Last year was not a star year for travelers.
Maybe that’s why so many people are optimistic about 2022.
Travel bookings and inquiries are on the rise, which is on an upward trajectory, which, if realized, could be beneficial and challenging for travelers in the coming year.
“People want to make up for lost time”
Brandon Berkson, founder of Hotels Above Bar, a New York-based travel agency, said travel in 2022 will be busier than ever before.
“People want to make up for lost time,” he said, adding that customers have said their desire to travel next year is greater than ever.
Ben Drew, chairman of Whiter, a travel company owned by TripAdvisor, said demand for the upcoming trip in December was “extraordinary.”
From 2019 to 2021 bookings for Tulumil increased by 1,665% and for Denali National Park by 700%, the beach and mountains are popular, Viator said.
M Sweet Productions | Moment | Getty Images
“The journey roared again,” he said. “Even on Omigron’s face, travelers are recording more experiences than they had in pre – epidemic 2019.”
Viator’s 2022 data also show that bookings are increasing from summer to autumn, during which time travel is generally slower.
While acknowledging that 2022 “may come with challenges,” Drew said he expects it to be “a chapter in recession, renaissance and growth for the travel industry.”
Ready for business?
Manoj Sacco, executive vice president of business management company WNS, said that while news of the business boom is music to the ears of the travel industry, it could be problematic if it happens too quickly.
“The speed and power of demand may catch some travel players out of safety,” he said. “Airlines, for example, may struggle to re-employ pilots, and pilots may need additional training and skills refinement programs.”
Airlines are not the only segment of the travel industry that may have difficulty hiring employees this year.
According to the World Tourism and Tourism Council, 62 million jobs related to travel will be lost by 2020. With many of these jobs now returning – in October, the WTTC estimates that the industry’s employment levels will rise by 18% by 2022 – that former employees have not returned to their old roles.
As the industry was laid off, some workers moved to other industries. Others do not want to take the lead In an era of increasing customer anger and aggressive behavior.
According to the WTTC, Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Portugal (found here) and the United States are some of the countries facing staff shortages in the tourism sector.
Gonzalo Azumendi | Stone | Getty Images
One of 13 travel-related jobs in the United States is expected to remain unfilled WTTC Employee Report Released in December. In Portugal, the figure rises to 1 in 9, the report said.
“It’s hard to find cooks and enough servers to cope with the increase in demand and recovery in the industry,” John Ports, CEO of the Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, based in the United States, told CNBC.Exchange“Last year.
To fill the gap, employees work overtime and managers “take shifts,” he said.
For travelers, reduction in travel delays and services due to staff shortages, from low restaurant bookings to the elimination of daily home care services.
“We were one of the first businesses to be affected; we will be one of the last companies to fully recover,” Ports said. “We definitely ask customers to be patient.”
Motivation for technology
The shortage of workers underscores the change in industry that began long before the epidemic, using technology to do some work in the travel industry.
Such tasks Providing room service And cleaning airports Can be done by robots, Said Rachel Fu, head of the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management at the University of Florida. He said hotels could use “assistant robots” to book customers.
“Using AI wisely can significantly reduce labor costs without sacrificing the amount of personalized services,” Fu said.
We are going to see many more touchless lifts next year.
Nima Zirknejat
NZ Technologies, Founder and CEO
This may help businesses to close some labor gaps, but as companies continue to struggle for travel dollars, innovations that directly affect travelers may be even more important.
Some hotels allow guests to check in and out, book airport transfers and make spa appointments through apps, Like the luxury brand Four Seasons.
“Unlike many hospitality apps, Four Seasons chat is run by real people,” said Ben Trott, senior vice president of sales and hotel marketing at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
A technology “HoverTap“The elevators are touch-free. Developed by technology company NZ Technologies, the lift is in use in Canada, company representatives said.
“We’ll see many more touchless lifts next year.” Said Nima Jirknejat, founder and CEO of the company.
Here’s how they work:
The elevator is just the beginning. Ziragnat said the technology can be applied to any high-continuity surface. The company plans to expand to self-service kiosks at airports, restaurants and hotels, as well as ATMs and flight seatbag entertainment systems, he said.
WNS ‘Sacco said that companies with these technological advances will soon have an advantage over companies that do not.
“In some countries, travelers still have to fill out paper forms and follow the rules of the authorities who physically handle their passports and other travel documents,” he said. “Elsewhere, for example in Spain, most information can be uploaded in a single application.”
As customer expectations and availability of touchless technologies increase, these developments will “certainly emerge as a major competitive difference,” he said.
Correction: HoverTap’s elevator technology is currently only in use in Canada. An earlier version of the story misrepresented the countries in which it was used.
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