Sustainability, domestic travel, and mental & physical wellness are set to be the biggest Travel trends in 2022 – this is according to École Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) is a Swiss school that offers a Master of Science in Global Hospitality Management course in partnership with Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University.

The school conducted interviews and surveys with a wide network of industry experts, colleagues, and students from various backgrounds.

SUSTAINABILITY

The travel and hospitality industry needs to practice sustainability in most, if not all, aspects of its operations. Avid and casual travelers are now more aware and conscious of the environmental impact of visiting local and foreign places. Showing that your place of business takes steps towards eco-friendly practices increases visitor trust and preference this 2022.

What the pandemic has taught many travelers is the fragile state of man and nature whereby it’s important to disturb the natural state of things as little as possible – leaving as little carbon footprint as possible.

Sustainable measures include:

– Careful selection of consumable goods and building materials
– Increased use of green energy
– Hiring locals for manpower
– Offering more vegan/vegetarian cuisine options
– Better waste management

Such measures will appeal to more travellers who want to spend their time and money purposefully.

DOMESTIC HOLIDAYS

The unpredictability of lockdowns and border entries has made international holidays less appealing. There’s added cost, time, and stress when all one wants to do is take a break. Staying closer to home is a practical choice and a great alternative where one can (re)discover their “backyards” and contribute to the recovery of their communities.

Hospitality businesses have also integrated the concept of “work and play” where there’s a pivot towards “workations” with facilities catering to fast Internet connectivity, meeting/break rooms for groups, soundproofed booths for video calls, and other offers.

Travel sites and apps have even been seen to feature long-term remote office stays. This will continue to evolve as the coronavirus pandemic unfolds.

SELF-ACTUALIZING

The pandemic has also readjusted many of people’s perspectives on the things that matter most. There’s been a pseudo-Rennaisance of old crafts, art, special interests, and so much more.

Trends indicate a rise in solo travel as well as self-discovery experiences. With this increase in self-care and mindfulness, solo travel lets one appreciate time alone with meditative value, discovering the world without distractions while making new friends.

Flexible work has made all this possible with many companies using this benefit to keep good talent and acquire new ones. Work-life balance comes into the spotlight this 2022 and people have discovered new ways of achieving it with self-actualizing travel.

In addition, holistic services and amenities will be sought after (and perhaps expected) from hospitality businesses. This shift is an opportunity to expand, explore, and upgrade operations in a post-pandemic world.

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