The Most Popular Bucket List Destinations On UK Travellers Wish Lists in 2026
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You've read about the 2026 travel trend predictions, you know all the best money-saving travel hacks and you've used this handy trick to double your annual leave this year. But what new experiences are you adding to your bucket list? Whether it's a skiing holiday in Japan or fine dining in Corfu, there are so many beautiful places to explore - and now, we know exactly which destinations make up Brits ultimate travel wish lists.
In order to gauge where UK travellers are hoping to holiday this year, experts at Titan Travel analysed data from both Google search trends and UK Reddit threads to determine which places people are researching and talking about. Their data found that the most popular trend among Brits is the need for a trip that is both culture and experience-rich.
Thailand was the most searched for destination, while Japan appears to be the country on most British travellers' bucket lists according to Reddit, with Bangkok, Toyko and Kyoto accounting for a third of mentions on the analysed forums. The research also found that 58% of travellers prefer experience-led holidays over traditional getaways.
Trending Travel Destinations for Brits in 2026
To accurately analyse the data from Reddit, Titan Travels identified UK-focused threads where users discussed bucket list and dream trips, noting specific countries and cities mentioned. Here's what the analysis found:
Rank | Country | % of Mentions | Bucket List Score |
1 | Japan | 14.23% | 10.00 |
2 | Spain | 10.28% | 9.25 |
3= | France | 9.09% | 8.75 |
3= | Italy | 7.51% | 8.75 |
5 | Iceland | 8.70% | 8.00 |
6 | Greece | 4.35% | 7.25 |
7 | Thailand | 4.74% | 7.00 |
8 | Australia | 4.35% | 6.25 |
9 | Canada | 3.95% | 5.25 |
10 | New Zealand | 3.16% | 5.25 |
As for search data, the results are only slightly different. As per Google travel searches between November 2024 and October 2025, Thailand takes the top spot, followed by Croatia and Turkey.
Rank | Country | UK Travel Searches |
1 | Thailand | 822,230 |
2 | Croatia | 573,040 |
3 | Turkey | 545,460 |
4 | Japan | 493,720 |
5 | Greece | 458,430 |
6 | Mexico | 441,080 |
7 | Portugal | 433,300 |
8 | Iceland | 395,570 |
9 | Montenegro | 318,650 |
10 | Spain | 293,360 |
Cassie Strickland, Product Manager at Titan Travel, says: "In 2026, many British travellers are looking to discover far-flung reaches of the world, to tick off sites and places on their travel bucket list. Reddit user posts and Google searches indicate that countries in East Asia, such as Japan and Thailand, are among the most popular."
She added: "The research also indicates that cultural exploration is an activity most travellers want to experience, which is particularly applicable to the countries above due to the significant historical, religious, and social sites surrounding them. Japan has many sites and views that are on many people’s bucket lists, such as the breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji, modern infrastructure, and museums, as well as events like the Gion Matsuri festival that allow tourists to delve into the history and culture. Similarly, in Thailand, there are many cultural events that British travellers will love, such as visiting a celebration like the Thai New Year and learning about traditional Thai fishing on islands off the coast."
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