A World of Travel, All in One Place

In March, we had the pleasure of spending a beautiful 75° and sunny Saturday afternoon in Southern California, at the Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show, where travel lovers came from across the country for travel inspiration, expert information and cultural interaction.

Across the show floor, we connected with experts representing some of the top destinations in the world, from California favorites like Catalina Islands and Bass Lake to international locales and experiences including the Cook Islands, Polynesian Adventure Tours, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Wonderful Indonesia, Silverback Africa Expeditions and more. Here are a few things that stood out…

It felt like the focus of every conversation was on creating meaningful, immersive experiences that let travelers connect with a place, its culture and its people – not just checking off sights from a list. New Scientist, for example, offers Discovery Tours with a focus on immersive, science-inspired experiences that allow travelers to combine sightseeing with various interests such as history, archeology and nature (we even got to see a polar bear getting very up close and personal with the latest Churchill polar bear adventure group in Canada).

At the same time, value-conscious travel had quite a moment at the show this year, along with solo travel and women-led trips. Sessions like “Travel in 2026: Pay Less, Experience More,” “The Growing Movement of Women Travelers” and“Best Adventure Travel for Solo Travelers” reinforced these trends. From seasoned globetrotters to first-time planners mapping out their next big trip, it’s clear travelers want to maximize their experience without compromising on budget.

In addition to the insightful sessions and passionate representatives from around the world, it was hard to miss the interactive moments woven throughout the show floor. From Visit Yosemite Madera County’s rock wall climbing experience to live demonstrations of traditional Japanese martial arts – where audience members were invited up for hands-on samurai tutorials – these elements brought an added sense of energy and immersion to the event.

Talking one-on-one with experts, hearing about new destinations firsthand, and experiencing the creativity across the show made one thing clear: the future of travel is more personal, immersive and experience-driven than ever. We always love events like this for keeping a pulse on what’s next – though next year, we may just do our “research” on location instead.