What A Fun Time Forecasting Travel in 2022

Tourism is resilient. Tourism is resilient. Tourism is resilient.

Words one must repeat to oneself if you are in the tourism industry nowadays. It’s almost like “here we go again”. The Omicron variant and its ripple effects are causing havoc across the globe affecting tourism industries and hitting tourism-dependent destinations again this winter. One thing we would all probably agree on, 2021 certainly went out with a bang, just not the one we were all counting on!

But, here’s the thing, we all know this pandemic isn’t over, and we all know there are many uncertainties and challenges still to come. Setbacks like Delta and Omicron are the first of the waves. While pent-up wanderlust keeps travelers engaged with the desire of traveling, the actual trip may no longer be happening in the timing which many destinations had hoped for this winter. With cancellations being reported of upwards of thirty percent it is a little bit of de-Ja-Vu as Omicron stagnates the road to recovery. But not to worry, (and we saw and felt it before) travelers are eventually going to get out and about more regularly, It could be today, tomorrow, or six months from now, but travel we must. Will your business be ready for round two of pent-up demand?

Last Minute Travel & Flexibility

While the latest surge in positive Covid-19 cases may have many rethinking winter travel, by no means does that mean travel is off the table for 2022. In fact, quite the opposite, traveling is still a high priority for many people who have not been able to do so for a while. Spontaneity is the name of the game and flexibility is the driver of all decisions. Last-minute bookings for the win. That’s been the trend and it’s not going away. You see, regardless of how safe travel becomes, one major deterrent for visitors to any destination remains Covid-19 infections rates to wherever it is you are traveling to. This directly increases risks levels and any spikes in cases will have potential visitors thinking twice about visiting. We are in a pandemic first world. Everything we do now requires flexibility with health and safety top of mind. Be it travel or any other activity.

Outlook remains Optimistic

Despite the current challenges the tourism industry continues to feel optimistic about the year ahead, and so do potential travelers. If there is one thing for certain that people have missed is the ability to travel and connect with somewhere new, meet new people, and get exposed to different cultures. The love for and benefits of traveling will never go away, even in today’s environment. There is a great demand for travel, that is not the issue. It’s a matter of when people will feel safe traveling again. Until the world feels completely safe and Covid-19 hassle-free we will need to be a little more spontaneous and flexible in order to time when to take that trip.