HomeToGo SE, a vacation rental marketplace, has unveiled its predictions for the top travel trends of 2022.
With the increase in vaccinations globally, the demand for tourism in 2022 remains optimistic. New insight from HomeToGo reveals how travelers across the globe are scaling up their plans in anticipation of the year ahead, with notable increase in travel spend and length of stay compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 and compared to pre-pandemic on a global scale, the vacation rentals marketplace has recorded about a 54% global increase in average booking value for vacation rental spending and longer trips worldwide with around a 9% increase in the average length of stay.
“Travel has entered a new era and alternative accommodation will continue to reign as the new zeitgeist in 2022, especially with travelers who have traditionally booked hotels but tried and enjoyed vacation rentals during the pandemic,” said Dr. Patrick Andrae, cofounder/CEO, HomeToGo. “As a marketplace with the world’s largest selection of vacation rentals, we are prepared to help every traveler find the perfect accommodation for their 2022 trip and beyond—whether it’s escaping the winter for a sunny workation at an airy island bungalow or going on a relaxing staycation in a rural cabin just a two-hour journey from home. These new structural trends, along with the pent-up demand for travel after lockdowns, have led to long-term tailwinds for the alternate accommodation market that will continue into the new year.”
Based on search demand and a global survey of 4,000 travelers, HomeToGo has revealed the three types of trips that will reign in the new year. In 2022, tourists are looking forward to relaxing on sun-kissed islands, traveling safely to known regions and discovering hidden gem destinations in their own backyards with a continued preference for domestic staycations:
Trend 1: Prioritizing relaxation and private escapes
With 63% of participants in a recent HomeToGo global consumer survey listing relaxation as their main travel motivator, search insight now reveals that travelers will be heading to islands to find their zen next year. Island destinations have seen significant growth in demand for short-term rentals in 2022, with Bali, Indonesia (+611% search increase); Sanibel Island, FL (+567%); and Saint Lucia (+560%) taking the lead as the top three destinations growing in global search demand.
Trend 2: Resurgence of touristic regions
While the pandemic-influenced trend of rural travel still remains popular, touristic regions are set to regain popularity in 2022 around the globe, too. Among HomeToGo’s most-searched touristic regions, some well-known destinations are gaining additional interest in the coming year. As the majority of travelers prefer to walk on well-known paths, regions like Florida in the U.S. (+70.23% search increase), Sardinia in Italy (+57.40%), Majorca in Spain (+36.29%) and the Baltic Sea area in Germany (+23%) will be ones to watch as ever-trending escapes.
Trend 3: Domestic travel continues to rise
Building on the boom of 2020-21, HomeToGo forecasts the rise in domestic travel to continue into the new year as a key trend. Among American travelers, searches for 2022 stays within the U.S. have seen an increase of +23%. Elsewhere in the world, HomeToGo’s survey saw 28% of U.K. travelers aim to travel more within their country, even after travel fully reopens. Among German tourists, the share of travel accounted for by domestic trips is forecast to see an uplift of +62% in comparison to 2019.