Another unusual situation for tourism remains for 2022 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It has marked a significant change for everyone in the sector. That is about to change. Newly instated members of the Executive Team of Dubai-based Welcome to the World (WttW) see in some of the trends for 2022 reason for optimism.

It is not easy to estimate for 2022 as it is not known exactly how the pandemic will evolve. However, it is possible to talk about the new tourism trends that are likely to emerge over the coming year.

The sector as a whole saw some improvements in 2021, but only in a very subtle way as restrictions are still in place and many countries keep their borders fully or partially closed. Despite all the travel complications video-inspiration platform Welcome to the World celebrated its first anniversary in December.

The Dubai-based start-up looks back on a dynamic year with new license holders boarded from the United Arab Emirates to Greece and Mexico. The straightforward concept is key to its rapid success: travellers book directly with the business and unlock free local and venue-related welcoming benefits.

In the past months, Melvin Visser Chief Information Officer has been working around the clock to further improve the platform to make it even easier to find the best booking benefits per destination. He emphasized that it is his mission to facilitate an easy experience as much as possible.

“Due to all the travel complications travellers want a hassle-free booking experience. With that in mind, we introduced a new filter function on the homepage. With this new feature the adventurous traveller can compare certain locations in a city and see where he can find the best deal for his upcoming trip”, said Visser.

To make the booking experience easier for the traveller, it is quite smart to already start looking for the upcoming summer adventure added Casper van de Minkelis Welcome to the World’s Chief Strategy Officer.

Van de Minkelis: “We see now that international travel with restrictions will be maintained in 2022. At the same time, airlines and hotels offer free maximum flexibility to their, passengers, as guests. If you are thinking ahead: browse, book and benefit instantly. If anything would change in the coming months you can change your trip free of charge. Why not take advantage of the situation and lock a vacation already for yourself?”

Van de Minkelis further sees that in 2022 conscious travel will be advocated. “People like to travel to more distant destinations, but with prolonged duration of stay. Consumers look to enjoy as much as possible of each place they visit.”

In addition, modern-day travellers are showing much more responsible behaviour in 2022 and aware of the reality they live in daily so they prefer sustainable travel destinations, Jeroen Vliex Chief Commercial Officer of WttW reckons.

Vliex, former head of Business Development Benelux for Oyo Hotels & Homes, notices the following trend in the behaviour of the ‘smart’ traveller: “They see right through the so-called fake discounts some sites offer. They are actively looking for the place where they can have the most benefits and where they have the feeling the money is best spent.”

That is exactly where Welcome to the World finds its strength: instead of a commission-based formula where the money goes to a foreign country, WttW advocates a sustainable model where the money lands in the country it is spent. Providing a myriad of local sustainable benefits.

Vliex, who has more than ten years of experience in the industry, also sees a lot of interest in the concept from foreign investors and travel enthusiasts. “It is like buying shares: you do not buy them at the top, but when the market is in a dip. This is an excellent moment to invest in a sustainable travel platform that is future proof in this dynamic time we live in.”