Travel valued more highly than ever, Expedia 2022 trends study finds

‘Travel is about to experience a year unlike ever before,’ says Expedia’s Ariane Gorin

Expedia is expecting travellers to spend more on trips with a wellbeing purpose while prioritising flexibility and sustainability in 2022.

The OTA has released a report on trends for the coming year having conducted a study involving 5,500 adults in eight countries with Wakefield Research.

The Traveller Value Index: 2022 Outlook report finds that after two years  enduring the global COVID-19 pandemic people value travel and personal time more than ever.

Ariane Gorin, president of Expedia for Business, said: “Travel is about to experience a year unlike ever before as people plan purpose-driven trips, value vacation time more, and up their investment in unique experiences.

“Still, travellers are preparing themselves for possible trip changes as COVID-19 persists, and they want an array of options at their fingertips.

“Travel companies that prioritise safety and wellbeing, innovative solutions, and transparent communication will be the clear leaders as the entire industry shifts from survival mode into accelerated demand and growth.”

Expedia said travellers have started to adapt to the realities of COVID-19, ranking flexible travel at the top of their priorities and focusing on travelling for good.

It added the report “underscores the resilience of the industry and reveals how travel companies can adapt to achieve a competitive advantage in this rapidly evolving environment”.

Key Findings in the report include:

• Most people (81%) plan to take at least one holiday with family and friends in the next six months, and the majority are seeking quick doses of adventure, with more than three quarters (78%) expressing an interest in frequent short trips;

• The report found that nearly half of all UK travellers (42%) are searching for a relaxing holiday to help their mental wellbeing;

• Employees are looking to make greater use of their holiday time, and in some cases, combine work and play. More than half (56%) of those who often work remotely will take a ‘bleisure’ style trip;

• More than half (54%) of respondents say they plan to spend more on trips than they did before the pandemic;

• Two in five (40%) plan to use loyalty points for at least part of a trip in 2022, with Gen Z in the lead.