Care and compassion

The travel industry has suffered a great deal in the last two years. Even when travel was allowed, it was difficult for hospitality small businesses in tourist driven areas to achieve a comfortable income.

During the pandemic we have learned to care for each other, to check in, to appreciate our neighbours and those working tirelessly for our wellbeing.

After a very difficult couple of seasons, tourists are more conscious of where and how they spend their budget.

They understand that what is travel spending for them, has a direct effect on the quality of life for another family. 

There was already an increase in direct bookings in 2021, so much so that it has evolved in a trend of supporting the locals in the littlest possible way.

Online travel agents certainly have their use, and we absolutely acknowledge that they do, but the fees charged to accommodations owners to advertise on sites where they are swimming in a sea of selection, so to speak, were extra painful during the pandemic restrictions.

Travelers have become quite aware of this.

Case in point, yours truly was recently offered a 10% discount to book with a hotel owner and omit the OTAs. Their approach was very... direct. It is a way to take back control over the bottom line of their income. We certainly can't blame them!

Booking, shopping, dining etc. in the local community is very much on the mind of the traveler in 2022.

We love them for it!

Combining work & child education

The business world has awakened to the remote-work business model. Forced quarantine showed businesses that it is possible for employees to be as productive in meeting deadlines at home as in the office, not to mention the positive effect on environment and employee psyche.

It's true, that working from home requires discipline and routine. It creates stresses of its own like having to occupy the children. The people who want to get away from that aspect, will likely to be unplug completely.

But, there will still be plenty of the home-working crowd who choose to travel with family in tow. They need excellent WiFi and self-catering accommodations.

There is an additional concern that children are behind in school, or that they have been cooped in an apartment  little possibility to play outside.

The ideal combination for the 'work-from-home-traveler' is to incorporate learning opportunities for the children. We're not talking about classrooms, but rather a fun and playful way to learn a language, play an instrument, or participate in nature walks or workshops where they can be creative, social, and active.

This allows parent(s) blocks of time to work, makes up for lost time in school, and lets the children focus their energy on something fun in an entirely different environment or culture than what they are used to, with quality family to boot!

The work-from-home-parent may choose to travel to places or areas where they can maintain a healthy work-travel balance and where children can benefit from playful education.

Putting the romance in reconnecting!

We're not sure there is a scientific explanation for what's putting people in a more amorous mood in 2022 versus previous years. Shouldn't romance always be trendy?

Perhaps the pandemic kept couples from seeing one another, perhaps more relationships were forged from the fires of dating apps...

Who knows? The need for romance is a direct result of the psychological effects of the pandemic. There is a strong need to make up for lost time.

On their next trip, travelers are looking forward to holiday flirtations, sizzling flings. They are looking forward to meeting new people. 

Romantic trips are IN! Wedding proposals, anniversaries, destination weddings and vacations promising romance are being heavily featured on social media to seduce even the least romantic souls in the world.

Couples that haven't even met, couples looking to create new memories or rekindle after difficult lockdowns, and couples having postponed celebrating special milestones with extended families and friends are on the lookout for a destination, experiences, and amour they won't soon forget.

Which brings us to the next travel trend for 2022: celebration.

Milestones & large events

There will be those who continue to seek solitude or walk the path less traveled, perhaps en famille. Group travel which was a rising trend before the pandemic, will make a comeback. Family celebrations are an even bigger reason to travel than ever.

But having found new freedom in being vaccinated, we're ready to party. We are ready to celebrate life in different ways. Together.

This trend is not a change, it's every bit the nostalgia of getting back to life as it was "before".

Large festivals like Tomorrowland, Download Festival, Hellfest, and other enormous cultural events around Europe are more than enough reason to head for airports, highways and train terminals.

It's picking up where we left off, but with more understanding, more appreciation, more living in the moment, more partying... more celebration.

Positive transformation

Travel is a vital part of our well-being. That is something people discovered the hard way during pandemic restrictions.

Whether we're navigating difficult life transitions like break-ups or the arduous path of grieving, or we just want to completely disconnect, to travel recharges our batteries like nothing else.

In an 180 degree opposite to the 'work-cationers' mentioned above, there are the travelers that choose to unplug completely. 

Personal development retreats of all sorts have been sprouting like mushrooms in recent years, perhaps in an evolvement of entrepreneurial personal development courses staged by travel bloggers world-wide, and from the trend of well-being breaks we saw back in 2019 etc.

Investment in our own positive transformation is an important trend in 2022.

This will manifest in solo adventure or spiritual hiking trips, luxurious spa retreats, yoga retreats, spiritual pilgrimages, extreme expeditions in group to remote locations, physical work-outs... even hallucinogenic healing or mind-expanding group psilocybin retreats are among sought-after vacations.

A return to the experts

In recent years, we grew more independent from the traditional travel agent.

In the technology age people booked their own trips using OTAs and various websites.

Due to the pandemic and need for travel (or booking) confidence, and the desire for bigger distances to unfamiliar territory it seems they are returning to the experts for (specialized) booking.

Travel agents have a vast network of information at their fingertips, including best deals and assurances in case of the next travel restriction that might be coming along.

They know where to book helicopters rides and other unique experiences the traveler may not be familiar with or confident booking themselves.

Travel agents are familiar with up and coming markets in far away places such as Central-America, the Middle East. Australia and New Zealand. And, of course, the ever beloved Europe for those people who have always dreamed of visiting but never have.