After the past two years of lockdowns, uncertainty, and travel restrictions, the world is opening back up and the hospitality industry is booming once again. While the pandemic severely limited travel for both business and leisure, quarantining reminded everyone to never take the tourism industry for granted again and to seize the opportunity to travel whenever possible.
In addition to the invaluable benefits of experiencing new cultures and cities that expand our understanding of the world, travel benefits both the global economy as well as the local economies of the communities visited. Currently, online travel searches, flight purchases, and hotel bookings are surging as individuals and families are beyond excited to make up for the lost time. How has the pandemic changed the way that we will travel and reshaped what we desire from hospitality spaces moving forward?
Here are four developing travel trends in the evolving state of the hospitality industry in 2022:
Bucket List Trips
Now that everyone has witnessed how quickly the ability to travel can be taken away, bucket list trips and far away locales are being booked more than ever before. The extended time at home helped many reach the resolve to make visiting their dream destination a reality. In addition to more trips being booked further miles away, travelers are booking more luxury experiences. Many exotic locations experienced a greater number of summer bookings ahead of schedule.
For the hospitality industry, this means that designing one-of-a-kind spaces and creating unforgettable impressions is a tremendous priority. Tarkett Hospitality’s custom design program offering wide-ranging product, color, and design choices without compromising quality gives hotels the ability to craft gorgeous unique spaces that visitors will share on social media and share with everyone they know.
Big Cities Are Back
Big cities and their respective dining, nightlife, and attractions took a massive hit during the pandemic as guidelines called for vastly reduced capacities or shutdowns altogether. Now, bustling US cities including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Nashville, and many more have experienced a surge in flight and hotel reservations in 2022 that shows no signs of slowing down.
Summertime travel deals are making it easier for visitors to descend upon these prime cities, which coincides perfectly with the 2022 travel trend of longer hotel stays and longer travel itineraries. Many big-city luxury hotels offer much more affordable rates during summer which makes these trips even more attractive to travelers itching for an amazing experience.
Emphasis On Wellness
It’s no secret that the pandemic brought health and wellbeing to the forefront, and summer 2022 travel plans certainly reflect that. Travel agencies are finding that wellness activities and wellness-centric travel are a top priority this warm season, which includes immersive cultural experiences, outdoor physical activities, healthier dining, disconnecting from devices more, spa treatments, and better sleep! From yoga retreats and outdoor excursions to hotels with onsite spa facilities, searches for wellness-related amenities and travel are up and will look different for each traveler.
In 2022, Tarkett Hospitality has already sponsored industry wellness discussions where attendees learn how hospitality brands are integrating wellness and sustainability into their projects and what more the industry can do. This correlates with a greater hospitality emphasis on biophilic design to reflect beautiful, sustainable environments that support health, wealth, and enhance the quality of life and performance.
Thoughtful Hotel Priorities
It should also come as no surprise that the pandemic has placed an incredibly high priority on convenience, contact-less functions, cleanliness, and sustainability when it comes to hotel stays and hospitality spaces. The traditional process of checking in and getting physical room keys will continue to give way to mobile check-ins and check-outs, digital smartphone keys, email communication, and text notifications. In addition to convenience, these methods reduce the risk of germs and make hospitality brands come across as more thoughtful, progressive, and desirable to travelers.
Although cleanliness has always been the most important expectation for a hotel stay, rigorous hygiene and cleaning service have never been higher priorities! In addition to being more germ conscious, travelers are more environmentally conscious to counter the effects of climate change. Eco-friendly hotels that communicate a commitment to health and the planet through paperless policies, using sustainable products, and harnessing more solar energy will continue to have the advantage in a growing competitive accommodations market.
Tarkett Hospitality’s human-conscious design and flooring philosophy ensure that the final surfaces best serve people and the environment. By using healthy materials, thoughtful design, and environmentally conscious manufacturing, Tarkett Hospitality helps to achieve superior indoor air quality through flooring as well as creating hospitality flooring that is easier to keep clean with fewer allergens.
No matter how travel trends change throughout summer 2022 and beyond, a human-conscious design approach helps reassure travelers and hospitality employees alike as world travel opens back up. Tarkett Hospitality is committed to providing innovative, custom surface solutions that contribute to the health and well-being of all. It’s time to update our passports, open our hearts, connect with other people, cities, and countries, and cherish the ability to travel once more.
