This is what travel lovers are willing to give up for a 2022 vacation

New data on travel in 2022 shows that people are not only waiting to take their next vacation, but there’s a lot that travel lovers are willing to give up to make sure it happens.

According to the American Express Travel: 2022 Global Travel Trends Report, conducted by Morning Consult with 2,000 travellers in the U.S. and 1,000 travellers in Japan, Australia, Mexico, India, U.K. and Canada, between Feb 3 and Feb 11, 65 per cent of respondents would rather take their dream vacation than purchase a new car.

Even if COVID-19 is still a significant consideration, 74 per cent of respondents globally indicated they are willing to book a trip for 2022, even if they end up canceling.

Travelport, a global technology company for travel suppliers worldwide, conducted their own survey through Toluna Research, with more than 2,000 respondents from the U.S., U.K., Australia, Hong Kong SAR, India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, and found additional items people around the world are willing to give up for six months or longer to travel.

According to Travelport, 71 per cent of respondents would forgo concerts, 64 per cent would stop buying clothes, 63 per cent would give up spa treatments, 60 per cent would forego going to the movie theatre, 53 per cent would give up playing sports and 36 per cent would stop dining at restaurants.

“While the last two+ years have been a significant challenge, the global travel industry recovered more than 50 per cent of its gross activity by the end of 2021,” a statement from Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer for Travelport reads.

“Should this trend continue along the same trajectory, it could reach 85 per cent recovery by the end of this year. The pent-up desire to travel is strong. Our latest survey findings clearly demonstrate this, highlighting how many indulgences people are willing to sacrifice in order to travel again.”

How much will people really travel in 2022?

According to the American Express study, 62 per cent of respondents plan on taking two to four trips in 2022 and 76 per cent of respondents agree they plan to travel more with family this year than they did in 2021. For Canadians specifically, 69 per cent of Canadian respondents plan to spend more time travelling with their family this year.

“Coming out of the pandemic we’ve seen a reprioritization of values, and spending time with loved ones is at the top of the list,” a statement from Chris Gabaldon Senior Vice President of Luxury Brands with Marriott International reads.

“The traditional family vacation has expanded to become multi-generational and include extended family, as our guests want to reconnect and reengage. Across our hotels we’re seeing demand for experiences that are educational and entertaining for all ages as families look to make new memories together.”

That being said, 49 per cent of Millennial travellers want to take a solo trip on their own in 2022.

Dream vacations on the horizon

With travel lovers having to stay put for quite some time, as can be expected with restrictions loosening globally, 2022 is set to be the year for travellers to take a dream vacation.

According to American Express’ study, 55 per cent of respondents want to book a once-in-a-lifetime vacation this year, with that metric higher among younger age groups, up to 67 per cent among Millennials and 65 per cent among GenZers.

The survey found that 72 per cent of respondents agree that the pandemic has made them appreciate lesser-known domestic travel destinations and with travellers getting more used to having to vacation closer to home, 72 of global respondents plan to spend more money on domestic travel.

Wherever travellers are going to, 78 per cent of respondents wanting to have a “positive impact on the community they are visiting,” which includes considering places with a commitment to environmental sustainability efforts, eating and shopping at small businesses, visiting national parks, experiencing a farmer’s market and partaking in more outdoor activities.

“The past two years proved how special exploration can be, as well as the weight our travel decisions hold for local communities," a statement from Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel reads.

"Looking ahead, travellers are making decisions with purpose in mind – from understanding where their money is going to finding time to connect with loved ones. We’re excited to see what the future brings.”