Forget relaxing on the sun lounger. This new trend wants travelers to be more active.
Many still believe that the ideal trip means waking without an alarm and unwinding on a sun lounger or sightseeing. Sweat jetting, the new travel trend that has made a dynamic entrance in recent years, is here to change that picture. Essentially, it describes a way of traveling where exercise, adventure, and wellness aren't just part of the vacation but the very reason travelers choose a destination. Relaxation and exploration can now go hand in hand with fitness and well-being.
What Is Sweat Jetting
According to Tripadvisor's Trendcast 2026, travelers no longer plan their trips solely around where they want to go but, above all, around what they want to do there. The data reveals that fitness travel is on the rise. The term "sweat jetting" comes from combining the words sweat and jet-setting and describes trips where physical activity is at the heart of the experience.
It's not necessarily a trip to a structured fitness retreat, as we've seen in recent years. It might be a getaway centered on a marathon, a demanding hike, a cycling route, surfing, climbing, or even a yoga program. Tripadvisor gives illustrative examples of such trips, with experiences ranging from trail running on Chamonix's mountain paths and hiking the peaks of Patagonia to hammam in Marrakech for post-workout recovery.
The core idea is that the activity becomes the main reason to reach the destination. Instead of choosing the city or country first and then looking for what they can do there, they start from the experience they want to have and pick the destination.
The rise of fitness travel
Fitness travel, it seems, is here to stay. The figures show a genuine shift in travel preferences. According to Tripadvisor, 21% of travelers worldwide plan to take fitness-focused vacations in the coming months, a share up by 11% compared with the previous year. At the same time, fitness vacations, such as cycling trips and yoga retreats, rose by 10%, while active trips, such as surfing and climbing, by 8%.
Marathons and retreats are reasons to travel
One of the most telling examples of sweat jetting is the ever-closer link between sports and tourism. For runners, for instance, marathons have become a different way to get to know a new city or a new country. On social media, we see many choosing New York or Athens and traveling with that goal in mind. The major road races have become real reasons to travel, with many people heading to another city not only to run but also to embrace the whole experience.
According to Tripadvisor's data, a race can turn a city into an international travel destination. And it's not only the athletes who travel. Friends and families come along, pairing the race with sightseeing, restaurants, and other experiences. However, the trend isn't just about running or high-pressure training. The yoga retreats have grown significantly. Even in Greece, weekend or four-day getaways for yoga, meditation, and various activities are organized and have built a devoted following. Interest also appears to be rising for organized trips where hiking is the main activity.
Recovery after exercise
As the research shows, travelers' interest has also shifted to post-workout recovery. After a demanding day, travelers seek out massages, spas, saunas, hammam, and other wellness experiences. According to Trendcast 2026, bookings for massages increased by 42%, for day spas by 37%, for saunas by 38%and for hammam by 74%.
In fact, the biggest surge is seen in experiences tied to local culture. We're seeing more bookings for sauna in Finland and for hammam in Egypt, Morocco, and Turkey. In this way, wellness takes on an even more travel-driven character: we're not just looking for any spa we could find anywhere, but we want to discover the destination's own traditional wellness practices.
Who are the Sweat Jetters
According to Tripadvisor's audience research, the Sweat Jetters are primarily Millennials and Gen Z. They seem to plan their trips early, booking flights and hotels months in advance, and they also reserve spots for the experiences they want to have. These travelers are 77% more likely to travel in groups, according to Tripadvisor. A race, a hiking trip, or an organized fitness retreat can therefore be the reason for an entire group of friends to travel together.
