Travel trends for 2026

IF YOU’VE just returned from your year-end holidays, chances are you’re already planning for the next one. Welcome to the club: Research by travel-search aggregator Skyscanner shows that 90 per cent of some 1,000 Singaporeans surveyed plan to travel as much in 2026 as they did the year before.

The only difference is that a tighter economy might change the way people travel, as they seek out ways to stretch their dollars without compromising on experiences. But where will they go?

According to travel planners, personalised journeys will be the big thing as Singaporeans pursue their love for culture, convenience and innovation. Read our story in BT Lifestyle this week on just what that means, and get ideas on where to go next.

In Design, we meet a couple who planned to renovate two adjoining shophouses in Geylang to pass to their children, but decided to loan them out to a non-profit arts organisation to use for its residency programmes and exhibitions instead. Check out the homes’ seamless transition into an elegant art space.

In Dining, get ready for some hearty Korean staples at the new Joong San in Stanley Street, where the new branch of popular eatery Um Yong Baek serves up delicious free-flow banchan, spicy tofu stews and pork bulgogi, among others.

For all this and more to welcome the new year, don’t miss this week’s BT Lifestyle.