Travel in 2022 will be different, especially after the fourth wave of the pandemic. Priorities will be redefined, as unique travel sentiments are emerging.
The travel and tourism industry has shown a sign of recovery from the effects of the pandemic, and more people are looking at 2022 as the year of travel and experience.
Based on a strong vaccination drive, travellers who could not travel to their preferred destinations last year are now looking to revive that travel sentiment.
The new mindset that travellers need to adopt has also changed the way we travel. Here are the emerging travel trends that are set to dominate in 2022.
Wellness Travel
The pandemic has made more people realise the importance of self-care and their wellbeing.
Travellers looking to partake in their next adventure are realising the importance of managing their wellbeing, even amid their travels.
Travellers have been showing a preference for places that help them get away from their routine lives, and are choosing destinations that offer good wellness programmes and benefits.
Travellers looking to rejuvenate their mind and body have no shortage of beautiful destinations to pick from, not only international destinations but within the country as well.
Destinations like Kerala, Uttarakhand and Switzerland will emerge as some of the most preferred places for those who are looking to relax, rejuvenate and calm their senses.
Sustainable Travel
In 2022, we can expect to see a revival of the sustainable travel industry, with more travellers opting to visit places that are known for being sustainable, and which have a minimal impact on the environment.
Sustainable travel entails not partaking in activities that harm the environment and culture of local people. Many local governments in India are also undertaking measures to reduce the carbon footprint in the travel industry and support local businesses and people as well.
Eco-Tourism is another branch of sustainable travel through which tourists visit destinations that are built around the eco-systems that they are present in, all the while doing as minimal damage to the environment as possible.
As a part of this, there are also people looking for tourist experiences that offer more meaningful and mutually beneficial experiences. This can include rebuilding rural communities and taking part in impactful conservation efforts.
Leisure Travel
For nearly two years, travel limitations and the work from home culture has caused travellers to restrict themselves in terms of the places that they want to visit. While the world is still reeling from the impact of the pandemic, travellers want to take a step back, relax and embrace the experiences that they missed out on.
While the primary motivation for leisure travel is to break away from the monotony of everyday life, travellers are looking at this kind of travel to engage in new experiences and to visit tourist attractions that have been growing in popularity, even if the destinations are closer to home and places they might have visited in the past.
Once in a Lifetime Travel
Travellers all over the world realise that the future is uncertain, and lockdowns can be imposed at any moment given the present scenario. This has caused a change in the mindset of tourists, who believe that they should focus on the now instead of the distant future.
Travellers have been looking to visit places that they have dreamed about, and are making plans that they were unable to fulfil over the course of the last two years. Travellers are now significantly more comfortable in spending more on travel and stay options than they were before, thereby making the idea of a “once in a lifetime” travel extremely popular.
Tech-driven Travel
The pandemic gave a boost to tech integration in the travel industry, which is why it is no surprise that this is a trend that we expect will surface in 2022. Hotels across the world are already using smart technology and this is only expected to grow as more hotel owners realise the importance of integrating technology into their hotels, for their visitors.
From keyless doors, VR tours and QR code-driven menus to robot housekeeping and voice-controlled rooms, the hospitality industry is set to completely change in the coming year. Many destinations are also now offering virtual reality tours of their destinations to give travellers a glimpse of what they have to offer.
This can give travellers an idea of what they will expect when visiting these destinations, and can also help travellers who are undecided on which places to visit in 2022.
With this shift, the new trends are likely to showcase what travel is like in a post-pandemic era and are probably here to stay for the next few years. However, it is imperative to follow all safety precautions while travelling.
This article first appeared in Saturday Insider, Feb 12, 2022