Top travel & workation trends 2022 – Dare to live!

Top travel & workation trends 2022 – Dare to live!

„I want my life to change significantly rather than returning to how it was before the COVID-19 crisis“. Does this statement sound familiar to you? Without a doubt, the pandemic has shaken up our experiences, thoughts, wishes, demands, and way of living. But to which extent? How has the pandemic influenced top travel trends and what does ‘new living’ mean? From the urge to break free to the rise in workations and long-term trips – see what travel trends are predicted to stick around this year.

1. Living, not just visiting: About shifting priorities in 2022.

What do you need to feel at home these years? This is at the core of ‘new living’. Does COVID-19 actually influence our expectations and demands on travel accommodations? Statistics reveal: Travel trends 2022 are indeed all about amenities. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted our preferences not only for location but also for the type of housing at destinations. Travellers are seeking out WIFI and workspaces, which corresponds with the shift toward remote work, so-called workations. What has been there for a long time and is still popular in 2022 is the searched-for amenity “kitchen” – in line with the trend to “living anywhere”. But one must-have comfort of home stands above the rest: Everyone wants to bring their pet along. This is ‘new living’. This is especially true for long-term stay bookers. Searches filtering for listings with WIFI, kitchens and pets nearly doubled: 95% and 270% for short-term and long-term trip bookers respectively. The best inside tip for lessors: Laptop-friendly workspaces gives you a leading edge.

2. Experiences count: People are on the startline to travel.

As countries around the world start to loosen their travel restrictions, we’ve been seeing sudden increases in interest in these countries. Announcing that vaccinated foreign travellers would be allowed to enter countries, it was as though a starting gun had been fired. Both international and national tourism was given a boost. People are tired of being "locked up" in many places. Lots are ready for a vacation, are longing for a break, an adventure or to finally be able to visit their friends and acquaintances again. Though the travel industry continues to face regulation challenges, the process of travelling is becoming smoother. And people are happily taking the chance to “break free” in 2022.

3. Push the limits: Staying as long as possible.

Experts say that short-term accommodations rentals, once typically between 3.5 and 5 days, are trending longer in duration, with an average 8.5- to 9-day stay. Travel trends reveal: People will take fewer trips but stay longer. This will manifest in the rise of “workations”, where visitors combine work with vacations, embedding themselves for longer periods of time in a certain place. This top travel trend can be seen in Airbnb bookings as well:

➤ Nearly half (45%) of nights booked on the app were for at least one week, compared to 38% two years ago.
➤ From July to September 2021, 20% of nights booked were for stays of one month or longer. And there are even more people that plan to stay longer during their next trip.

This is a major shift and a peek in Airbnb history. But who are these long-stay travellers? It’s mainly adults aged 60 and older, who are most likely to have retired.

4. In the spur of the moment: Travel trend flexibility.

Safety and flexibility will be front of mind. And people are willing to spend more money on it. Following the turbulent changes and many travellers losing holidays in the last years, people will be looking for the reassurance that their booking will be protected in any case. Prior to the pandemic, people would be more likely to opt for a lower price for airfare or hotel rooms, regardless of restrictions or cancellation policies. These days, people will happily pay more to have the best flexibility possible — just in case travel plans change. Overall, we have learned to be more adaptable, to be more open. Even if we book vacations ahead of time, we might still have to put up with changes. That's the reason for the top travel trend towards last-minute bookings. People are pushing trip bookings to the last minute just to make sure nothing changes. There is high demand for travel experiences during off-peak times, over long weekends, and in the spur of the moment.

5. Break free from rigidity: Workations are on the rise.

If you have to log in your eight hours, why not do it from a new destination? Many people found out they could successfully work remotely during the pandemic – a model that has sparked more workations this year. A 7,500-consumer survey commissioned across five countries found that more than one third (38%) of self-identified hybrid/remote employees say they would rather quit their jobs than go back to work in-person full-time. Well, why not combine work and pleasure on trips? Just make sure you are choosing top lodging properties at your destination that meet certain criteria for remote workers:
free and reliable WiFi a dedicated workspace

The COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly untethered tens of millions of people from the need to work in specific places at specific times. Do you want to work from anywhere, travel any time, and stay for longer? Do you wish to enter the new living area? Take your chance! DAREBELL makes it possible to work from any home – and ultimately, to live anywhere.

We’re seeing these strong travel trends extend into 2022. Start planning now. Dare to live!