The demand for travel in the year ahead remains strong despite new Covid-19 variants, ever-changing international travel rules and staffing shortage, according to a new research.
The Travel in 2022 – A Look Ahead report by Tripadvisor and market research firm Ipsos Mori revealed that travellers are quickly adapting to the new norm of living amid the virus.
“Despite new variants of Covid-19, consumers across the globe still want to travel and explore,” said Tripadvisor chief commercial officer Kanika Soni.
“Travellers are quickly adapting to local public health conditions, with cleanliness and safety remaining important factors in their planning,” she added.
That being said, the pandemic continues to weigh on the minds of people across the countries featured in the study.
The good news is that reported travel intent for 2022 compared with 2019 and analysis of planned average trip spend show prospects for a strong year ahead in the hospitality industry.
The study focuses on eight countries: Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Britain and United States.
Over a quarter of travellers in each of the five markets surveyed said it is more important now than before the pandemic to splurge on a big trip.
In the US, roughly three in 10 Americans (29%) who travelled for leisure in 2019 said it’s more important now than before the pandemic to splurge on a big trip.
Meanwhile, 28% of Singaporean and Australian travellers, 27% of Japanese travelers and 25% of British travellers said the same.
Across the five key markets around the world that were surveyed, those likely to travel for leisure purposes in 2022 also outpaced pre-pandemic reported travel levels.
Another notable key finding is that domestic tourism will continue to lead the way in the year ahead.
“While a sizeable proportion of consumers across most of the markets surveyed plan to travel abroad for leisure in 2022, travelling within their home country is still the most favoured option,” Tripadvisor said.
Travellers are also seeking new travel experiences in 2022 and beyond.
“The top three most important considerations, across the markets surveyed, in future travel plans to visit a destination was to get immersive by seeing new places, having new experiences and learning about history and culture,” said Tripadvisor.
About two in 10 travellers in each of the five markets surveyed said they will do more guided cultural activities when planning trips in 2022 or beyond than before the pandemic.
They are looking for activities and tours where subject matter experts and professional guides allow them to sit back, learn, relax, and see all that an area has to offer.
But while travellers are raring to see the world again, those surveyed said safety protocols, quarantine restrictions and cleanliness are key considerations.
Approximately seven in 10 respondents in each of the markets said that destinations that have a low number of Covid-19 cases are important when making a decision on where to travel next.
The findings cited in the report was analysed from a consumer sentiment survey and Tripadvisor’s site behavioural data. – Chester Chin
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