Travel Trends Of 2022
It’s been a tough few years for those who live to travel, with many foreign adventures proving trickier than usual. But as always, we’re quick to adapt to new ways of living and exploring, be it going on holiday for longer to factor in the cost of PCR testing, or simply spending time closer to home, visiting all those historic homes and areas of natural beauty that have passed us by.
The way we travel is changing too, as we become more conscious of the impact we have on the environment. We’re looking to make a difference in the areas we visit, and reducing our obsession with flying and where possible opting for ground level travel instead. To help you chose your next destination in 2022, here are the travel trends to look out for.
Active adventures
According to travel experts, walking and cycling holidays are going to overtake cultural trips as the preferred way to spend time abroad next year. All those days kept cooped up inside avoiding the virus has awakened our inner wanderlust – and alerted us to the possibility that towns and cities may be closed at a moment’s notice. Europe remains the most popular destination for outdoor pursuit getaways, but travellers are expected to choose more remote locations to get their active fix in 2022.
Travel less, travel better
Sustainability remains absolutely key in the travel sector heading into 2022 in order to tackle climate change and protect many of the destinations – and their local populations – in the future. Making green compromises and carbon offsetting when you fly somewhere on holiday alone is not going to be enough to change global warming by itself. But we can decrease the harm our holidays cause in a variety of different ways. One of those ways is to have fewer but more special big trips a year, rather than travelling by plane to lots of different destinations throughout the year. Another is to combine philanthropy with holidays, spending some of our time away involved in local projects to give back to the area we are visiting.
Low travel
Yes, you guessed it – travel closer to the ground will see a boost in 2022, no doubt merging trends of sustainable travel, adventure, and avoiding the future impact of changing COVID restrictions on airports. Train travel in particular is expected to be popular, though ferry and road remain preferable options that either leave travellers with more air and space or allow them to travel in private bubbles. With petrol prices soaring and a global microchip shortage slowing the supply of new vehicles, prices on car rentals are set to surge in 2022. So if road is the way you want to go, consider booking sooner rather than later to avoid surprise fees.
Staycations
Unsurprisingly, we’ll likely be spending more time in our home countries in 2022 compared to usual. There are a variety of reasons for this, from the pandemic making solid travel plans harder to pin down to enjoying travelling to parts of Britain that we’ve never been to before. There are no language barriers to navigate, the restrictions are the same. While high demand has led to prices being higher than usual, we can give ourselves a pat on the back for sustainability as well, so long as we travel low rather than catch short haul flights.
Bleisure travel
With employers accepting more flexible working arrangements, and with employees having a thirst for a change of scenery like never before, many travellers are attempting to maximise their newfound freedoms with trips that allow them to combine the two. Whether that involves heading to a cottage in the countryside or to an AirBnb in a city they haven’t explored before, working from home and taking advantage of the new environments they are in during lunch breaks and evenings is becoming increasingly popular. Why not work from the garden of a secluded Spanish villa, or head for some sunshine in the southern hemisphere for a few months? It certainly beats staring at the same bedroom wall for another few months. Viva la working revolution!
If you’re looking for insurance to protect your travels, whether you’re heading to the snow or to the sun, Switched On’s standard travel insurance policies offer protection for specific issues relating to COVID-19, including cancellation, medical and repatriation expenses; while our COVID-19 PROTECT add on provides enhanced protection for those travelling to Europe.
And that’s not all as we’re offering 25% off* Single Trip and Annual Multi Trip policies using code SUPER25. To find out more take a look at the travel section of the Switched On website.
*T&Cs apply