While COVID-19 is not yet in the rear-view mirror, an indefatigable sense of hope for travel is beginning to take place. To explore this rolling wave of travel optimism, ‘Travel Predictions 2022 Research’ reveals that the Year 2022 will be the year to make the most of unpredictability and start making up for lost vacation time in a big way, with the number of travellers who feel they need to do so having increased by 52% since last year.

Vitamin Vacay
Travel will become an essential part of self-care ? More so than daily exercise or mindful meditation, getting away on vacation will become THE form of self-care in 2022, with over 84% of Indian travellers affirming that travel helps their mental and emotional wellbeing more than other forms of rest and relaxation. After more than a year of ever-evolving travel restrictions, the important benefits that travel has on health and wellbeing are now being acknowledged. About 85% of Indian travellers believe that having a vacation planned has a positive impact on their emotional wellbeing and 69% of Indian travellers say that they didn’t realize how important travel was to their wellbeing until it was no longer an option.

Resetting the Out Of (Home) Office
Vacation time will be strictly work free ? When the pandemic hit, homes across the globe became our offices too, and the novelty of working remotely was realized. However, in 2022 we’ll see a significant rise in people wanting to take back control in a bid to firmly re-establish a healthy work-life balance as vacation time itself will be strictly workfree for 77% of Indian travellers in 2022, which wasn’t always the case in 2021 with home and remote work lives blurred. And with 76% of Indian travellers claiming to have worked more hours using less vacation days during the pandemic, we expect to see more people setting their well deserved out of (home) office messages in 2022.

All the First-Time Feels

The anticipation of the journey will be as exciting as the destination ? While many of us may have forgotten where our passport is or even just how to pack, all that outof-practice travel awkwardness will give way to a genuine sense of delight for even the most routine aspects of our trips in 2022. After feel ing ‘stuck’ for so long, rather than rushing through the journey, travellers will be relishing every moment. Each ‘first’ of our trips in 2022 will be a moment to savor, with a majority of Indian travellers saying that simple pleasures such as feeling the sun on their skin (75%) or seeing a body of water of some kind instantly improves their mood for the better (84%). Even the uncertainty of navigating public transportation in a new city in a foreign language is something 75% of Indian travellers say they’ll enjoy while 84% of Indian travellers say that travel is more enjoyable when the journey feels like part of the trip itself. After such a long period of limited options, recapturing that firsttime feel and leaning in to every single moment will be a hallmark of trips in 2022

Community First

Authentic connection with the local community will be priority ? As restrictions caused travel to slow in many parts of the world, the pandemic forced us to make the most of what was on our doorsteps. From supporting independently owned businesses to spending more time than ever at the neighbourhood park, our relationship with the community around us has rekindled. In 2022, this desire to connect authentically with the local community will continue on vacation too, as we seek to be more mindful about every trip we take and ensure our impact on the places we visit and the people who live there is positive.To this effect, 78% of Indian travellers agree it’s important that their trip is beneficial to the local community at their destination and 75% of Indian travellers would appreciate an app or website that provides recommendations on destinations where an increase in tourism would have a positive impact on the local community.

Swipe Right on New Places and Faces
2022 will finally be the time to branch out and make new connections ? For many, the pandemic meant spending an extended and intense period with our closest friends and loved ones, but vacations in 2022 will be an opportunity to branch out and make some new connections. As 81% of Indian travellers want to meet new people while away, we expect to see travellers using their vacations as an opportunity to expand their usual social circles, with 77% of Indian travellers looking forward to socializing while on vacation. A resurgence of holiday romances is also predicted with 77% hoping for a holiday romance on their next trip.

Just Say Yes
People will be saying YES to travel, making up for the lost travel time After so long of being told “no” travellers are reclaiming a more positive way of thinking for 2022. The coming year will bring the very best of improv to travel,with us responding to each unexpected twist and turn in the trip with an emphatic “yes, and…”. To that end, nearly 83% of Indian travellers agree they will say yes to any vacation opportunity if budget allows. 79% of Indian travellers are more open to different types of vacation than before the pandemic and 65% of Indian travellers won’t mind where they go on vacation as long as it’s the type of trip they want, they’re just happy to be away from home.Adopting a positive mentality will open even more of the world to travellers than ever before, with many taking a more adventurous approach to their holiday choices, and maybe even their companions.

Embracing the Unpredictable
People will use technology to embrace travels continued unpredictability ? Uncertainty will continue to be a constant in travel in 2022, and while we cannot change or predict every new surprise and challenge that fate has in store for us, we will embrace it. Having leaned on technology in a variety of ways to stay connected and inspired over the past year and a half, our favourite apps will continue to help us navigate the unknown on our trips, with 76% of Indian travellers agreeing that technology helps alleviate the anxiety around traveling. Technology will continue to smooth out the unforeseen bumps in the road with increasing finesse and proactivity.

With inputs from Booking.com