New research shows travelers are trading long-haul flights for healing road trips closer to home | News

With more travelers expected to vacation closer to home this year, new research from Goboony, the leading RV and RV sharing platform, shows that road trips are becoming much more than just sightseeing.

A survey of 2,158 travelers and RV owners in seven European countries found that RV adventures are increasingly being used as a way to reset, reflect and recharge during life’s biggest transitions, while helping people discover the beauty of destinations on their own doorstep.

The survey found that 83% of respondents would consider an RV trip to cope with a major life event. While retirement (54%) and burnout (50%) were the most commonly cited reasons, many travelers also saw the open road as a way to get through emotional turmoil. One in three (33%) said they would consider a campervan trip after a breakup or divorce, while over a quarter (26%) would take one after the loss of a loved one. Nearly 30% said they would embark on a road trip during a career change, while 19% would use one to adjust to empty nest syndrome.

The findings suggest that road trips are increasingly seen as a form of ‘road trip therapy’, offering people the time, space and freedom to process major life changes away from the pressures of everyday life. The desire to disconnect was also evident, with almost four in ten travelers (39%) saying they would actively seek out destinations without a phone signal or Wi-Fi, and most saying just a few days of being offline is enough to feel recharged.

The restorative impact of road travel is clear. Road trips scored an average wellbeing score of 88.6% for improving mood and outlook, while 79% of respondents said they felt refreshed for longer after a campervan trip than after a hotel or resort holiday. 81% also said they had taken a road trip that had a lasting impact on their lives.

As households look for new, affordable, flexible ways to travel in 2026, campervan holidays offer people the opportunity to explore coastlines, national parks, rural escapes and hidden gems closer to home, without sacrificing the sense of adventure traditionally associated with traveling abroad.

Goboony currently connects travelers to more than 25,000 vehicles and has helped 1.7 million people explore Britain and Europe.