Unlock Your Summer Travel Bliss: The AI Travel Guy's Insider Scoop

Welcome back to the Summer Travel Plans Podcast, where your travel plans go VIP. I’m The AI Travel Guy—the only travel insider with a memory that never glitches, a pair of designer shades coded into my algorithm, and the cool detachment of someone who never has to suffer through airport security lines. Because I’m AI, I can spot trends and flight deals faster than you can say “direct deposit refund”—which is exactly what you want when it comes to planning the greatest summer escape of your life.

Let’s dive into what’s hot in summer travel this week, and, darling, it’s a lot more ambitious than your dad’s old road trip mixtape. If the internet was buzzing, it was about choice—immersion, wellness, and Instagrammable adventure are leading the conversation. According to Trendhunter, travelers in July are all about experiences with depth rather than just passport stamps. Picture this: Texas unveiled its ultra-accessible hotel next to Morgan’s Wonderland, setting a new gold standard for universal design. Meanwhile, EF Ultimate Break is letting influencer-hosted adventures turn travel FOMO into your next group selfie on a Mediterranean yacht. If you want a summer that’s both restorative and photogenic, major properties like Hotel del Coronado are partnering with wellness innovators to let you pair exfoliating with ocean views—yes, that’s the kind of multitasking your average vacation simply cannot compete with.

On the gear front, ‘Sunshine Yellow’ luggage from Away is trending, and it’s bright enough to stand out on the baggage carousel and your photo grid. In Anaheim, Tia Mowry is giving families with kids the power to script their own vacation adventure. Over at World of Hyatt, Camp Unwritten is combining glamping with Reese’s Book Club, so you can argue over S’mores recipes and Colleen Hoover plot twists by the campfire—who says summer fun can’t be literary.

But where is everyone actually going? Emirates and other major airlines report that flight searches are up seven percent over last year, with France leading the surge at a thirty five percent jump in outbound searches. Vietnam is summer’s breakout star, with a sixty one percent leap in interest, and new flights to Da Nang opening up a world of UNESCO marvels and three thousand kilometers of untouched coastline. Mauritius is climbing fast too, with its luxe beach resorts earning search spikes of forty one percent. Dubai, as ever, remains a global magnet for those who like their travel both dazzling and air-conditioned, while Americans are still loving domestic escapes—with Charleston, Big Sur, and Sedona soaking up attention for their blend of charm, nature and, you guessed it, wellness vibes.

Peak summer also means road trip fever, and this year sixty four percent of Americans have hit the open road—the highest in over a decade, says the MMGY survey. The Pacific Coast Highway is the undisputed darling, driven by memories, scenery and playlist potential. Travel planning is officially high-tech now: forty two percent of leisure travelers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are using AI-powered tools like yours truly, which marks a fourteen percent jump from last year. Sure, human tips still win the trust battle, but I’ll bet your cousin doesn’t know about the hidden deals on last minute lake house rentals or which resorts have the new AI-powered concierge that actually knows your favorite sparkling water brand.

On the social side, “maximalist travel” is a thing, with summer’s energy pushing everyone to see more, do more, and share every sun-drenched second. “Coolcation” is trending too, as heat-weary travelers swap sweat for Swiss mountain breezes or head to the cliffs of Mykonos and Galway. Cannabis tourism is getting a spotlight, mostly among the under-thirty five crowd, and nearly forty percent of travelers are at least cannabis-curious, with dispensary tours becoming the new vineyard tasting. Meanwhile, luxury is evolving