ON TREND

Top trends shaping the industry in 2022

THE SPLURGE-CATION

If 2021 was about domestic travel, 2022 is the year of the bucket-list trip. “There’s a new sense of urgency” to travel, says Stephanie Papaioannou, a vice president at Abercrombie & Kent, speaking to CNBC. “Guests feel they have lost two years, and older clients are concerned about having fewer healthy years left to travel.”

Expedia named 2022 the year of the GOAT – the Greatest of All Trips. In a survey of 12,000 travellers in 12 countries, the online travel giant found 65% of respondents were planning to “go big” on their next trip.

“After cancelled trips and postponed celebrations, travellers are ready to make up for lost time and go big to put themselves first and get the GOAT they deserve,” says Expedia.

From indulging in luxurious experiences (15%), to upgrading on rooms or flights (16%) to visiting a bucket-list destination (32%), 2022 is all about the splurge-cation.

Travellers between the ages of 18 and 34 are the most likely to go big, Expedia found (80% compared to 56% of travellers over the age of 50), while Gen-X travellers are the most likely to flash the cash at a high-end restaurant (18% compared to 16% overall).

Unique experiences remain high priority, whether it’s a helicopter flight over the Dutch tulip fields, a private Vatican tour, a drive around Tuscany in a luxury sports car, or the all-time favourite – the chance to see the ‘Big 5’ in Africa.

A survey of leading hospitality chiefs confirms this, with bucket-list travel and one-off experiences identified as the number one hotel guest trend for 2022 by CEOs of hotel brand partners in the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA).

Almost 73% of hotel chiefs GHA surveyed said they were targeting this sector trend with substantial sales and marketing activity. They also flagged up a surge in bookings for villas and suites, dominated by family group travel, indicating that guests were making up for lost time during the pandemic and prioritising reunions and vacations with loved ones by supersizing their holiday. Some guests are taking it a step further, opting for a resort buyout to celebrate weddings and special occasions, with the Indian Ocean region a definite hotspot.

“It’s also clear that travellers will continue to prioritise responsible travel options this year,” says GHA, with 59% of CEOs surveyed dedicating sales and marketing efforts to promoting hotel sustainability credentials to planet and community conscious guests.

PET-FRIENDLY TRAVEL

The pet-friendly travel trend took off in 2021, and is continuing in 2022, with airlines, hotels, and even tourism destinations opening their doors to our four-legged friends. A study by Condor Ferries conducted last year revealed 53% of travellers take holidays with their pets, and two million domestic animals board commercial flights each year, and these figures are set to rise given the number of pets bought or adopted during the pandemic. In the US alone, more than 23 million American households — nearly one in five nationwide — adopted a pet during the pandemic, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Even President Biden adopted a new dog, Commander. Global business aviation company VistaJet launched its VistaPet programme in 2019 following a 104% increase in the number of animals that had flown with the company from 2017 to 2019. This growing trend saw the VistaPet roll out enhanced crew training for pet health and care in September 2021 (pictured).

According to VistaJet Executive Vice President of Marketing and Innovation, Matteo Atti, rabbits are a recent new breed of pet

Trip Of A Lifetime

Amadeus witnessed substantial increases in searches for travel to “epic destinations or experiences” in 2021 and expects this trend to continue. Searches for Tanzania, where travellers can see the Big Five in the wild, shot up 36% year on year (from 2020 to 2021), bookings to the Peruvian cities of Lima and Cusco, near Machu Pichu, increased almost 50%, and flights to Petra in Jordan (pictured), of Indiana Jones fame, were up 22%. “All of these signs suggest this trend will continue to grow, with the Indian Ocean islands and even Antarctica showing increased demand for travel,” says Amadeus.

flown by the company and while most animal passengers are dogs, the number of cats travelling spiked 357% from 2019 to 2020.

In the Gulf, UAE carrier Etihad Airways now allows passengers to bring cats and small dogs into the cabin for a fee, based on their cabin baggage allowance and assuming all travel requirements are met.

The rule, introduced in January 2022, applies to cats and dogs that are at least 16 weeks old and weigh no more than 8kg, including their carrier.

Ras Al Khaimah is taking it a step further with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) recently introducing Ras Al-K9, a pet-friendly programme running across 25 hotels, restaurants, pet friendly-festivals, outdoor parks and beaches in the northern emirate.

RAKTDA CEO Raki Philips says RAK is the perfect destination for exploring the great outdoors with dogs. From its “spectacular wadi walks and mountain hikes on Jebel Jais to chilled out beachside café lunches, desert adventures and overnight stays” there is plenty to keep four-legged friends occupied, he says. “We understand how hard it can be to leave a beloved pet at home while on holiday, so we have made it as easy as possible for guests to bring their pawsome family members with them,” Philips adds.

Pet-friendly hotels in the emirate include Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort, which recently launched dog-friendly rooms featuring direct access to a 500m-long private back beach area and a special ‘Bone Appetit’ room service menu, while BM Beach Resort has reserved a block of 48 chalets for dogs and their owners, as well as an outdoor and beach area. Globally, hotel brands known for their pet-friendly policies and services include Fairmont, Langham Hotels & Resorts and Hilton brands Canopy by Hilton, Homewood Suites and Home2Suites by Hilton. Hilton booking data from 2021 reveals the “petfriendly” booking filter was the third most used search filter on Hilton.com.

Bleisure Goes Big

The way we work has changed and so, therefore has business travel, says Amadeus. Nearly 40% of the US workforce can now work from anywhere, and in other countries, that number is even higher. Some companies, like Spotify for example, have announced that staff will permanently work from home. “But working from home provides even more

Pampered Pooches

At The Langham, Hong Kong, guests can bring their pet to the hotel for a supplement of HK$400 ($51) per pet per night, which includes The Langham’s signature pink pet food bowl, plush bed and a map of pet-friendly walking paths near The Langham, Hong Kong to keep the ‘fur babies’ entertained, comfortable and happy throughout the entire stay. Max. weight for each pet is 15kg. A special pet in-room dining menu is available for furry guests.

incentive for employees to meet in person, with colleagues, and clients,” says Amadeus. “Videoconferencing works well, but nothing replaces a face-to-face meeting.”

The tech firm’s data reveals business travel in on people’s minds, with 72% of business travellers eager to travel this year, while the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in its BTI Outlook – Annual Global Report and Forecast predicts business travel spend to rebound to 2019 levels as early as this year.

The report predicts a full recovery in 2024, ending the year on pace with the 2019 prepandemic spend of $1.4 trillion, and a year sooner than previously forecast.

While business travel is on the up, it’s been re-jigged and blended with leisure, given the new fluidity of work-life balance.

Corporate travellers and those attending business events are making the most of their trips by exploring the destination they visit after hours, or by tagging on a few days of extra leisure time.

Best-in-class employers are taking a fresh look at their travel policies and looking for ways to make travel less stressful and more efficient with expense-free mobile travel payments. Bloomberg has even had a rethink about what constitutes business travel, offering its 20,000 global employees a $75 daily commuting allowance, while others are incentivising their employees – and taking care of their wellbeing – by offering them ‘bleisure’ and ‘workcation’ trips.

Commute-and-stays are also becoming big, according to a new report by Accor – giving rise to a new kind of mid-week staycation.

Many travellers are taking it one step further, opting to relocate to another

Business travel is booming destination for a few weeks, months, or longer, bringing their families with them. fully integrative wellness and medical retreat in Bangkok

Destinations like Dubai have been quick to respond, launching a highly successful virtual working programme. It is estimated that 16% of companies worldwide are now fully remote according to Owl Labs and since 2009, the number of people who work from home has risen 159% (Global Workplace Analytics).

Me Business Travel Spend On The Rise

Business travel expenditure in the Middle East is forecast to rise by 32% this year, following a predicted 49% increase in 2021, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Interestingly, the increase in business spending for the full year is expected to have outpaced spending on leisure travel by 13%, 10% and 1% in the Middle East, Europe and Africa respectively.

TRAVELLING ‘WELL’

The wellness tourism sector is experiencing a massive rebound, according to a December 2021 report by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI). While the industry took a massive hit during the pandemic, with its global value dropping 39.5% from $720.4 billion to $435.7 billion between 2019 and 2020 (versus 43% for all tourism), it’s bouncing back at an astonishing rate.

GWI forecasts the average annual growth rate of wellness tourism at 20.9% from 2020 to 2025, outpacing the trajectory of every other sector of the wellness economy (including personal care and beauty, spas, and wellness real estate, to name just a few).

Notably, the expansion of the entire wellness economy is tracking to surpass that of global GDP to the tune of 9.9% versus 7.3% respectively over the same period, the report reveals.

As a result of the pandemic, consumers are increasingly aware that all aspects of their

POST-PANDEMIC TRAVELLERS ARE READY FOR ADVENTURE AND ENGAGEMENT

Intention is the future of travel in 2022, says the Global Wellness Summit: “Social indicators such as the ‘great resignation’, record retirements and global nomadism reveal profound commitments to work/life balance and personal growth and happiness. To meet these new demands, the travel industry is rolling out the welcome mat for these new intentional travellers with the invitation: Seekers, welcome. This trend explores how the newest travel experiences tap into a sense of purpose and a desire to grow creatively and intellectually: nature as a source of healing and awe, the surge in Indigenous travel experiences, the rise of farm-wellness resorts where people learn to grow food, more art classes, and giving back to academia in citizen science programmes.” lives – where they live; how they work; what they eat; and how they exercise, socialise and travel – impact their health outcomes, mental resilience, and overall sense of wellbeing.

With the acknowledgement that self-care is essential for our physical and mental health, the wellness tourism, spa, and thermal/ mineral springs sectors can leverage this overriding trend says the GWI report.

“Reframing self-care through a mental wellness lens will create many new opportunities,” it notes.

“The hunger for touch, for human connections, for travel, for nature, and for wellness experiences is intense after social distancing, quarantining, and staying at home.

“In the regions where travel and COVID-19 restrictions have already been relaxed, there is a strong resurgence in demand across all these sectors, as well as indications that guests are willing to stay longer, spend more than before, and try out new wellness modalities.”

GWI adds: “Opportunities abound to introduce consumers to new wellness services and solutions, not only at travel destinations, but also in everyday life – such as at day spas, urban retreats, and wellness centres where consumers can embed new practices and solutions into their post-COVID routine self-care, to help manage stress and enhance wellbeing.”

A rising trend of people taking wellness sabbaticals or workcations is also likely to boost the portion of wellness travellers, notes GWI. It adds: “In the future, we expect wellness travellers to focus even more on wellness-driven choices, activities, and exploration, such as hotels and accommodations that offer the promise of good sleep, soundproofing, circadian lighting, and air filtration; fitness and physical activities; healthy foods; mind-body and mental wellness modalities; less mainstream experiences like salt caves, cryotherapy, sound healing, or IV drips; connection with nature and green space; and making social connections or immersing in an authentic community experience.”

Climate Resilience

Skift’s Megatrends Defining Travel in 2022 report notes that ‘Climate Resilience is the new return on investment’ for the global travel sector.

With 2021 summits like COP26 and the G7 Summit amplifying the message that carbon and greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced, travellers telling the industry to be greener and investors and shareholders exerting pressure too, airlines, cruise ships, travel agencies and other stakeholders joined hoteliers in launching long-term sustainability initiatives last year.

Accor and Marriott joined the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, a global organisation that brings together hospitality companies and uses the industry’s collective power to address challenges affecting the planet.

Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the alliance has launched the Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality initiative, which more than 14 hotel members have signed to date.

This initiative looks at how hotels can aim to have a regenerative impact on the planet and addresses critical issues beyond carbon emissions, such as water usage, waste, and resource procurement, to name a few.

“We believe that working with our peers and partners from the hospitality sector is the most effective way to make sustainable change happen,” stresses Brune Poirson, Chief Ssustainability Officer at Accor.

The International Air Transport Association last year approved a resolution for the global air transport industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“These sectors realise their decisions must take the environment and climate change into consideration at every stage,” says Skift.

Climate resilience starts at the beginning and is being seen in the emerging “green financing” trend.

Investments made in companies that support or provide planet-friendly practices or products, are becoming more popular.

In October 2021, Etihad raised $1.2 billion in what it claimed is the first sustainability linked loan tied to environmental, social and governance targets in global aviation. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, plans to raise up to $2.67 billion in green financing to build its eco-friendly Amaala resort.

Corporate travel agencies are offering their clients solutions to measure and reduce their carbon emissions while travelling and cruise line MSC is building LNG-powered vessels, one of which, MSC World Europa , will homeport in the UAE during the upcoming winter sailing season.

Etihad raised $1.2 billion in a sustainability linked loan

Active Ecotourism

“Wanderlusters around the world are trying to square their environmental and social concerns with their passion for travel, and they’re putting their money where their mouth is, says Amadeus. It cites its recent survey which found two-thirds of consumers consider sustainable travel a priority, and 37% of respondents think opportunities for travellers to be involved in the preservation of tourist destinations will help the industry to become more sustainable in the long-term. “Tourism operators have noticed, with a growing number promising to go beyond carbon offsetting and offer a measurable and positive impact on the environment,” notes Amadeus. In South Africa, Mantis Group offers ecotourism impact programmes including the opportunity to support rhino conservation efforts in South Africa. Meanwhile, Habitat for Humanity has developed travel and build and global village programmes, and the Global Citizens Network is collaborating with the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota. Baros Maldives is inviting guests to personally contribute to programmes led by the resident marine biologist, including a coral frame planting experience in the coral garden and the creation and planting of a coral cube in the Baros lagoon. These initiatives help to create a coral garden of broken but living corals that otherwise would not survive and to help other areas of the reef to thrive.

Etihad raised $1.2 billion in a sustainability linked loan

“All of these efforts can help travellers add purposeful elements to their holidays, such as working to rebuild communities as part of their trip, or prioritising community-based tourism to ensure that their spending goes directly towards the local people and places they visit.,” says Amadeus.

Five Diverse Destination Dazzlers

Dubai

Dubai, one of the first destinations globally to reopen its borders to international travel in 2020 and part of the UAE, which is consistently rated as the most-vaccinated nation in the world by Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker, was recently named the most popular destination for 2022 in Tripadvisor’s first Travellers’ Choice Award for Destinations. London ranked second, with traveller reviews and ratings of destinations over a 12-month period used to determine the winners. “Dubai is a destination that mixes modern culture with history, adventure with world-class shopping and entertainment,” says Tripadvisor.

Auckland

Within Auckland, New Zealand, there are 53 volcanoes, more than 50 islands, three wine regions and numerous beaches, says Lonely Planet. The country’s biggest and most diverse city has a blossoming cultural scene, putting a fresh spotlight on exciting local creativity, which is why it was ranked first in the top 10 cities in Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2022’ list. “Paris may be the city of love, but Auckland is the city of many lovers, according to its Maori name, Tamaki Makaurau,” says Lonely Planet. “Those lovers so desired this place that they fought over it for centuries.”

Oslo

CNN named Oslo one of the best places for culture lovers to visit in its ‘The best holidays for 2022’ listing, noting its eco credentials. “The capital, tucked neatly into the head of the Oslofjord on the south coast of Norway, has been passionately transforming its waterways and neighbourhoods to create a truly sustainable eco-haven. Recently labelled the ‘Electric Vehicle Capital of the World’, it’s not content with small measures, with the entire city pledging to become carbon neutral by 2050,” it reveals.

Saudi Arabia

The Wanderlust Hot List 2022: Editor’s top travel destinations, highlights Saudi Arabia as an emerging destination to visit, citing attractions such as the ancient ruins of AlUla, “a Nabataean wonder to rival Jordan’s Petra”, as well as its “plush new desert resorts” as just one of many drawcards. “By late 2022, the new Red Sea ‘mega city’ of Neom will debut its first hotels,” says

Wanderlust. “This year also brings the reopening of At-Turaif, the birthplace of the kingdom; listed by UNESCO but long closed for renovation, it’s a marvel of mud-brick palaces, mosques and more that will help tell Saudi’s story. Finally, some wild experiences, from trekking to the Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn) to diving the Red Sea are now possible. There’s never been a better time to visit.”

Cook Islands

Ranking the number one country on the

Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2022’ list, the “fifteen droplets of land cast across two million square kilometres of wild Pacific blue” that comprise the Cook Islands are “simultaneously remote and accessible, modern and traditional”, says Lonely Planet. “Authentic Polynesian traditions pair with a bold approach to sustainability on this proudly independent South Pacific nation,” it says. “A diverse landscape full of adventure, interaction, and culinary delights awaits all who visit Cook Islands.”

TRAVEL’S NEW GLOSSARY

Like them or loathe them, a new glossary of travel terms has emerged

1. Revenge travel – a new intense, post-pandemic form of bucket-list travel as consumers break free from lockdowns

2. Buddymoon – a chance to enjoy a fly-and-flop trip with mates, also known as a ‘friendcation’

3. Brocation – just like a Buddymoon, but for blokes only, and could include the good old MAMILS (middle aged men in Lycra)

4. Bleisure – it's not new, but it’s here to stay and sums up our desire to mix business with pleasure or leisure

5. Slow travel – a new way to explore the world, avoiding over-saturated tourist areas and instead, finding off-thebeaten track locations where life is peaceful and slow

6. Maxibreak – also known as the mini sabbatical – it’s longer than your average holiday and the chance to find a new vocation while on vacation, perhaps as part of the ‘great resignation’

The Red Sea Project

100% renewable energy target 650,000 MWh of clean energy to be generated annually via solar panels and wind turbines

Half a million tonnes of CO2 saved annually

70%

The rise in the number of people searching for sustainable travel options in 2021

61%

Of travellers say the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future

$5

Etihad Guests and partners can invest in carbon removal for $5 per mangrove at The Etihad Mangrove Forest, Jubail

6.4bn

Tonnes of carbon stored by mangroves globally, almost four times more than other terrestrial forests