Australian wine exports show steep decline

Bad news all round for the struggling Australian wine industry.

Australian wine exports declined by 7% in value to $2.30 billion and 6% in volume to 598 million litres in the year ended June 2026, Wine Australia’s latest Export Report released today shows.

This is the first time that export volume has fallen below 600 million litres since 2004.

The decline mirrors a broader global trend of declining wine consumption over the past decade.

The total export figures reflect increasingly difficult trading conditions across many of Australia’s key export markets, driven by a historic downturn in global wine consumption.

Worldwide wine consumption has fallen to its lowest level since 1961, as consumers increasingly moderate alcohol intake, face cost-of-living pressures and shift towards alternative beverages.

Wine Australia manager for market insights Peter Bailey said the challenges facing Australian wine exporters were not unique, with other wine-producing nations facing the same conditions.

“Data from multiple sources suggests the decline in wine consumption globally is more than a short-term downturn - it's a reflection of changing consumer behaviour that is reshaping demand around the world.

"This reinforces the importance of understanding where demand exists and the products and occasions that are driving consumer decisions.

“While global trading conditions remain challenging, Australia wine continues to perform relatively well in many key markets where it generally maintained or grew its share of imported wine over the past year.”

The decline was driven primarily by weaker demand in Australia's three largest export markets: mainland China, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Mainland China remained Australia's largest export market by value, despite exports falling 15% to $756 million as the initial post-tariff recovery and restocking phase came to an end.

“While exports to mainland China declined over the past year, Australia remains the leading source of imported wine in the market,” Bailey said.

“The market is no longer being driven by the re-stocking of Australian wine, rather we’re seeing a more mature and demand-led phase, reflecting a smaller and slower-growing Chinese wine market than existed prior to the imposition of tariffs in late 2020.”

The United Kingdom remained Australia's largest market by volume and the United States second, although export volume to both markets fell to their lowest level in 25 years.

Canada was a standout performer, with export value increasing 20% to $188 million - its highest level in seven years - and volume rising 13%.

China set to become the world’s leading travel economy

China is on track to become the world’s leading T&T economy in the coming years if current trends continue.

New 2026 Economic Impact Research (EIR) data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows the Asian nation is emerging not only as the standout performer in the Asia-Pacific region, but also as a leader for how long-term investment in infrastructure can drive high-impact tourism growth at scale.

In 2025, China welcomed more than 68 million international visitors, marking a 15.5% year-on-year increase, nearly three times the global growth rate of 5.4%. 

International visitor spending rose by 10.5% to $135 billion, exceeding pre-pandemic levels and significantly out-performing the global average growth of 3.2%. 

The country recorded an additional 9 million arrivals compared to 2024, representing the largest increase globally.

The recovery is being driven by a combination of progressive policy reforms and technological innovation, supported by the strong strategic vision of the government positioning travel and tourism as a key pillar of national economic growth, the WTTC says. 

Expanded visa facilitation measures now cover more than 50 countries, offering visa-free stays of up to 30 days and extended transit stays of up to 10 days. Since 2020, arrivals from visa-exempt markets have increased fivefold, including an additional 18% growth in 2025 alone.

Investment in air connectivity and high-speed rail infrastructure is further strengthening accessibility, improving connections between major international gateways and secondary cities, and supporting a more balanced distribution of tourism flows across the country.

“China’s recovery shows how targeted policy reforms can translate directly into stronger inbound demand and sustained growth," says Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC. 

"Continued progress in visa facilitation will be essential to sustaining this momentum. This approach, over time, could position China to become the world’s leading travel and tourism [destination] if they continue with this path.”

See wttc.org

Image: Shanghai, The Bund.

How about 52 days at sea to sample "slow travel"?

Slow travel, particularly for retirees, or those with time on their hands, is a growing trend. 

How about taking your time and visiting 26 ports on one cruise? One such offering is Windstar Cruises' 52-day sailing from Singapore to Papeete, designed for those who want to take time and chill out. 

The cruise is being promoted as an example of the shift away from short, fast holidays to longer, more immersive travel, particularly for the retiree market - albeit those with cash to splash. 

The cost of this extravagance exploring Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and south-east Asia. comes in at under $500 per person per day. 

The 52-Day Cruise for Travellers Who Finally Have Time, is the Star Collector: Grand South Pacific Adventure. 

With prices starting from $21,553 per person and stops at ports throughout the South Pacific, the deal includes wifi, dining, unlimited select beers, wines and cocktails, gratuities, accommodation and more - if you snap up an "early bird" offer.

Windstar says: "This is slow travel at its most rewarding. Instead of ticking off one or two islands, guests will journey across the entire South Pacific, whether it’s French Polynesia’s biosphere reserves and the Marquesas’ dramatic valleys, or the lagoons of the Cook Islands and Tonga’s royal heritage".

The journey traverses Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea with overnight stays in destinations like Bora Bora, Fiji, Bali and Papeete, plus repeat visits to Moorea. 

The days at sea offers the chance to slow down, recharge and enjoy the simple luxury of uninterrupted time. It all sounds rather enticing. 

For more info see the Windstar Australia website or call 1300 749875. 

The website is a bit glitchy, however. I seriously doubt the cruise calls at Flissengen (Antwerp) on Day 21. That would be a serious diversion.

Emirates reveals new focus on plant-based meals in the air

Emirates has unveiled a new food concept that focuses on "real, whole, and farm-to-fork plant foods".

The airline says global consumers increasingly focus on nutrition, health and wellbeing.

"‘Our focus now is on legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and seasonal vegetables as the heroes of the plate," says Emirates vice president of food and beverage design Doxis Bekris.

"These ingredients offer natural depth of flavour, texture, and nutrition without relying on ultra-processed alternatives.

"Instead of replicating meat, we want to draw from cuisines that have always been plant-forward like Mediterranean mezze, Levantine grain salads, Asian noodle bowls, and African stews.

"In our view this approach feels genuine and culturally rich. Although there are many commendable lab-based alternatives available, real food aligns with our sustainability goals and guest expectations for health-conscious choices.

"It’s about transparency for our customers who want to know what they’re eating, as well as have confidence that it’s good for them and the planet. We want to shift from substitutes to a celebration of plants, where it’s not about what’s missing - but instead what is gained in authenticity, flavour, and creativity."

Emirates currently serves half a million vegan meals each year. It has 488 vegan recipes in rotation across 140 destinations, representing a 60% increase in total recipes from 2024.

Vegan meal consumption grows in line with passenger volume increases, and last year - the top destinations with customers ordering vegan meals were London in first place, followed by Sydney, Bangkok, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Manchester, Mumbai, Bali and Singapore.

Vegan options are available to order and pre-order onboard, as well as in Emirates Lounges.

Customers can request vegan meals on all Emirates flights and across all classes of travel up to 24 hours before departure. On high-demand routes, plant-based meals are also provided as part of the main menu options.

New dishes are set to be onboard for customers in 2027.

Image: Beetroot tartare

Vilnius aiming to entice a new breed of tourist

With some of the world’s major tourism drawcards suffering from overcrowding and sky-high prices, many travellers are looking for small, chic destinations as an alternative to the likes of Venice, Barcelona, and London.

That means Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, matches all the travel trends for 2026.

The European Travel Commission reported recently that tourists in Europe are prioritising lower stress travel to off-the-beaten-track locations.

At a time when surveys show 55% of travellers seeking niche destinations and 93% wanting to make more sustainable choices, Vilnius is aiming to lift its visitation numbers.

it is a less-crowded European city with strong sustainability credentials, and a compact walkable centre that offers easy access to nature.

"Overcrowding, noise, pollution, and heat are making many destinations in Europe less enjoyable for tourists,” Eglė Girdzijauskaitė, head of communication at Go Vilnius.

“Vilnius offers an off-the-beaten-track alternative with fewer crowds but plenty of authenticity.

“It also represents a genuinely sustainable travel option for tourists, whether that means reaching the city by the rapidly expanding network of sustainable rail connections, making the most of its walkability and cyclability, or getting out to the forests and lakes that surround the city.”

For lovers of rail travel, Vilnius boasts improving train connections to Poland, with an affordable daily service from Warsaw. Once in the city, travelling sustainably is easy. Vilnius has over 140km of cycle paths, and public transport use in the first half of 2025 was up by 10%.

Vilnius' compact UNESCO-listed Old Town is also ideal for exploring on foot and the city boasts four Michelin-starred restaurants.

* Vilnius has around 1.2 million annual visitors as compared to the over 20 million for major European cities like Paris and London. It is accessible by direct flight from Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Helsinki, and other major cities across Europe, and serves as a perfect base for exploring the region. It has convenient transport links to Riga, Tallinn, and to Poland.

See Go Vilnius, the website of the official tourism and business development agency.

Asia leading the way in the changing tourism space

Asia is at the forefront of emerging travel trends for 2026 and beyond, leading travel platform Agoda reports. 

“The travel landscape is transforming at an unprecedented pace – and Asia is at the forefront of emerging trends," says the Agoda 2026 Travel Outlook report.

"Our research finds that change is fuelled by emerging markets, new destinations, tech innovations, streamlined visa processes, expanded flight routes, improved tourism infrastructure, and more," says Agoda CEO Omri Morgenshtern. 

"With so many moving parts, 2026 feels like the beginning of  a new era in travel."

Based on survey and industry insights, the report identifies key insights poised to shape the travel industry in 2026. 

Efforts to reduce friction in travel are evident across Asia, in air travel infrastructure, visa policies, and digital finance, paving the way for increased intra-regional and international tourism. 

Airlines in the Asia Pacific region are scheduled to take delivery of an estimated 615 new aircraft in 2026. Additionally, AI innovation is driving the convergence of travel services, with travellers increasingly expecting the technology to provide travel inspiration and enhance the booking process.

Respondents in Agoda's survey stated that price remains a crucial factor for travelers when selecting accommodation, with savvy consumers seeking great deals that enable them to enjoy more experiences and visit more destinations. 

Secondary destinations continue to gain popularity as travellers look for authentic and immersive cultural experiences. 

Experiential travel, including concerts and food trips, is becoming mainstream, with travellers prioritising memorable experiences over simply visiting destinations.

The 2026 Travel Outlook Report by Agoda can be downloaded via https://ago-da.co/2026-report.

Image: Priyanka Juneja, Scop.io 

New report show travellers are taking new directions

What direction is travel headed in 2026?

Booming hotel group Minor Hotels says travellers are re-thinking how they move through the world, seeking multi-dimensional experiences that resonate emotionally, relationally and spiritually.

The new report released this week, the inaugural Minor Hotels Travel Trends Report, explores various dimensions of connection that illustrate the shift for hotels from simply delivering service to helping guests find meaning through their journeys.

“Today’s travellers want more than destinations, they want stories, connections and meaning," says Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International, parent company of Minor Hotels.

"Our trend report reveals a growing appetite for authentic engagement and conscious travel choices.

"For Minor Hotels, this is an invitation to continue shaping experiences that prioritise wellbeing and cultural depth, ensuring every journey offers something truly memorable.

"Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, the report finds that people continue to prioritise travel in the year ahead. The outlook for 2026 is overwhelmingly positive, with 94% of respondents expecting to travel as much or more in the coming year, with one-third planning more trips than in 2025.

"Ninety-four % plan to spend the same or more on travel in 2026, with almost half (47%) intending to increase their travel budgets. Luxury travellers are nearly twice as likely to travel more in 2026 compared to all respondents, with 61% expecting an increase in frequency."

The report says travellers are prioritising quality over quantity, seeking experiences that deliver personal value rather than simply more trips. While travellers remain optimistic for the year ahead, affordability remains a leading factor shaping plans for 53% of respondents, followed by seasonality (42%), ease of travel (40%) and time (40%).

Over half of respondents (53%) book their travel within three months of departure, showing a willingness to clear their schedule at short notice or to wait for greater clarity amidst ongoing uncertainty.

Hotel websites dominate as the most utilised planning tool for 80% of travellers, ahead of personal recommendations (35%) and online travel agents (29%). At the same time, emerging technologies, such as generative AI chatbots, are now used by 12%. Heaven help us all.

Even on group journeys, travellers are carving out space for solitude and nature to recharge with 71% of respondents agree that taking a break from technology, social media or work during their travel is important for their personal wellbeing.

"Forty-four percent plan to integrate more wellness or mindfulness - although I'm betting some of them have no idea what mindfulness is - rising to 73% among those already engaged in wellness practices. Spa treatments lead as the top-choice activity (75%), followed by nature-based experiences (59%) and fitness (49%).

Culture is discovered through flavour, with food the primary gateway for 85% of travellers, followed by historic architecture (71%) and nature (65%). Not so sure about all that love of architecture, either. 

# Read the full report and the trends shaping travel in the year of connection here:
https://media.minorhotels.com/en-GLO/258457-minor-hotels-travel-trends-report-reveals-optimism-and-travellers-search-for-connection-in-20

Demand continues to surge for Asian cruises

Demand for international cruising continues to surge, new data reveals. 

Cruise Guru, CLIA’s 2024 Online Cruise Agency of the Year, has revealed a significant shift in consumer interest towards international cruising, with Q1 2025 data showing a 19% surge in searches for international cruises compared to the same period last year. 

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world's largest cruise industry association.

Cruise Guru said destination-specific searches jumped by 22.08% with Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, China and other south-east Asian destinations among the top regions searched in Q1 2025.

Asia emerged as the top region of interest with 22% selecting it as their preferred destination, surpassing traditional hotspots. 

“We are witnessing a clear shift in the way Australians are searching for cruises with our data showing a rising appetite for international itineraries, particularly in Asia," said Michael Betteridge, Chief Commercial & Operations Officer at Cruise Guru.

"Asia is an easy choice as it combines value, closer-to-home convenience and a sense of discovery as travellers seek new horizons beyond the traditional Mediterranean and South Pacific routes.”

Australia’s domestic cruising capacity has declined about 30% in recent years with changes expected to be felt in the coming seasons. Several cruise lines have adjusted their schedules or withdrawn ships from the region, creating a gap that’s prompting Australian travellers to look further afield.

Contact 13 13 03 or visit www.cruiseguru.com.au.

Wealthy travellers have increased focus on wellness

Wellness options play a key role when well-heeled travellers across the Asia Pacific region choose accommodation options, new research shows. 

The Luxury Group by Marriott International has launched its The Intentional Traveler (their US spelling, not mine) revealing behaviours among high-net-worth travellers across key markets. 

Wellness plays key role in destination choice, with 90% of travellers considering it a top booking priority. 

The report also showed 72% of those surveyed plan to increase their luxury travel spending and destinations including Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Cambodia are gaining in popularity. 

"Luxury travellers are now more intentional than ever before," says Oriol Montal, regional vice president, Luxury, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International. Two counts against him: use of industry jargon and absurd job title. 

"They are seeking journeys that align with their values, enhance wellbeing, and deliver deep personal meaning. For Marriott International, this represents an opportunity to evolve luxury hospitality into something more transformational, curated, and emotionally resonant."

Wellbeing has become a cornerstone of luxury travel. In 2025. Those 90% of travellers who cite wellness experiences as a key factor in their booking decisions are up from 80% the year prior. 

Beyond traditional spa retreats, luxury travellers are embracing holistic wellness experiences - from forest immersions and nutrition programs to sound healing and sleep therapies. 

Asia is the top destination for wellness journeys (67%), where 26% of travellers are planning a dedicated wellness or spa retreat.

A remarkable 93% of high-net-worth travellers in the region prefer to return to destinations they already love, with 89% saying they're more likely to revisit places where they feel a meaningful connection.

The full report is available to download. 

# The report surveyed 1,750 of Asia Pacific's most affluent travellers across Australia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. 

Holidaymakers have a growing focus on wellness

Holidays that focus on health and wellness are all the rage as we approach Global Wellness Day on June 14. 

Regenerative travel, recharging. physical health, mental clarity, and long-term wellbeing are among the main drivers of vacation choices, trend forecasters and travel platforms like Kayak’s What the Future Travel Trend Report say. 

They suggest that by the end of the decade, holidays that support longevity and wellness will rival traditional luxury escapes in popularity.

Savvy travellers are trading indulgence for purpose and seeking itineraries that move their bodies, clear their minds, and connect them more deeply with nature.

So I'm told. 

Active travel company UTracks reports a growing appetite for wellness-focused holidays. 

“Our itineraries naturally align with this shift,” says general manager Kate Baker. 

“Walking and cycling, staying in small locally run lodgings, and spending time immersed in nature, it’s a style of travel that, while not new, seems increasingly in tune with what people are looking for in 2025.

“Our travellers want to feel recharged, not just during the trip, but afterwards. Our tours offer a healthy dose of time in nature, terrain that moves you, and transformation that lasts. 

"When people return home feeling clearer, stronger, and more connected to the places they’ve visited, that’s a good sign our tour balance is right.”

UTracks Tours in Europe fitting this vibe include:

• Mont Blanc Guided Walk (France, Italy, Switzerland)
https://www.utracks.com/France/Alpine-Hiking/Mont-Blanc-Guided-Hike

• Cycling the Danube Path (Austria)
https://www.utracks.com/Austria/Self-Guided-Cycling/Blue-Danube-Cycle-to-Vienna-in-Comfort

• Amalfi Coast Walk (Italy)
https://www.utracks.com/Italy/Self-Guided-Walking/Classic-Amalfi-Coast-6-Days

and
• Lake Bled and the Julian Alps Circuit (Slovenia)
https://www.utracks.com/Slovenia/Self-Guided-Walking/Lake-Bled-and-the-Julian-Alps

Drink more tahini! AI fails to convince when it comes to intelligence

I've always had my doubts about the intelligence of AI.

AI writing is pretty easy to spot for starters. AI research often has huge holes, and some of the AI videos I've seen have been laughably bad. 

And a press release I received this week increased my prejudices. 

The nub of the story: An AI platform has identified tahini as a top emerging ingredient for alcoholic beverages innovation in 2025.

Now I don't mind tahini, a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds, as part of a mezze plate. It pairs pretty well with Greek and Lebanese dishes.

But, like its companion dips hummus and taramasalata, I have never thought about drinking it.

GlobalData's AI Palette innovation and consumer insights platform tells me tahini's consumer appeal lies in its alignment with the current trends of health and wellness, sensory and indulgence and authenticity and heritage.

Leveraging the world's largest consumer data lake, with points collected in real-time from social media, e-commerce, and foodservice menus, GlobalData’s AI Palette platform boasts that it delivers powerful insights into emerging flavours and ingredients, as well as category opportunities.

Alice Popple-Connelly, a consumer analyst at GlobalData, said: “Tahini, known for its high content of healthy fats, protein, calcium, and iron, is experiencing a surge in popularity among consumers worldwide."

But why would I want to drink it Poppy? 

Tahini recorded a two-year consumer engagement CAGR of 910% in the UK alcohol industry (2022-2024), as measured by the platform during the review period in March 2025. 

Right. 

So this makes tahini a prime candidate for inclusion in alcoholic beverages brands' innovation strategy in the UK market. Hopefully not in Australia, then. 

Apparently, tahini’s ability to create a creamy texture would be a perfect fit with the UK stout category. Tahini can enhance the traditional dark brown aesthetic of stout while introducing a distinctive nutty, woody undertone, helping it stand out in the market. 

“Tahini's consumer appeal is rooted in its health benefits, natural composition, culinary versatility, cultural relevance, and alignment with contemporary food trends," says Popple-Connelly. 

"These attributes render tahini a compelling ingredient for a broad spectrum of consumers in search of nutritious and flavourful choices.”

I remain unconvinced that I want to drink it. 

Rebellion, cannabis and hospitality will be hot trends for 2025

More hospitable service, cannabis-infused drinks and more adventure are just three of the food trends to look out for in 2025. 

The New York Times reports that American consumers this year will be looking to break rules and ignore tradition. At least, that’s what the market researchers, food sociologists and other prognosticators are saying.

And we all know that what happens in the US quickly becomes a global contagion. 

“It’s a take-chances time right now,” said Andrew Freeman, president of AF & CO, a San Francisco consulting firm behind the Hospitality Trends Report. 

“Think of what we’ve just gone through," says Freeman. "The whole world shifted. And if the whole world is going to break rules, why not do it with what we eat and drink?”

The hottest trend in hospitality will be … hospitality, the newspaper says. 

So look out for for cosy counter service, soulful food served in comfortable dining rooms and shorter menus that mix value and deliciousness. Restaurants that connect to the community and offer work-life balance for employees will matter more than ever.

“We are feeling doom; we are feeling big feelings,” said Renee Wege, a trend expert and publications manager at the research firm Datassential. 

“So more than anything else, people are craving that cosy, warm hospitality and service.”

Protein will continue its rise to the top of the popularity pyramid, driven in part by gym users and Americans on weight-loss medications. 

Rebellious consumers, meanwhile, are pushing limits with unconventional choices, said Melanie Bartelme, a global food analyst and trend spotter for Mintel. 

They eat snacks when they should be eating meals. They embrace weird combination. 

Japanese convenience stores, popularly known as konbini, are open 24 hours and known for pre-prepared foods like onigiri and ramen. 

Soon, the Japanese parent company of 7-Eleven will start to export its konbini-style food to some of its US stores.

Drinks spiced with cannabis and other mood-altering components like kava, guarana and an amino acid called GABA will grow as interest in alcohol declines, especially among Gen Zers, the newspaper predicts. 

“Younger generations see cannabis as having less negative side effects than alcohol,” said Candace MacDonald, co-founder and managing director of the marketing firm Carbonate. “We’re just beginning to see a shift in how this impacts their consumption.”

Image: Meghan Page, Scop.io

Flyers are more into Vegan food than ever before

People wanting Vegan dishes used to be seen as quirky, sometimes as a nuisance.

Now plant-based menus are mainstream with an increasing number of people shunning meat.

Emirates Airlines said it has noted an annual surge of 40% in customer demand for plant-based meals.

To meet this demand in 2024, Emirates will introduce an array of new Vegan dishes onboard and in lounges, adding even more dishes to its ‘vegan vault’ of more than 300 curated plant-based recipes.

In 2023, Emirates had more than 300 vegan recipes in rotation across 140 destinations, up from 180 recipes in 2022.

The airline says Vegan meal consumption has grown 40% year on year in line with passenger volumes, but in some regions, consumption has exceeded passenger volume growth - such as Africa with an additional 4% increase,

South-east Asia had an additional 5% increase, with the Middle East showing a significant additional increase of 34%.

The airline said the biggest increase in consumption of vegan meals occurred in economy class and particularly on Emirates routes to China, Japan and Philippines.

Emirates has been serving Vegan meals since the 1990s, initially focusing on specific routes such as Addis Ababa, where Vegan meals are required during certain times of the year by those practising the Ethiopian Orthodox faith, or across regions where multiple faiths encourage a plant-based diet.

Over recent years however, Vegan dishes have been rapidly gaining popularity on US, Australian, some European and Asian routes.

Image: Business class Vegan kebabs  

How the pandemic has forever changed travel

The global Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people think about travel, a new report from the Hilton Hotels group reveals.

The 2022 Traveller: Emerging Trends and the Redefined Traveller, a Report from Hilton describes how over two years people’s lives were dramatically altered and radically changed.

As a company that has welcomed over three billion guests in its more than 100-year history, Hilton showcases within the report how it is evolving alongside the changing traveller.

“The world – and the hospitality industry – went through so much in the last two years - and as we’ve uncovered in this report, travellers’ needs and interests have shifted too,” said Chris Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, Hilton.

“At Hilton, we’ve been incredibly focused on delivering the experiences our guests are looking for, through every up and down we’ve faced. As we look to the future, I am optimistic about what lies ahead – travel is certainly returning, and we’re excited to build on that momentum.”

The Report highlights dozens of eye-opening travel and behavioural trends that are leading to innovations both inside and outside of the hotel industry.

While each trend details specific insights and data driving change, four consistent themes emerged that summarize the new, pandemic-changed traveller:

# Amid Chaos, People Found Efficiencies – And Will Be Looking for the Same in Travel: People have embraced efficiencies in many aspects of life and will be looking for similar conveniences in their travels, like contactless check-in and check-out and digital keys.

# Overall Focus on Wellness Will Span Beyond the Gym: With a reimagined workplace and new routines and habits in place, travellers will be looking for more grounding and balance in their travel schedules.

# New and Existing Passions and More Refined Tastes and Preferences: New and refreshed hobbies are leading to a more informed, sophisticated, and, in some cases, in-shape 2022 traveller. People are anticipated to pack their passions, driving demand for new trends in fitness, culinary options and unique travel experiences.

# A New Sense of Caring Has Emerged - And Is Expected to Strengthen: The pandemic separated families and friends, which is leading to a prioritisation of reunion and reconnection travel in 2022. Beyond their inner circles, travellers are expected to care more about sustainability and community efforts – and are looking to remain loyal to brands, companies and organizations that align with their values.

“The pandemic’s impact on the travel industry has been well documented, however, it is equally important to recognize the psychological impact the pandemic had, and will continue to have, on travellers for years to come,” said Dr Kate Cummins, a clinical psychologist who recognises travel as an important component of mental well-being.

“The traveller may have changed, but the benefit of travel remains the same - increased emotional health and wellness, and after a tough two years, that’s something we all need.”