In 2024 alone, 66,000 people visited Forks, Washington, the setting of the 'Twilight' series, a powerful draw for literary-inspired travel. This trend, where 55% of travelers consider such trips, extends beyond fictional locales, shaping the best literary destinations and bookstores for 2026, according to call it a ‘book-cation’ or a ‘readaway,’ literary travel is having a moment.
Despite widespread predictions of the decline of physical books and brick-and-mortar stores, new independent bookstores are flourishing, and literary tourism is booming. This unexpected vitality challenges the narrative that digital content would fully supplant tangible literary experiences.
The enduring appeal of physical books and shared literary experiences suggests a robust future for bookstores and destination-based literary travel. Curated physical spaces and collective cultural engagement remain essential human needs, as evidenced by Wellington's XO Book Co, a romance bookstore, which saw lines out the door on its opening day on Willis Street, defying expectations for niche physical stores against online retailers, reports a reading renaissance: wellington welcomes two new indie bookshops.
New Pages: A Look at Thriving Bookstores
Literary tourism thrives in established hubs and new locales. Iowa City, designated America's first UNESCO City of Literature in 2008, continues to draw aspiring writers and scholars, its status highlighting deep literary roots, according to the american city where almost everyone seems to be writing a book. Similarly, Haworth’s Brontë Parsonage Museum remains a powerful draw, attracting 88,000 visitors in 2017, according to the Brontë Parsonage Museum's historical data to immerse themselves in the Brontë sisters' world. These sites confirm the enduring allure of places steeped in literary history.
Independent bookstores, often driven by specialized curation and community focus, are opening across the globe. Wellington, New Zealand, is emerging as a literary cluster on Willis Street, with XO Book Co and Aurelia Books now open or planned, alongside a third store. XO Book Co, a romance bookstore, saw immediate success with lines out the door on its opening day, a testament to owner Juliet Gengenbach’s 15 years of planning and the power of niche appeal. Aurelia Books, set to open across the street, will further solidify this hub.
