How is the World Dealing with Tourism in 2022

When COVID hit, the travel and tourism industry was demolished, except for repatriation flights, for almost two years. Plans for holidays overseas were canceled, and refundable deposits returned to frantic would-be travelers, loved ones rushed home from business trips or holidays halfway across the world while others were stuck in a foreign country as it entered lockdown. Brides and grooms waved tearful goodbyes to destination weddings and honeymoons (actually, to all weddings and honeymoons regardless of location), and wanderlust-filled gypsies found themselves unceremoniously relegated to one home for longer than they ever had been in their lives.

The travel and tourism industries simply shut up shop because they had no other choice. Many believe that this almost unprecedented, worldwide shutdown saved the situation from becoming as bad as it could be, while others are still lamenting the fact that lockdowns ever happened, saying: “it would have spread eventually anyway.” Whatever your feelings on why travel and tourism were banned, the fact remains that they were. Still, almost two years on, when you travel to most foreign countries, you need a fit to fly PCR test before an airline even considers taking you as a passenger.

The question we now find ourselves asking is; how is the tourism industry handling things, and how is it doing in 2022? Let’s take a look at what the experts have to say on the matter.

Also Read: Rajasthan Tourism: Perfect Time to Camp in Jaisalmer

Some Hard Facts

1. The tourism sector remains one of the hardest-hit sectors following the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. International arrivals worldwide only increased by 4% this year, compared to last year, when many more travel sanctions were still in place; there have been less than one billion arrivals.
3. Of the experts from the World Tourism Organization that were asked, 63% believe that the travel and tourism sector will not fully recover until 2024.
4. One of the main reasons that travelers cite as to why they are currently not traveling as much as they used to is the economic factor. Many households now earn significantly less than they did before the pandemic began, and with exchange rates soaring, those polled seem to believe this will be the case for some time to come. The secondary reason for not traveling, by quite some distance, is safety.

The Tourism Industry Today

While it’s surprising, given the economic devastation that COVID has left in its wake, experts in the sector have forecast these as the most likely trends for travel in 2022.

Go Big or Don’t Go At All

Though many once usual travelers are citing money as their reason for no longer globe-trotting like they once did, experts believe that the “go big” trend in travel is here to stay. While the numbers are currently nothing exciting and staying well under the last pre-COVID travel numbers, many travel agencies are seeing a big boost with Spring and then Summer on their way. The general sentiment among those ready to travel seems to be that they want to get as far out into the big wide world as possible. This is undoubtedly a pendulum swing of a response to our time cooped up indoors over the past two years. All the same, we can’t help asking, how are you managing to travel at all?

Hi-Tech Hotels

The hotel industry, particularly in mountainous or coastal areas, has looked up significantly in the last few months. New or innovative hotels and AirBnB’s have adopted safer protocols like keyless check-ins. Some of the more technologically inclined ones have even gone so far as to offer room service delivery by robot or remote staffing to allow for minimal in-person interactions. Not only has this been a safety measure, but also a cost-saving one in light of the decrease in bookings during the pandemic.

One industry expert was quoted as saying, “High tech is the new personal touch.” Accommodations have also taken on the “zero waste” challenge, and many locales, from the boutique to the commercial, are embracing measures like solar panels. The pandemic gave many people time to think about the important things in life, and thankfully the accommodation sector of the tourist industry is moving towards more sustainable operating procedures.

Edu-Vacation

A trend towards an educational while still entertaining and relaxing vacation has been noted since travel restrictions have begun to ease. Families traveling with young ones are no longer opting just to stick them in a swimming pool while they have drinks at the hotel bar, oh no. Vacations these days are being planned as cultural education experiences for both parent and child, a chance to engage with the world around us on its own terms and learn more about the people we share it with.

Wrap Up

While things still aren’t quite back on track for the tourism industry in 2022, we can see it’s on its way to getting its old groove back.