A world in motion
Shifting consumer travel trends in 2022 and beyond
A Deloitte collaboration with WTTC and Trip.com
While the COVID-19 pandemic ended a decade of continuous growth for Travel & Tourism in 2020, the intention to travel and spend has remained strong despite the various challenges. The year 2021 provided relief as we witnessed the beginning of recovery for the sector. Many people began travelling as much as they did before the pandemic. In 2022, demand for international travel returned strongly, as governments around the world loosened COVID-related travel restrictions.
While the urge to explore is universal, our habits are not. The way we travel is constantly changing, and 2022 was no exception. In November 2021, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group published a report highlighting the main consumer travel trends as the recovery began. In this follow-up report, “A world in motion: shifting consumer travel trends in 2022 and beyond”, with WTTC and Trip.com Group, Deloitte has contributed insights from our Global State of the Consumer Tracker – to support these trends that have sustained and strengthened through 2022. It acknowledges the possible risks and the sector’s potential for growth by analyzing the changing nature of people’s behavior and preferences.
This report is the story of a remarkable recovery. After the deepest crisis the sector has faced, Travel & Tourism is trending upwards. It has been a delight to witness – and we have greatly admired the agility, determination, and vision that travel providers have shown in getting our sector back on its feet. Not only has tourism recovered at an extraordinary speed, but companies are also working harder than ever to transform the sector and win back travelers with new products, technologies and investments in sustainability. The return of trends like longer booking windows, with trips planned well in advance, and the revival of city travel, may be signs of a return to normality. The expected return of Chinese travelers to global destinations following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions should further boost global demand. Future shocks should not be discounted.
This report covers the top 10 trends, including:
- The influence of social media
- What types of trip are people planning?
- The resilience of travel amid economic uncertainty
- Spend or save: travel budgeting priorities
- Luxury travel remains buoyant
- Business and leisure: a popular blend
- The sustainable traveller
- Will our pandemic booking habits last?
As we look to 2023, Travel & Tourism likely has a bright path ahead. WTTC’s ten-year forecast puts the sector on track to outpace global growth, at a rate of 5.8% annually, while global GDP grows at
just 2.7%. That could translate into 126 million new jobs by 2032. The demand for travel is increasingly stronger than ever – now the rest is up to us.
