JOMO Tourism is Growing: Guests No Longer Want to Do Everything

For years, tourism has been trying to offer guests more experiences.

More events, more restaurants, more tours, more shareable moments.

However, travel research for 2026 shows that a different expectation is growing: Breaking free from the pressure of not missing anything.

This approach is defined in DERTOUR Group's European Travel Trend Report 2026 as "JOMO — Joy of Missing Out." In other words, instead of trying to consume every possible activity on vacation, tourists prefer to consciously leave some behind and dedicate more time to fewer experiences.

The research is not based on a small consumer survey. It was conducted by DERTOUR Group and research company Appinio in February 2026 with 8,000 participants aged 18-65 across 13 European countries. The findings were also supported by DERTOUR's booking data from 16 markets and expert opinions.

75.8% of Europeans Want to Reduce Connectivity on Vacation

One of the most striking indicators of the research is digital fatigue.

75.8% of participants indicate that they see vacation as an opportunity to step away from being constantly online, albeit to varying degrees.

The distribution is also significant:

20.5% "strongly agree," 28.4% "agree," and 26.9% "somewhat agree."

The proportion of those who want a stronger digital break reaches 52% in the 25-44 age group. In the 18-24 age group, this rate is at 44.4%.

This finding may be surprising at first glance.

Because tourism marketing has become accustomed to associating young guests with Instagram, TikTok, and constant content production.

However, in the DERTOUR research, "Instagrammable moments" are prioritized by only 7% in travel decisions.

Therefore, defining the new tourist profile as "someone who wants a vacation without their phone" is too narrow.

A more accurate definition could be guests who use vacation as a mental escape from daily digital demands.

JOMO is Not Just Digital Detox

The real difference of JOMO emerges here.

The concept does not only describe reducing phone usage.

According to the third report section published by DERTOUR in August 2026, 53.2% of travelers in Europe are interested in the "slow travel" approach.

Among those who prefer slow travel;

63.6% enjoy moving at a more relaxed pace,

58.3% prefer a few unforgettable experiences over many ordinary ones,

55.4% want to spend more time with local culture, nature, and people.

This result better illustrates the real implications of JOMO in terms of tourism products.

Guests do not "want to do nothing."

They do not want to do everything.

The difference is significant for businesses.

The Hotel Does Not Need to Eliminate Its Animation Program

When the JOMO trend is misinterpreted, it may be thought that hotels need to offer less service or fewer activities.

That is not what the research indicates.

Guests are not against options; they are becoming more sensitive to program pressure.

Morning yoga.

Then breakfast.

10:00 AM city tour.

Afternoon boat trip.

Evening workshop.

Then a reservation-only restaurant.

Such a program may be valuable for some guests, while it can make a vacation as exhausting as daily life for another guest.

In the JOMO approach, the hotel's role is not to remove activities but to make the guest feel that they are not obligated to do any of them.

Therefore, flexibility in product design becomes more important.

Rest Still Remains the Number One Motivation for Travel

In the first section of DERTOUR's report, 57.2% of participants define the main purpose of travel as resting and recharging.

Rest-focused vacations that do not include planned activities also rank first among the most preferred vacation types in 2026 with 34.4%.

These data create an interesting balance against the "experience economy" narrative in tourism in recent years.

Guests want experiences.

However, they do not want to continuously increase the quantity of experiences.

They may prefer to spend more time on three points instead of seeing 12 key spots in a destination in two days.

For hotels, this could mean selling the quality of time rather than selling programs.

Shifting to Off-Season is Also Part of the Same Behavior

The desire to slow down also affects travel dates.

In DERTOUR's booking data, the share of trips made in September and October has increased by 4 points since 2023. 22% of summer vacations now coincide with late summer and autumn periods.

The group also reports observing high booking levels for May 2026.

This behavior makes sense in terms of JOMO and slow travel.

Fewer crowds.

Lower temperatures.

Easier reservations at restaurants.

More personal space on beaches and common areas.

More contact with locals.

All of these can be produced more easily outside of peak season.

In Turkey, especially for Antalya, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Çeşme, and Istanbul, this trend could present an important opportunity for extending the season.

Solo Travel is Also Approaching the Mainstream

Another notable behavior in DERTOUR's third section is traveling alone.

About 30% say they are likely to travel solo in the next 12 months.

As expected, the rate is higher among single participants, reaching 37.6%.

However, the desire to travel alone is not limited to singles. About a quarter of those in stable relationships or married/common-law partnerships also indicate they are open to traveling alone in the coming year.

A significant correction is needed here.

In some news reports, this data can be expressed as "30% only want a vacation." However, DERTOUR's own statement indicates that approximately 30% are open to solo travel in the next 12 months.

Therefore, the data reflects not only the demand for rest but also the tendency for solo travel.

Pricing That Punishes Single Guests Needs to Be Rethought

If solo travel grows, an important commercial issue arises for hotels.

A significant portion of the accommodation sector still prices rooms based on double occupancy.

When a single person arrives, room revenue may remain the same, but F&B and other ancillary revenues may decrease. Therefore, many products make single occupancy financially disadvantageous.

If JOMO and solo travel strengthen together, new products could be considered:

Smaller but quality room categories.

Single-person wellness packages.

Restaurant designs that do not force communal tables.

Beach and pool areas that can be comfortably used by one person.

Destination experiences that make joining small groups optional.

The single guest should be regarded not as an "unfilled reservation" but as an independent segment.

Turkey's Advantage Begins Outside the Hotel

Kaan Kavaloğlu, President of AKTOB, speaking to Turizm Güncel, emphasizes that for Turkey, the issue is not just bringing tourists to the hotel but being able to take them out of the hotel to the destination.

DERTOUR data provides a meaningful basis for this view.

55.4% of those who prefer slow travel want to establish deeper connections with local culture, nature, and people.

Turkey has a wide area to develop products in this field.

Local market.

Village.

Producer.

Vineyard and olive grove.

Gastronomy.

Hiking trail.

Archaeology.

Small museum.

Local workshop.

These can be designed differently from intensive tour programs like "eight stops in one day."

For example, the value of a gastronomic experience may not be visiting five restaurants but spending two hours with a producer.

For the JOMO tourist, fewer but well-chosen interactions can become stronger products.

New KPI for Hotels May Not Be Activity Participation

In resort operations, the success of animation or activity programs is often measured by how many guests participate.

If JOMO behavior is strengthening, this indicator may not be sufficient on its own.

Guests can leave their vacation very satisfied without participating in activities.

Therefore, it may be meaningful for the business to track data such as;

overall satisfaction,

perception of rest,

common area density,

noise complaints,

spa and nature area usage,

repeat visits,

late check-out requests.

Sometimes, the most valuable service offered to guests is allowing them to leave part of their day empty.

Stafflink's Opinion

In our view, if JOMO is used as a new marketing label and every hotel adds a "digital detox package," the trend could quickly become superficial.

The more important message of the research is different:

Guests want their time back.

Fewer queues.

Fewer mandatory programs.

Fewer notifications.

Fewer transfers.

Less pressure of "I must see this too."

In return, more personal space, flexibility, quality sleep, local contact, and a few truly memorable experiences.

Turkey's strong resort infrastructure can be adapted to this expectation. However, this may require rethinking the pace of the existing product rather than producing more activities.

The response of JOMO in hospitality is not to "offer nothing."

It is to offer the guest the freedom to choose what not to do.