How Has Travel Changed in 2022?

If you had told me in April 2020 that we would still be talking about the pandemic two years later, I never would have believed you. And not only are we still talking about it in April 2022, but it’s still affecting the way we work, socialize, live and travel. So, more than two years into the pandemic, I wanted to know: How has travel changed in 2022?

Lots of people have stories about how travel changed in 2020 and 2021 due to covid-19. For many of us, myself included, trips were cancelled, plans were changed and we were stuck at home. But now that certain parts of the world are open and we’re learning to live with the “new normal,” how have things changed? How are travellers adapting to travel in the junior year of the pandemic?

To answer that question, I took to Twitter and connected with my community of travel bloggers. I asked them what kind of travelling they’re getting up to this year and how their travel ethos has changed in the last couple of years. And I was totally blown away by the range of answers I got! Turns out, we’re all handling travel in 2022 a little differently.

How has travel changed for me in 2022:

Before I dive into the responses I got, I wanted to share my own perspective on travel in 2022.

Where have I travelled so far in 2022 and what travel plans do I have for the rest of the year?

So far I’ve been to Hawaii in January of 2022, and a local getaway to Vancouver Island in April. We have a trip planned to New York City in May 2022 and then 10 days booked off in September when we’re hoping to go international. We’d love to visit family in Taiwan, but we’re not sure what will be open by then.

What is travel about in 2022?

For me, 2022 is a cautious year of travel. Whereas 2020 was a huge stop to travel (we travelled a bunch in February and early March and then not at all for the rest of the year) and 2021 was all about domestic travel (including our honeymoon to the Maritimes), 2022 is about putting our toes back into the international travel waters.

We won’t be travelling at the same pace as we were when we lived in Prague in 2019/2020 – it’s not realistic for our life now that we’re based in Vancouver and Colin works full time in the hospital. But we’re cautiously optimistic; we’re planning smaller international trips for this year and making sure everything is refundable.

How travel bloggers are travelling in 2022:

Smaller trips closer to home

A huge theme for 2022 travel is smaller trips closer to home. Many travel bloggers are choosing to stay domestic or within their continent on shorter trips.

“I travelled to Berlin for a mini city-break. It was chosen due to ease of visiting and because I felt safe visiting due to how well enforced the covid rules are in Germany.” – Sarah from Sarah’s Sojourns

“So far I’ve travelled to Orlando, Minneapolis, Iowa City and Philadelphia. And for the rest of the year I plan to visit Durham, Las Vegas, San Francisco.” – Shira from Black Girl World Traveller

“In 2022 I’ve been to Maryland and Sonoma/Napa.” – Adam from The Sterling Traveler

“This year I’ve been to Savannah, GA and Hilton Head, SC. Good for learning about Savannah’s history (Civil War) and the food – yummers! I attended the Hilton Head Seafood Festival.” – Bryan from discovering LA

“This year I’ve made the most of travelling around Yorkshire and have been to Skipton (castle bagging), Helmsley (super foodie destination and a castle), York (foodie trip and to enjoy spring flowers), Saltaire (UNESCO heritage site and fab art gallery), and Leeds (foodie trip), plus short breaks in London and Lancaster. Cultural, foodie trips with a castle have featured heavily in 2022! Up next is a trip to Malta in September and lots of city breaks in the UK and Western Europe.” – Coralie from Grey Globetrotters

“So far I’ve travelled locally (Leipzig, Berlin) & gone on day trips.” – Carolin from Solo Travel Story

“This year I’ve been to Dublin and Granada, both as city breaks.” – Gabriela from Galicia Original

“I have several trips planned for the remainder of the year including San Diego, Los Angeles, Denver, and two cruises to Alaska!” – Sydney from Sydney Brown Travels

Go big or go home!

On the other hand, many travel bloggers are also making 2022 the year they get out there and start travelling BIG again! Some started their big trips in 2021 and others have plans to go on longer trips later in 2022. 

“After lots of planning and a long wait, I quit my job in September 2021 and spent 3 months road tripping through Europe with my husband. In January 2022 we set off on a one way ticket to Thailand with a rough plan of travelling for the next year. So far we’ve spent 3 months in Thailand, visiting Chiang Mai and Pai in the North, and Khao Sok National park, Phuket and Krabi in the South, as well as a few days in Bangkok. We’ve also managed to visit a few of Thailand’s many beautiful islands including Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Samui.

We are planning to travel full time for the rest of 2022 and although we have a loose plan, as we all know, anything can change! For now though, the plan is to head to Cambodia in early April, where we’ll stay for 3-4 weeks before travelling to Vietnam. Our loose plan after that involves Malaysia, Indonesia and possibly Fiji before ending the year traveling New Zealand and Australia in a campervan.” – Helen from Curious Goose

“After getting vaccinated in 2021, I went on a three week trip to Kauai, did a big 30th birthday trip with a villa in Crete (Greece), went to Bulgaria, spent most of the summer in Italy, a week in Croatia, and ended the year by spending the holidays in Paris with my boyfriend and our friends with a few road trips around France.

In 2022 I plan to spend some time in Amsterdam, spend my birthday traveling around Norway, do a bit more Europe, and I’d love to go to Asia or the Middle East with Wifi Tribe. I’m particularly eyeing a trip to Taiwan.” – Rhiannon from LA to Tokyo

“So far 2022 has included a 5 night trip to Chicago in February, a 2 night trip to Newcastle Upon Tyne for a football match and a 2 night away trip to Luxembourg City to watch Northern Ireland beat Luxembourg 3-1 in an international friendly.

The rest of 2022 is going to be a busy year for us! We have multiple city breaks booked including 40th birthday celebrations in Vegas, a top secret visit to Disney Land Paris, and another away trip to Athens in late September to watch Northern Ireland V Greece. We are also looking forward to a 3 week trip from New York to LA in July. We also have plans to travel round Vietnam at Christmas.” – The Lewis Family from Where Are We Off to Now?

“I’m heading to Egypt in April to visit lots of historic sites.” – Sarah from Sarah’s Sojourns

“I’m going to Bulgaria, Greece, and Spain in the near future this year.” – Andrea Hunt

“In 2022 I am feeling more relaxed and I am ready to finally travel abroad again! I leave for France next week. I’m excited to finally move forward with my original dream of attempting foreign language immersion. Since I don’t have a visa, I will country hop in and out of the Schengen Zone every few months in order to comply with the 90 day tourist passport rules. I will also hike as much as possible while abroad – I always choose my destinations based on natural beauty!” – Claire from The Detour Effect

“We’re going to be easing ourselves back into travel in 2022 with tours of Portugal and Italy, then hope to fly out to Sri Lanka in October. The plan is to take our walking boots with us and hike our way through the countries we visit. It’s definitely exciting to think of packing up our home and living out of backpacks again.” – Ann from Adventure Pending

“For the rest of 2022, we will continue our slow travel through Europe. We are planning our next steps as we go but for now we know that we will be around Porto and Braga in Portugal for some time. Later on we will visit France and Switzerland (near Genewa). And next stop would be Poland to replenish our supplies, take care of some business stuff, visit family, etc. After that we’ll head on to the next adventure. Where? We don’t know yet!” – Sonia & Wojtek from Happy Little Traveler

Hitting the road

Another trend for 2022 travel is the road trip! Lots of travellers took to the road in 2020 and 2021 and it seems the trend is not letting up yet. 

“So far this year I’ve traveled to South FL and I’m about to leave for an RV road trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway. We will hit SC’s low country, the FL Keys, NOLA and possibly DC. We may add more though. We are nearly full-time RV-ers and retired (except for Fitting in Adventure).” – Angela from Fitting in Adventure

“I live out of my car and work remotely using a wifi hotspot. Solar panels recharge my power bank and therefore my laptop, which enables me to road trip and base myself out of different states so I can go hiking in national parks without missing work days. In January and February of 2022 I was based in Bisbee, Arizona, which is a quirky old mining town that’s been reclaimed by artists. From there I drove on to Las Cruces, New Mexico where I spent part of February and most of March.” – Claire from The Detour Effect

“We have been slow travelling by car through Spain and Portugal since September 2021. So far in 2022 we’ve been in: Spain (Province of Cadiz and Province of Malaga), Gibraltar, Portugal (Algarve region – basically the whole south coast). We are staying in one place for few weeks and exploring the surrounding area. When there is nothing else that we would like to see, we go to the next spot.” – Sonia & Wojtek from Happy Little Traveler

“This year I’ve been on many local road trips in my state (GA) and the neighboring state of Alabama. I just spent the better parts of 3 weeks in the Alabama Black Belt region and visited about 20 cities. I also have been exploring Atlanta and visiting national park sites in both states.” – Lori from Southerner Says

Getting back to nature

Another form of travel that was trendy pre-pandemic and now feels safer than ever is spending time in nature. While I’m not a huge outdoorsy person, many of my fellow travel bloggers certainly are! 

“So far in 2022 we’ve been on a mini trip to LA for hiking and so my husband could pick up an award, as well as on some ski trips and snowshoeing adventures. We stopped travelling internationally during the pandemic and got better at exploring the fabulous scenery within driving distance. Like lots of people we also got used to the madness when attempting to book campsites and hiking day passes, so we have been looking out for less-well known places to explore.

I love that wherever I have lived in the world, there are always so many stunning pockets of nature nearby to appreciate. I plan to hike, cycle or backpack my way through those kind of places in 2022.” – Josy from A Walk And A Lark

“We dedicated the first half of 2022 to exploring our own country. We’re currently based in a small English village that’s just a short drive from the Lake District, which means there are hundreds of adventures at our doorstep. During this time we’ve fallen completely in love with hiking. We often spend two days of our week waking up to a strong coffee and taking to the hills. There are so many beautiful mountains to climb, lakes to swim, and towns to visit here that we’ve managed to keep ourselves very busy.” – Ann from Adventure Pending

“For the rest of 2022 I plan to visit Washington State, Florida, Washington DC, and Utah. I’m mostly planning travel where I can be predominantly outdoors.” – Adam from The Sterling Traveler

“I’m planning to hike the Camino Portuguese in late May/June.” – Carolin from Solo Travel Story

Connecting with family

Family travel has always been important but in 2022, trips to see family have taken on a new meaning. Many people have been separated from their family members since before the pandemic, so these trips are extra special. 

“We’re planning a trip home to the UK this spring, as we haven’t seen family since the pandemic started. I cannot wait to hug my nieces and nephews!”  – Josy from A Walk And A Lark

“I’ll be travelling to Argentina in October, and maybe Italy or France during the summer. In Argentina I’ll have a week to travel/hike, maybe a couple of friends will join, and then I’ll take 10 days to visit family.” – Gabriela from Galicia Original

“Chicago is a yearly trip for me normally and it was the trip I cancelled during the first lockdown. I haven’t been away from there this long in 22 years so I’m anxious to get back this year. My daughter lives in Southern Nevada, near Vegas, so most of my road trips over the past 2 years have been there. Then we travel and road trip around when she’s free on her days off. I will definitely be going to see her again this year.” – Lori from Southerner Says

Business travel in 2022

Many people thought business travel wouldn’t survive the pandemic, since everything has gone virtual these days. But a few travel bloggers have proven that it’s back! 

“So far in 2022, I’ve traveled to New Orleans, New York City, and Denver, with a bit of PNW exploring thrown into the mix, too (I live in Seattle)! The trips I’ve taken so far this year have mostly been conference-based.” – Sydney from Sydney Brown Travels

“In 2022 I’ve travelled for business only, so far. In March, I spoke at Women’s Travel Fest in Portland, Oregon and it was fantastic. And I have more business trips coming up! Speaking at TBEX North America in Tri-Cities, Washington in April and Podfest Multimedia Expo in May. Podfest is in Orlando and my son (13) is coming for some mandatory theme park exploration!

It’s excting that in 2022 business travel, and travel and media conferences are final happening again!” – Lynn from Concierge Questionnaire

All-inclusive travel in 2022

All-inclusive resort or cruise vacations are another travel style that many people thought would be extinct post-pandemic. But once again, travel bloggers are surprising me! Below, Kylie and Bryan share their 2021/2022 experiences with all-inclusive travel and why it works for them. 

“In 2022 I’ll be traveling on a Virgin Voyages Med cruise leaving from Barcelona and an Eastern Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean. We also have to use a credit on an AMA river cruise this year.” – Bryan from discovering LA

“I travelled to Gran Canaria (Spain) in November 2021. I decided to go for an all inclusive package holiday booked through a travel agent. One of my flights was cancelled due to the pandemic and they just switched me onto another, without me having to do anything. The entry requirements for coming home also changed while I was away and the in-resort rep messaged everyone to make sure we all knew about the update. It just seems like the easiest and most stress free way to travel right now.

In 2022 I will be going to two more Spanish islands (Fuerteventura and Majorca) on the same type of trip as my last: all inclusive package holiday booked through a travel agent.

Before the pandemic I would tailor make all of my own trips, often having multiple stops, destinations, accommodation and activities. After having to cancel all the separate parts for various trips booked in 2020 and 2021, it just seemed like the easiest option to have it all in one place while times are still a little on the strange side.

It’s worked out well! I still take day trips out and will leave the hotel to go and support local businesses. On my last trip, I found that some of the local bars and restaurants were still closed or had reduced hours, so at least I knew I wouldn’t go hungry as I had food options at the accommodation included.” – Kylie from Between England & Iowa

How travel has changed in 2022:

After asking my community of travel bloggers about the trips they’ve been on (or are planning to go on) in 2022, I wanted to know how travel has changed for them. What are they prioritizing? What looks different? How are they still making travel happen in 2022? 

More time in nature

As expected, travellers are prioritizing time in nature more than ever! 

“Everything seems so up in the air – we’re mostly planning hiking and camping trips. I have just as much fun in the wilderness as travelling abroad. It just takes a bit more planning.” – Josy from A Walk And A Lark

“I only travel places where I can eat outdoors; that means choose sunny and warm places so I can have fresh air outside. I still wear my mask inside always and on public transportation and avoid crowded indoor places.” – Andrea Hunt

Privacy is more important

Social distancing is still very much a thing in 2022 travel. Travellers are prioritizing opportunities for privacy and fewer crowds. 

“I’m now choosing to spend slightly more for private rooms in hostels instead of dorms and opting to take private tours when affordable instead of group ones.” – Sarah from Sarah’s Sojourns

“I use my own car as much as possible to be independent as public transport has been very unreliable. Plus I’m aware that public transport is still very much affected by Covid and holds a greater health risk for me. Public transport has also been reduced in service and is often overcrowded.” – Carolin from Solo Travel Story

Booking things at the last moment

Many travel bloggers have learned that because travel rules and requirements keep changing, it’s tough to book things in advance. Everyone has gotten much better at being spontaneous!

“I am not planning more than two or three months ahead at any given moment. I know that the COVID-related border policy rules will likely change over and over again, so there’s no point in preparing for them too far in advance. Flights keep getting cancelled and rescheduled all the time too, so I’m remiss to book flights too far ahead lest I have to scramble to replace them later. In the past I always booked flights as far in advance as possible for the lower prices, but now the change fees when your plans get messed up are just as bad or worse than paying more for the initial flight itself.” – Claire from The Detour Effect

“I feel I can’t book much in advance as changes happen fast and are unpredictable. Most companies (e.g.hotels, flight companies) are inflexible in accommodating customers needs and take over a year to issue refunds which is annoying having to chase for your money. They also barely communicate and I had a few instances when changes occurred but I had already travelled to said destination and then faced issues on arrival. I have been a spontaneous traveller before and only book my trips 2-3months in advance, but now I feel booking has to be even more on short notice and you always have to keep a plan B and C in place.” – Carolin from Solo Travel Story

“I have always been a spontaneous traveler but now I feel like I’m even more spontaneous. I planned no trips during the pandemic that I had to cancel. I just didn’t want to set myself up failure. I planned only things I knew I could execute. Positive that I will do that for a while. I’d love to book a cruise or something similar but I just don’t want to get excited only to be disappointed. I’m cautiously optimistic.” – Lori from Southerner Says

Planning in advance

On the other hand, travellers also acknowledge that travel in 2022 requires more planning than ever. It seems like everyone is having to balance planning in advance and last minute spontaneity.

“Travel has changed for me in a lot of ways but most especially in how I plan for travel in 2022. Before the pandemic, it was easy to book a flight and go somewhere on a whim without too much planning required. Now in 2022, planning is everything and a lack of preparation can actually tank a trip before it even begins. Knowing which documents are required for entry (and having those documents easily accessible), booking your accommodations in advance, making reservations for tours and events that were formerly walk-up only, etc. These are all things to consider before traveling in 2022.

That’s not to say spontaneity is dead in 2022, but it does look slightly different as we consider the precautions necessary in order to travel safely and responsibly.”  – Sydney from Sydney Brown Travels

“In 2022 we are now having to spend a lot more time checking rules, updating documents, downloading paperwork, and taking tests. We found ourselves before our trip to the states not knowing if we were going to be able to travel until 24 hrs before our flight was due to depart! It’s an all new type of nervous excitement standing at the test centre not knowing if we will be heading to the airport or heading home. It also adds some uncertainty around booking activities and transport while travelling, and can add on some pounds to the cost as hotels seem to have bumped up the price of rooms that free cancellation!” – The Lewis Family from Where Are We Off to Now?

“I’m much more mindful of being a responsible traveller in 2022, and I’m trying to fly/drive less. As a soon to be empty nester, I’m also planning more solo travel and looking to push myself out of my comfort zone!” – Coralie from Grey Globetrotters

Staying domestic

As seen in the trips travel bloggers are planning above, many are choosing to travel domestically in their home country in 2022.

“I am focused exclusively on traveling within the United States. I am housesitting throughout the United States for free accommodations and to get paid while doing it.”  – Shira from Black Girl World Traveller

Being cautious, flexible (and maybe a little more stressed!)

Of course, travelling during a pandemic does require more flexibility and caution, and often results in a little more stress. Here’s how travel bloggers are dealing with it: 

“Travel has become more stressful and slightly less fun. I find myself sitting further away from others in airports.” – Adam from The Sterling Traveler

“Even though many travel restrictions are easing, there are still local rules you need to follow and inevitably things will change last minute. The control freak in me used to get quite stressed about things like that, but now, I feel calmer and more relaxed. I’m enjoying the feeling of not having a solid plan and travelling with flexibility.

I used to think that travel was something I did to escape from the everyday, but now I can’t see a a life where I don’t put travel towards the top of my priorities. Even if that is just exploring my local area more when I’m back in the UK, or taking more weekend breaks.” – Helen from Curious Goose

“Travel since the pandemic has changed in that I am a lot more cautious. If I feel unsafe in a situation, I will leave and adjust my plans on the fly. I’ve learned you have to be even more particular about travel companions to make sure they not only mesh well with you in terms of where you all want to go and what you want to do, but also in regards to health and safety.” – Rhiannon from LA to Tokyo

Remaining optimistic

But for every stressed and cautious travel blogger is an optimistic and daring one. While I hope no one is acting as if the pandemic is completely over, there does seem to be some room for hope.

“Doors are wide open now!” – Bryan from discovering LA

“We’re definitely way more optimistic about travel now than this time last year. It was difficult seeing so many around us heading abroad while we stayed at home, but it’s now starting to finally feel like our time. In a lot of ways, the pandemic has helped us business-wise as we’ve been able to get everything in order for our upcoming adventures. Now, it feels like we have a completely fresh start to get out and see the world, and we can’t wait.” – Ann from Adventure Pending

Accepting the new normal

A common refrain amongst all travellers in 2022 is accepting the new normal. Many people have adjusted to the way the world works now and are rolling with the punches as they travel the world.

“We are continuing what we started in late August of 2021 and what Covid and the whole remote working shift allowed us to do. We kind of have our “normal” 9-5 jobs still and that global change definitely eased the transition from living in one place to slowmading.” – Sonia & Wojtek from Happy Little Traveler

“When I first started travelling during covid, I looked for quiet, uncrowded places. Now, I just want to travel and continue with my life. I accomplish the requested measures, and go on.” – Gabriela from Galicia Original

“I have set my pace and expectations lower because things just aren’t normal still. Choices are limited at times, things are closed because of staffing issues, etc. I try to be extra forgiving and acknowledge that we have all been through so much.” – Lori from Southerner Says

---

Thank you so much to the incredible travel bloggers who took the time to share their thoughts on 2022 travel with me. I sure learned a lot from your perspectives and have been inspired by all of your trip plans! 

I’d love to know: What does travel in 2022 look like for you?