Last year wasn’t a stellar year for travelers.
Perhaps that’s why so many are pinning their hopes on 2022.
Travel bookings and inquiries are surging, say travel insiders, in an upward trajectory that, if realized, may both benefit and challenge travelers in the coming year.
Travel in 2022 will be even busier than before the pandemic, said Brandon Berkson, the founder of the New York-based travel company Hotels Above Par.
“People want to make up for lost time,” he said, adding that potential customers have stated their desire to travel next year is greater than ever before.
Ben Drew, president of the TripAdvisor-owned travel company Viator, said in December that the demand for upcoming travel is “extraordinary.”
“Travel came roaring back,” he said. “Even in the face of omicron, travelers are booking more experiences than at this time in pre-pandemic 2019.”
Viator’s 2022 data shows bookings are also increasing from summer to fall, a time when travel typically slows down.
While acknowledging 2022 may “come with challenges,” Drew said he expects it to be “a chapter of resilience, resurgence and growth for the travel industry.”
While news of a business boom is likely music to the beleaguered travel industry’s ears, it could be problematic if it happens too quickly, said Manoj Chacko, executive vice president of the business management company WNS.
“The speed and force of demand could catch some travel industry players off guard,” he said. “Airlines, for instance, could struggle to re-hire pilots. Moreover, pilots might need additional training and skill refresher programs.”
Airlines aren’t the only part of the travel sector that may struggle to hire staff this year.
Some 62 million travel-related jobs were lost in 2020, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. While many of these jobs are now returning — in October, the WTTC estimated the industry’s employment levels would rise 18% in 2022 — former employees aren’t rushing back to their old roles.
Burned by industrywide layoffs, some workers settled into other industries. Others are unwilling to take front-line positions in an era of rising customer anger and aggressive behavior.
One in 13 travel-related jobs in the United States is expected to remain unfilled, according to a WTTC staffing report published in December. In Portugal, the numbers rise to 1 in 9, according to the report.
“It’s hard to find cooks and enough servers to deal with the surge and the recovery of demand in the industry,” Jon Bortz, the CEO of the U.S.-based Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, told CNBC’s “The Exchange” last year.
To fill the gap, employees are working overtime and managers are “taking shifts,” he said.
For travelers, worker shortages can spell travel delays and a reduction in services, from fewer restaurant reservations to the elimination of daily housekeeping services.
“We were one of the first industries to be hit; we’ll be probably one of the last to recover completely,” said Bortz. “We would certainly ask customers to be patient.”
A dearth of workers underscores the industry’s shift, which started long before the pandemic, to using technology to perform certain jobs in the travel sphere.
Tasks such as delivering room service and cleaning airports can be done by robots, said Rachel Fu, chair of the University of Florida’s Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management department. Hotels can also use “concierge robots” to help customers make reservations, she said.
“Using AI wisely can significantly reduce labor costs without sacrificing the level of personalized services,” said Fu.
"We will be seeing many more touchless elevators next year."
This may help businesses close some labor gaps, but innovations that directly affect travelers may be even more important as companies continue to battle for tourist dollars.
Some hotels let guests check in and out, book airport transfers and make spa appointment via apps, like the one by luxury brand Four Seasons.
“Unlike many other hospitality apps, Four Seasons Chat is powered by real people on property,” said Ben Trodd, senior vice president of sales and hotel marketing at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
A technology called “HoverTap” makes elevators touch-free. Created by the tech company NZ Technologies, these elevators are in use in Canada, according to company representatives.
“We will be seeing many more touchless elevators next year,” said Nima Ziraknejad, the company’s founder and CEO.
Here’s how they work:
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Pranav Saxena is the Chief Technology Officer of NZ Technologies and is here to tell us about touchless elevator buttons and the technology that can go way beyond elevator buttons because we can look at getting gas, opening doors, pushing buttons.
Imagine a world where guests can call the elevator with a simple gesture and without needing to push unsanitary buttons. Customer service is a vital part of the travel and hospitality industry, and hotels are upping their game to deliver on commitment and guarantee safe, clean, and germ-free environments.
Touchless solutions gain acceptance, expected to expand
Touchless solutions have gained acceptance during the pandemic, but more customer education is needed as the technology continues to evolve beyond hygiene benefits.
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Read MoreNZ Technologies Inc. (NZTech) is a technology innovation and electro-mechanical device production firm, focused on revolutionizing modern Human Machine Interfaces (HMI).
Ph.D., P.Eng. Founder and CEO
An inventor by nature, I have devoted my life to technological innovation, taking sector-specific problems and transforming them into practical, commercialized solutions.
As CEO, I am responsible for leadership and operations at NZTech, which includes securing and managing the financing, and making decisions on all strategic activities. My role also extends to cultivating relationships in business, technological and financial spheres to grow business development and productivity.
Creating transformative change in the healthcare sector is my passion. I am constantly exploring new horizons and connecting the technologies we have invented to more practical applications in the medical field.
My passion and drive to develop new technologies – achieved by understanding users’ unmet needs – ensures that we attract highly-skilled experts to our team who have an important contribution to make and who know that something tangible will result from our collaborative efforts.
