology that drives the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship and historic sustainable aviation fuel agreements. It also pays tribute to legacy travel brands that have long used luxury tourism as a way to support local communities and environments, such as the Ted Turner Reserves in New Mexico; Shakti in the Indian Himalayas; and Cayuga Collection in Central America. We’ve also recognized small grassroots organizations and campaigns that are making powerful contributions to underserved communities, like SS Sign Language Tourism, Uganda’s first Deaf-led tourism company, and the Black Trans Travel Fund. Together this list represents the future of travel—and, we’d like to believe, a brighter one at that. — Hannah Towey, News EditorBright Ideas in Travel 2026 WinnersThe Jaguar Rivers InitiativeTimeshifterEtihad RailProject HiuViking LibraThe Steppes Travel Fund for Female GuidesCayuga CollectionAmaWaterwaysQushui LantingSS Sign Language TourismTāmaki Taiao AlliancePonant and the Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionThe Black Trans Travel FundBecoming rentABLERelais & Châteaux and UNESCOChattanooga, TennesseeThe Passport IndexTasmanian Walking CompanyEuropean SleeperAmerican AirlinesGreenlandShakti HimalayaAir New ZealandHuna Totem CorporationTed Turner ReservesThe Jaguar Rivers multi-country initiative includes the purchasing land to create binational parks and protected biodiversity hot spots to allow the free movement of endemic wildlife like jaguars. Lucas Morgado / OnçafariIn the year since the initiative’s launch, about $42 million in funding has been raised for its efforts. One of the long-term objectives is to foster opportunities for responsible ecotourism. Miranda VolpeThe Jaguar Rivers InitiativeSouth America’s first continental wildlife corridorLaunched in September 2025, the Jaguar Rivers Initiative aims to restore ecosystems, bring back key species, and develop nature-based economies in the massive Paraná Basin, a 965,000-square-mile wildlife corridor in South America. The first multicountry effort of its kind on the continent, the initiative was founded by four NGOs: Fundación Rewilding Argentina, Bolivia-based Nativa, Paraguay’s Fundación Moisés Bertoni, and Brazil’s Onçafari (an honoree of Bright Ideas in Travel 2024). Its ongoing work includes purchasing land to create binational parks and protected biodiversity hot spots to allow the free movement of endemic wildlife like jaguars; developing a GIS monitoring system to track and confront land changes, like wildfires and unauthorized logging activity; and creating the Escuela Iberá, a training program for early-career scientists, veterinarians, and community leaders with goals to safeguard the planet’s flora and fauna for the next generation. One of the long-term objectives is to enable more opportunities for responsible ecotourism; one of Rewilding Argentina’s current collaborators, Rewilding Experience, offers wildlife-watching and adventure tours as well as lodgings like Rincón del Socorro, a farm turned hotel in the Iberá Wetlands, and El Bermejito, glamping accommodations in El Impenetrable National Park in the Gran Chaco region of northern Argentina. In the year since the initiative’s launch, about $42 million in funding has been raised for its efforts, predominantly through support from donors like Tompkins Conservation, Rainforest Trust, and Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative.Timeshifter uses NASA- and Harvard-backed circadian science to help reduce jet lag symptoms during long-haul travel. TelegrammeTimeshifterA jet-lag app that's bringing circadian science to the massesDeeply researched and peer-reviewed clinical studies of circadian rhythms are at the heart of Timeshifter, an app that leverages NASA- and Harvard-backed circadian science to help reduce jet lag symptoms. Timeshifter was cofounded by Steven Lockley—a neuroscientist and professor at Harvard Medical School whose circadian rhythm research has been used to optimize the safety and performance of NASA astronauts and mission controllers, Formula 1 drivers, and elite athletes who navigate complex time zone changes. Using Lockley’s over 30 years of research, Timeshifter launched its jet lag mitigation app in 2018. Here’s how it works: Users plug in their flight details and regular sleep habits, then the app generates a schedule that recommends how much light exposure, sleep, and caffeine you need when crossing time zones; you can toggle on and off an option for melatonin intake. Based on about 130,000 post-travel surveys, 96.4% of users who followed Timeshifter’s advice said they didn’t struggle with severe jet lag. Now with over 1.7 million users across iOS and Android for its jet lag app, Timeshifter launched a version for shift and night workers in late 2025, partnering with hospitals and health care organizations around the world to demonstrate how its sleep science-based advice improves health and quality of life.Etihad Rail is building 11 new passenger train stations across the UAE that will open throughout 2026 and 2027. Gabrena GrewalThe vast rail network has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions from the UAE’s road sector by up to 21% annually. Gabrena GrewalEtihad RailThe UAE’s first passenger train networkEtihad Rail is the UAE's first passenger train, offering a low-emission alternative to road transport and a major win for environmental sustainability in a country known for high vehicle emissions. Etihad means “unity” in Arabic, a fitting name for a network that will connect 11 cities across the UAE over nearly 900 kilometers (560 miles) of tracks, with the potential to reduce CO2 emissions from the UAE’s road sector by up to 21% annually. The new rail network is an efficient and easy way for travelers to get around the UAE: Etihad Rail began this June by linking Abu Dhabi in the west, on the Persian Gulf, and Fujairah in the east, on the Gulf of Oman, in about an hour and 45 minutes. Expansion continues with the opening of stations in Dubai and Al Dhaid, in the emirate of Sharjah, in late September; Liwa and Madinat Zayed, both in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, in November; and more come December 2026 and March 2027. The trains, capable of traveling at 200 kilometers (roughly 125 miles) per hour, have Wi-Fi, power outlets at every seat, overhead and luggage storage, and accessibility features like designated wheelchair spaces and priority seating. In a nation known for its glitz and bling, perhaps this is the greatest luxury of all: no worries about airport security or watching the road, just letting the majestic desert scenery beyond the windows speed past.Project Hiu hires shark fishermen to work in tourist activities and conservation research, providing an alternative means of income in the world's largest shark-fishing industry. TelegrammeProject HiuTurning predators into protectors in the world’s largest shark-fishing industryIndonesia’s fishing industry catches more sharks than anywhere else in the world, accounting for over 12% of the global supply. Some of the country’s fishermen spend weeks away from their families to hunt the animals—endangered and otherwise—for their coveted fins, meat, skin, and liver oil. Though the practice is strictly regulated, some fishers do so even at risk of prosecution in the absence of an alternative income. That’s the understanding that led Australian diver, filmmaker, and activist Madison Pip Stewart to begin Project Hiu in 2018. Named after the Bahasa Indonesia word for “shark,” the initiative hires fishermen and their boats to instead work in tourist activities and support the tagging and research of their erstwhile prey. With Project Hiu’s efforts currently focused on Maringkik Island, about 80 fishers turned local guides now take travelers snorkeling with species like blacktip reef sharks in coral forests, and on swims and sailing day trips around East Lombok. This year Project Hiu recruited seven more fishers and their boats in a single month, the team deployed nine new shark tags, and the project’s first-ever female scholarship student started boarding school. In 2027 Project Hiu aims to bring on more fishers and boats and continue its shark research, as well as increase nontourism efforts like mangrove restoration and plastic cleanup in the area’s waters.Viking LibraThe world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship capable of operating on zero emissionsUntil recently, a hydrogen-powered cruise ship would be considered a moon shot engineering feat. Now the technology has become a reality: Viking Libra, the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, will set sail on its inaugural voyage in December 2026. The 499-room vessel is capable of operating with zero emissions thanks to a propulsion system based partially on liquefied hydrogen and fuel cells, capable of producing up to six megawatts of power (enough to light 3,600 to 6,000 homes at once). While other cruise lines are turning to liquefied natural gas to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, Viking Libra is the first passenger vessel to entirely eliminate CO2 from the equation using hydrogen power. The only “emissions” are water and water vapor, thanks to a hydrogen fuel cell system Viking developed in collaboration with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to the tune of $50 million. This cutting-edge system allows the ship to access even the world’s most environmentally sensitive areas like Norway’s World Heritage fjords. Though Viking Libra is the first of its kind, Viking says it won’t be the last: Viking Astrea, currently under construction and scheduled for delivery in 2027, will also be hydrogen-powered and capable of operating with zero emissions.Steppes has supported the education of more than 160 women training to become guides in Sri Lanka, India, Colombia, Peru, El Salvador, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Courtesy of The Steppes Travel Fund for Female GuidesThe Steppes Travel Fund for Female GuidesTackling tour-guide gender imbalances through training and educationWhile the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations estimates that roughly 80% of guides globally are women, workforces in certain regions and industries have steep gender imbalances. In Sri Lanka, for example, women make up less than 10% of the country’s tour guides; in Botswana, less than 5%. Steppes Travel, a tour operator and Certified B Corporation, is working to change that. Since it launched The Steppes Travel Fund for Female Guides in 2023, it has supported the education of more than 160 women training to become guides in Sri Lanka, India, Colombia, Peru, El Salvador, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This year the fund has paid out approximately about $50,000 to its recipients so far, prioritizing applications from underrepresented communities and from countries where guide roles for women are less common. The fund is backed by the company’s Steppes Fund for Change, which in turn is funded by a per-person fee of 115 pounds (about $156) for every Steppes Travel trip booking and donated on the traveler’s behalf.Cayuga CollectionRedefining off-season travel in Central America to create lasting, systematic changeIn Central America the travel window between May and November is historically the low-occupancy period, when the region is at its hottest and most humid. But it’s also when the wildlife is most active and thriving. These months are worth celebrating, asserts Cayuga Collection, a clutch of seven environmentally minded hotels across Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Guatemala, founded in 2023. The collection kicked off its Wildlife Season initiative in 2025, encouraging travelers to visit Costa Rica in this so-called offseason, when the rainforests are most lush, ripe fruits are drawing out keel-billed toucans and scarlet macaws, red-eyed tree frogs and glass frogs are emerging in the rain, baby turtles are hatching, and humpback whales are basking in the area’s warm waters. Thanks to the Wildlife Season, Cayuga has begun to smooth out its occupancy curve and has increased bookings by 31%, which has allowed for year-round employment of its staff, over 95% of whom are local to the region. This distribution of travelers across the calendar acts as a pressure valve. Instead of concentrating thousands of visitors into just a few months, wildlife disturbance and trail use are distributed more evenly throughout the year, allowing nature to regenerate and rest more, well, naturally.AmaWaterways now employs more than 250 locals in Colombia's rural communities. Courtesy AmaWaterwaysThe 60-passenger ships help stimulate the local economy without overcrowding riverside villages. Courtesy AmaWaterwaysAmaWaterwaysA newly revived cruise route supporting Colombia’s riverside communitiesThe Magdalena River, a major waterway running through western Colombia, was once a prosperous cruising route that brought cultural exchange and commerce to Colombia’s riverside communities until the passenger steamship service ended in the 1960s. Only in 2025 did cruise travel return to the Magdalena when AmaWaterways launched the sister ships AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodia, whose itineraries bring travelers to historic towns like Calamar, known for its graceful churches, and Mompox, home to artisans working with delicate filigree. Both vessels have capacity for about 60 passengers, meaning the modest infusion of visitors they bring stimulates the local economies without overcrowding communities, and employ more than 250 locals through their Colombia sailings. In July 2026 the company launched the AmaWaterways River Borne Foundation to organize its extant charitable efforts in the regions in which it sails: For its inaugural focus the foundation is supporting various education and professional training programs in Santa Barbara de Pinto, a rural municipality along the Magdalena.Qushui LantingA new urban wellness offering that blends tradition and technologyIn China a novel type of wellness destination is emerging, one that melds traditional social bathing culture with modern hospitality and high-tech amenities at an affordable price point. Call them the “superspas” of China. Many of these serene spaces combine social bathing with individual spa treatments, dining and tea experiences, high-tech entertainment, and even overnight stays. It’s become a massive industry: Meituan, a Chinese services platform, reports that the local bathhouse market surpassed $16 billion in 2025. One of the best examples of these city resorts is Qushui Lanting, a wellness retreat brand that operates luxury 24-hour spas. After the inaugural location in Beijing opened in 2011, Qushui Lanting established properties in Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Wuhan. In 2024 it came to Shanghai with a five-story 194,000-square-foot complex boasting saunas, steam rooms, soaking pools, and locker rooms stocked with luxury beauty products by brands like Chanel and Clé de Peau; unlimited dining options ranging from seasonal fruits and juices to Wagyu beef and endless caviar; entertainment-focused cinema areas, video game setups, and mahjong rooms; and rest areas—guests can choose from sleeping pods in common areas or private hotel-style rooms. Visitors purchase entry with 12-hour or 24-hour passes, ranging roughly from $170 to $220, depending on selected add-ons, making it a reasonable all-inclusive alternative to by-the-night bookings at hotels. The newfound popularity of these all-in-one superspas on social media platforms offers a window into China, which is seeing an increase in foreign travelers; the country welcomed 21.3 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2026, a 22.3% uptick from the same period the year prior, according to its National Immigration Administration.SS Sign Language Tourism, which earned its official Uganda tour operator license in October 2025, narrates silent game drives in Ugandan Sign Language and International Sign. TelegrammeSS Sign Language TourismEast Africa’s first safari operator designed by and for Deaf travelersIn Uganda a new tour operator is taking travelers on safari largely in silence, telling the story of East Africa and its wildlife using sign language. Denis Ssebayiga and Simone Pabsch, two Deaf entrepreneurs based in Kampala, cofounded SS Sign Language Tourism in late 2024, and the company earned its official Uganda tour operator license in October 2025. Ssebayiga and his team of Deaf guides lead expeditions like gorilla treks through Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, rhino-tracking safaris at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and chimpanzee-watching in Kibale Forest National Park. Because every moment is narrated in Ugandan Sign Language and International Sign, Deaf travelers are more deeply immersed in the experience, and a welcome hush falls over the environment—which is, surprise, appreciated by the wildlife too. (Some experiences are designed for both Deaf and hearing travelers as well.) While still a young company in its first year, SS Sign Language Tourism has already welcomed guests not only from Uganda and nearby Kenya, but from as far away as Germany, France, and the United States. In 2026, Ssebayiga and Pabsch are raising funds to train more Deaf guides and to purchase a second 4x4 vehicle to bring routes to Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda, demonstrating that accessible safari experiences are not only possible but in demand.Tāmaki Taiao AllianceAn extensive urban eco-regeneration project rooted in Indigenous knowledgeTāmaki Makaurau—the traditional Māori name for Auckland, the largest city in Aotearoa (New Zealand)—is in the midst of a massive eco-regeneration project. Launched in December 2025, the Tāmaki Taiao Alliance unites Māori and government stakeholders, philanthropies, corporations, and citizens—Indigenous and otherwise—to regenerate their city’s natural landscapes. In its inaugural year, the alliance is working on seven high-impact restoration projects that reconnect roughly 865,000 acres of the region’s fragmented ecosystems, all led by or connected to mana whenua (tribal authorities), ensuring sustainability and cultural integrity. Projects include the removal of invasive species on the islands of Waiheke, Kawau, and Aotea to restore native bird populations; the fostering of native biodiversity around the Wairoa River through community skill sharing and training; and the recuperation of forest, wetland, and coastal ecosystems in the Kaipara district. Indigenous knowledge is at the heart of every decision made by the alliance, grounded in the Māori concept of kaitiakitanga, or guardianship of the natural world as an intergenerational and universal responsibility. With support from all sectors of Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, the Tāmaki Taiao Alliance demonstrates that communities can affect landscape-scale change in urban areas with concerted effort, making cities greener than before—or, rather, as green as they were always meant to be.Shot by more than 30 photographers, the collection is a free resource for environmental storytelling and education. Ophelie Bleunven / Ocean Image BankPonant and the Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionAn industry-first partnership leveraging polar travel for groundbreaking ocean researchTo advance ocean research and education, the luxury expedition cruise line Ponant and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) launched a three-year collaboration that brings WHOI scientists on select ships to conduct fieldwork and engage travelers in educational programming. The first WHOI expedition took place in October 2025, when Le Commandant Charcot sailed the Weddell Sea, where scientists deployed LiDAR technology to study the breakup of the Antarctic ice sheet. Guests witnessed this work firsthand and learned more directly from the researchers, helping them better understand and appreciate the remote, fragile environments they came to see. The partnership also facilitates the testing of emerging technology: The Whale Spotter Camera, a tool that can detect whales up to three nautical miles away, helps crews make more responsible navigation decisions and avoid whale strikes; the latest AI-enabled version was installed for the first time on Le Commandant Charcot in April 2026. Soon Ponant will also deploy the RESQ Robot, a device inspired by sea turtles that’s engineered for close-range, low-impact recording of marine fauna. To top it all off, Ponant and WHOI launched the open-access Polar Ocean Image Collection in May 2026—which includes more than 500 images from the Arctic and Antarctic shot by more than 30 photographers around the world—providing a free and valuable resource for storytelling, education, and communication about the importance of the polar regions.The Black Trans Travel FundSupporting trans travelers in the US and abroadWhen we travel, the world opens up to us—and we make ourselves vulnerable to that world. Safer travel options are imperative, especially for marginalized groups who face the threat of violence, whether abroad or at home. The Black Trans Travel Fund was founded in 2019 as a program for Black trans women in New York and New Jersey to pay for ride-share services and travel safely. The fund has since expanded its remit and redistributed nearly $800,000 in funding to pay for passport fees, TSA PreCheck applications, flights, and emergency expenses. This support has become particularly essential to trans travelers applying for US passports; a 2025 executive order eliminated the nonbinary X gender marker option for use on federal identity documents and mandates that the federal government recognize only two sexes—male and female—defined as unchangeable and determined at birth. Amid a decline in individual donor support due to fear around the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric targeting trans people, the Black Trans Travel Fund launched a $1 million capital campaign in early 2026 to continue its work.Becoming rentABLE now totals about 1,200 verified accessible rentals across all 50 states. Courtesy Becoming rentABLEBecoming rentABLECreating a verified network of accessible short-term rentals in all 50 US statesOut of the 1.5 million short-term rentals (STRs) available in the United States, less than 1% are accessible to wheelchair users, and many lack the full array of features required for people with spinal muscular atrophy. This gap in the travel industry is the focus of Becoming rentABLE, a booking platform for verified accessible STRs, founded by Lorraine Woodward in 2021. When Woodward couldn’t find any rentals that suited her family’s needs, she created an accessible vacation home in North Carolina—and once she began sharing that property with other families, she recognized the huge demand for more accessible lodging in the US. Five years on, Becoming rentABLE now counts about 1,200 verified accessible rentals across all 50 states in its booking network. To join the platform, all listings are vetted and must meet a comprehensive list of specifications like ramps, step-free entrances, minimum door widths, and accessible parking. In June 2026 the platform launched a community-driven campaign called SMAshing My Limits And Going Places in partnership with the pharmaceutical company Novartis to identify, vet, and add at least 100 verified accessible STRs in the US to the Becoming rentABLE network. At least 25 of these properties will be experience-based stays like riverside cabins, tree houses, cottages near state parks, and accessible beachfront accommodations. The goal is to invite travelers with accessibility needs to go where they believed they couldn’t, with the confidence that their needs will be met.Relais & Châteaux and UNESCOEco-forward dining that supports local culinary cultureThese days farm-to-table fine dining is de rigueur, but Relais & Châteaux (R&C), a network of independent restaurants and hotels that emphasize a locale’s environment and culinary culture, is taking eco-forward eating to the next level. In February 2026, R&C launched four new global initiatives with UNESCO, aiming to create frameworks for environmental and community engagement that can be replicated throughout the hospitality world. Each pilot project pairs an R&C property with a nearby UNESCO-designated location: FYN Restaurant in Cape Town is supporting the biodiversity of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and discouraging illegal foraging by cultivating indigenous species on its farms for use in its menus. In the World Heritage Site comprising Japan’s Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island, L’Effervescence in Tokyo is partnering with fishers to support low-impact fishing methods (like free dive spearfishing) and active seaweed bed regeneration to restore marine ecosystems. Eleven Madison Park in New York City is working with Indigenous and local producers in the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve and launching an educational program with Paul Smith’s College in New York to drive innovation in plant-based cuisine; each semester, select students will receive mentorship and hands-on training at the famed Michelin-starred restaurant. And in the South of France, Maison Pic is transitioning nearby family vineyards to biodynamic farming, promoting local heritage by sourcing plant-based ingredients from organic terroirs, and planning the establishment of a new UNESCO designation in the French regions of Drôme and Ardèche. Such UNESCO-given labels confer great prestige to destinations yet can seem nebulous or esoteric. These projects with R&C offer hands-on ways to understand, experience, and taste the unique lands and seas UNESCO invites the world to protect.Chattanooga is working toward the preservation of over 560 acres of vacant, city-owned land for natural wildlife habitats. TelegrammeChattanooga, TennesseeNorth America’s first National Park CityDubbed Scenic City for the striking mountains, ridges, and valleys that surround it, Chattanooga is dedicated to making nature as accessible as possible to its residents. The city unveiled its Parks and Outdoors Plan in 2023, aiming to become “a city in a park” by improving and expanding its outdoor recreation spaces. Targets include the creation of seven neighborhood parks, four sports facilities, and 16 miles of greenway trails, while permanently preserving over 560 acres of city-owned vacant land for natural wildlife habitats. The hard work is ongoing—and has not gone unnoticed. In April 2025 the National Park City Foundation named Chattanooga the first National Park City in North America, the third globally after London and Adelaide, Australia (Breda, Netherlands, became the fourth in the following month). Though it has no ties to the National Parks Service, the foundation awards the label to cities that prioritize nature, parks, and green spaces as essential parts of urban life. Galvanized by the designation, Chattanooga began its National Park City Seeds program in March 2026, through which community members can pitch an eco-oriented idea, however big or small, and find collaborators, volunteers, and resources that can help that “seed” take root. One such “sprout” is Maclellan Island Eco Tours, launched in June 2026 by partners Chattanooga Audubon Society and Chattanooga Riverboat Company. Expert naturalists lead visitors to the Tennessee River’s Maclellan Island, known locally as Goat Island for the goats that help control invasive plant species threatening the island’s ecological health. Other Seeds projects include the linking of extant bike paths and trails, the development of annual events that celebrate Indigenous people and culture, and even regular community cleanup activities accompanied by DJ sets.The Passport IndexA free platform helping travelers navigate complicated visa requirementsIn a volatile geopolitical climate, the matter of travel visas—who needs them, how to get them—can be frustrating and even life-altering as border policies shift within mere hours. The Passport Index, a free website and app launched by Arton Capital in 2015, provides an easy-to-navigate database of visa and entry requirements for 227 travel destinations around the world, synthesizing complicated and disparate information into one central tool. The index’s website and app have allowed users to see where their passport (or passports) permit them to travel and under what conditions: visa-free, with a visa on arrival, through an eVisa, or with an electronic travel authorization (eTA). It updates mobility data in real time and integrates “apply now” links into its visa information pages for destinations where an eVisa or eTA is required. This feature, introduced in 2024, directs travelers to verified official institutions, reducing the incidence of fraud and minimizing confusion at immigration on arrival. The Passport Index has proved to be particularly vital for travelers who are navigating high-stakes airspace closures and rapidly changing border conditions. For example, during the onset of the Iran war earlier this year, the platform recorded a 450% increase in clicks on Oman’s visa application as travelers sought alternative destinations and evacuation routes.TWC developed the Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk through a historic partnership with Aṉangu Traditional Owners. Tasmanian Walking CompanyTasmanian Walking CompanyAn Indigenous-led walking tour 10 years in the makingIn April 2026 the Tasmanian Walking Company (TWC), a tour operator that leads travelers through Australia’s natural landscapes on foot, unveiled its latest journey: the Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk. It’s the first multiday guided walking experience that includes overnight stays within Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park, home to the monumental rock formations Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa, both considered sacred sites by the Indigenous people of Australia. Developed in partnership with Aṉangu Traditional Owners, the five-day 54-kilometer (33.5-mile) itinerary includes experiences with Aṉangu knowledge holders: walking with an Aboriginal local guide for up to six hours; taking a dot-art class with an Aunty from the Mutujulu Arts Centre; yarning around a campfire while listening to ancestral stories linked to the desert bushland landscape of the continent. Travel groups are capped at 16 people and stay within the national park at an off-grid lodge and eco-sensitive camps designed in collaboration with Aṉangu Traditional Owners. The Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk’s inaugural season, from April to September this year, counted 80 separate walk departures, about four a week; for the 2027 season, the TWC plans to have departures daily. The company and Aṉangu Traditional Owners worked together for over a decade to create the walk and are committed to another: TWC is aiming to reach 33% Aṉangu employment within the first 10 years of business.European Sleeper introduced overnight service between Paris and Berlin in March 2026 after Austria’s ÖBB and France’s SNCF canceled the popular route. Courtesy European SleeperThe vintage night trains are made of three-to-six-person compartments with couchettes that convert into beds (bookable by the bed or as private cabins). Courtesy European SleeperEuropean SleeperA cooperative of citizen investors reviving Europe’s night-train networkAn exciting new night-train network is picking up speed in Europe, and it’s thanks to citizen investors rather than national railway companies. Started as a cooperative in 2021, the European Sleeper was cofounded by Dutch entrepreneurs Chris Engelsman and Elmer van Buuren, who had the idea to bring back European night trains after major German and French train companies canceled their services in the 2010s. In 2023 the European Sleeper launched its first overnight route between Brussels and Berlin on existing rails. The Sleeper uses vintage night trains with three-to-six-person compartments with couchettes that convert into beds (bookable by the bed or as private cabins). Tickets starting at around 180 euros, including optional breakfast service. Since its launch, the train line has raised over 20 million euros and carried almost 250,000 passengers throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Czechia. In late 2025 Austria’s ÖBB and France’s SNCF canceled overnight service between Paris and Berlin despite a widely signed petition to keep it running, so the European Sleeper introduced its own service between the two capitals in March 2026. And the Sleeper is showing no signs of slowing down: In September 2026 it’s unveiling a new connection that runs between Brussels and Milan, passing through cities in Germany and Switzerland on the way; in December 2026 that route will expand to include Antwerp and the Dutch cities of Breda and Eindhoven.American AirlinesAn industry-first investment in sustainable aviation fuelAdvancing the future of sustainable travel, American Airlines made great strides this year in the deployment of viable, low-carbon alternatives to traditional jet fuel. In June, American and Google signed the largest publicly announced agreement for sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) between an airline and a corporate partner. The contract ensures the creation and delivery over the next three years of 35 million gallons of SAF, produced from waste feedstocks like used cooking oil, resulting in the reduction of nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions. Air travel accounts for roughly 20% of the entire global tourism carbon footprint, and one of the aviation industry’s best levers for reducing carbon emissions is the use of SAF. But it’s expensive to make, so the supply is limited, making it even more costly to buy. Corporate deals like this allow airlines to purchase and invest in SAF on a wider scale, demonstrating demand and encouraging production.Greenland plans to double its visitor numbers by 2035—without overwhelming its people and natural resources. Getty ImagesGreenlandA 10-year strategy setting a new standard for sustainable tourism regulationGreenland has become more accessible than ever to most travelers in the last few years. New airports opened in Nuuk in 2024 and Qaqortoq (previously only accessible by boat and helicopter) earlier this year; in October 2026 another will open in Ilulissat above the Arctic Circle. More cruise ships like Oceania Marina and Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot are sailing to remote destinations like Sisimiut, Narsaq, and Disko Island. But Greenland’s approach to tourism isn’t just about attracting visitors: In January 2025 the government passed the Greenland Tourism Act, offering a framework for regulating tourism activities while protecting its sensitive ecosystems, the needs of Greenlandic communities, and other local industries like fishing. The act requires a two-thirds majority local ownership in tourism companies and implements taxes on accommodations and cruise ships (about $4.68 per night for each guest) that fund the building of tourism facilities, maintenance of infrastructure like hiking trails, and environmental protection efforts. In May 2025 Visit Greenland launched a 10-year sustainable tourism strategy, developed in collaboration with the government. The goal is to spread out the incoming traffic and economic stimulus beyond the major hubs and peak tourist seasons of July and August. Through infrastructure developments, sustainable tourism regulation, and native stewardship, Greenland plans to double its visitor numbers by 2035—without overwhelming its people and natural resources.Shakti Prana, an off-grid mountain retreat in Kumaon comprised of seven hand-built cottages, opened in 2025. Gentl & HyersOver the past 20 years, Shakti has donated 45 cents of every guest dollar to local villages, amounting to $5.9 million thus far. Gentl & HyersShakti HimalayaTwenty years of supporting remote communities in the Indian Himalayas with low-impact tourismIn the Indian Himalayas, the travel company Shakti Himalaya takes adventurous travelers on days-long guided treks through the famed mountainous regions of Kumaon, Sikkim, and Ladakh. Along the way, guests stay in village homes that Shakti restored using traditional techniques. These low-impact accommodations rented from locals are powered entirely by solar and hydroelectric energy and utilize closed-loop waste systems (any unused produce and all organic food waste from the kitchens are given to neighboring families). Additionally the company employs an all-local team of chefs, wilderness guides, and property managers—a commitment that helps address the region’s rural migration crisis, as young people leave their villages to find work in more urban areas. Since Shakti’s founding by Mumbai-born Jamshyd Sethna in 2006, about 45 cents of every guest dollar has gone directly to the village economies, a total that now amounts to $5.9 million. In time for the company’s 20th anniversary, its flagship property opened in 2025: Shakti Prana, a mountain retreat in Kumaon featuring seven private cottages. Built entirely by hand, it functions completely off-grid via custom solar networks, harvests rainwater to safeguard its neighbors' water supply, and feeds all kitchen scraps to local village livestock. Rather than draining a community’s resources, Shakti demonstrates how luxury hospitality can be intentional, immersive, and generative, serving as a financial engine that empowers locals to become the primary guardians of their own natural environment.Air New Zealand designed the industry's first “bunk beds” in economy, priced at $495 per four-hour session. Air New ZealandAir New ZealandCutting-edge aircraft cabin designs that democratize passenger comfortWhile much of the aviation industry continues to roll back on in-flight comforts to cut costs, Air New Zealand is showing that it takes passenger well-being seriously—and not just in the upper cabins. The airline, which operates some of the longest flight routes in the world, has developed the first lie-flat sleep pods, designed specifically for economy and premium economy passengers. Called the Skynest, these six pods are arranged like bunk beds, each measuring in at about six feet, eight inches long and 25 inches wide. The pods are each equipped with lighting, an air vent, personal storage areas, USB charging ports, and a privacy curtain, and they also come with an amenity kit that includes an eye mask and earplugs. Ticketed economy and premium economy passengers who are at least 15 years old can pay $495 to book a four-hour session (no double bookings allowed). The Skynest is currently installed on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and is already available to book on select long-haul flights between Auckland and New York for travel dates beginning in December 2026. This new product comes after Air New Zealand debuted the Skycouch last year, which allows economy passengers to book an entire row of seats with extra pillows and blankets provided, starting at $750. Together the innovative and comparatively affordable products are democratizing comfort for long-haul travelers beyond business and first class.Huna Totem CorporationSharing Alaska Native culture with travelers on Alaska Native termsHuna Totem Corporation (HTC) is an Alaska Native village corporation owned by more than 1,600 shareholders who have ancestral and cultural ties to the Tlingit village of Hoonah, in the Inside Passage. In April 2026, HTC signed a tidelands lease in April 2026 to develop Áak'w Landing, a new $200 million cruise ship dock and waterfront cultural center in downtown Juneau, planned for its first full season in 2028. This new Indigenous-owned and -operated port will generate tourism jobs that directly benefit local Alaska Native lands and economies—a model that HTC has previously executed with impactful results. It began in 2004 with Icy Strait Point in Hoonah, situated 30 miles west of Juneau. Led largely by people from the Alaska Native community, Icy Strait Point has welcomed about 5 million guests since its founding; in the past year alone, HTC generated $15.4 million in financial support for Hoonah. In July 2026 it announced a 15-year preferential docking agreement with Disney Cruise Line that includes an annual passenger guarantee through at least 2041. Learnings from the development of Icy Strait Point—as well as Klawock Island on Prince of Wales Island and Chugach Glacier Gateway in Whittier, both established in 2024—will inform the plans for Áak'w Landing, guided by the purpose to share Alaska Native culture on Alaska Native terms with tourists.Ted Turner Reserves operates four retreats that immerse guests in the natural environment, continuing its founder's legacy of sustainable hospitality. Ben ClarkTTR facilitates rewilding and species restoration work across 1.1 million acres of private land in New Mexico, including the world's largest private bison herd. Courtesy Ted Turner ReservesTed Turner ReservesBringing Ted Turner’s visionary legacy into the future of hospitalityWith the belief that it’s humanity’s duty to “save everything,” Ted Turner, the late television entrepreneur, founder of CNN, and philanthropist, launched the conservation and eco-tourism venture Ted Turner Reserves in 2019. Across 1.1 million acres of private land in New Mexico, it facilitates rewilding and species restoration work, like the reforestation of 50,000 acres to reduce wildfire risk; the reintroduction of critically endangered Mexican wolves and Bolson tortoises into the wild; and the successful rehabilitation of the Rio Grande cutthroat trout population in the Costilla watershed, resulting in its removal as a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 2024. Ted Turner Reserves also owns and operates four retreats—Armendaris, Ladder, and Sierra Grande in southern New Mexico; Vermejo in the north, on the border with Colorado—where wildlife-watching and nature excursions are built into travelers’ stays. In September 2026, Vermejo launched Wild Wellbeing, a new wellness program, the first among the Ted Turner Reserves properties. In addition to massage treatments and movement classes in yoga and tai chi, Wild Wellbeing offers experiences directly connected to the reserves’ land and skies: late-night “starbathing” rituals free from artificial light, and sound meditations with chimes and crystal singing bowls atop Castle Rock, a natural sandstone formation. Since Turner’s passing in May this year, the reserves have taken steps to continue his environmental goals in his absence, among them the establishment of the Turner Institute of Ecoagriculture, ensuring that these vast land holdings are protected by permanent conservation easements that legally limit commercial development.Lead editor: Hannah ToweySpecial project editor: Matt OrtileGlobal digital director: Arati MenonLead visuals: Pallavi KumarSupporting visuals: Julia AbbonizioIllustrations: TelegrammeCopy editors: Damian Fallon and Rachel WhalenLead social media: Mercedes BlethSupporting social media: Bridget Knowles and Pooja Nayyar