For the team at Aurora Expeditions, which prides itself on pushing frontiers, one of the many side effects of the pandemic is that people forgot how to dream. They cancelled holidays then cancelled their rebooked holidays, postponed weddings then eloped, missed birthdays and anniversaries altogether and spent too many important milestones at home.
Eventually, people forgot how to dream.
However, this is no longer the case. We’ve noticed nine exciting travel trends for 2022:
1. Go big or go home
People are ditching the traditional boozy bash and thinking bigger than ever when it comes to celebrating the important moments.
2. Bucket-list travel
People are looking further afield at dream destinations like Antarctica and the Arctic that may have felt out of reach previously.
3. Where do I sign?
People are loosening their purse strings and spending more on their annual holiday. Let’s face it, for the majority of people it’s been a few years!
4. Time is the greatest luxury
People are choosing longer itineraries that encourage more exploration and adventure. These voyages offer more flexibility in challenging environments and enable passengers to see and do as much as possible. People are also extending their holidays with our extension tours.
5. Yes, please!
People are stepping out of their comfort zone and pushing personal boundaries, saying ‘yes’ to activities like kayaking, snorkelling and diving.
6. Preparation is key
Conscious that there has been so much pent-up demand, people are booking further afield to ensure they secure their dream trip and preferred stateroom.
7. Solo travellers
More solo travellers are joining our voyages than ever, excited about enjoying new experiences with a group of like-minded adventurers who often become lifelong friends.
8. Experiential travel
People don’t just want to tick off destinations in 2022, they are seeking travel experiences that enrich them and enable them to engage with a destination in a more meaningful way.
9. Sustainable travel
More than ever, sustainability is a factor in may travellers’ decision making process. People are opting for companies that have an ongoing commitment to responsible, respectful travel.
"I couldn't possibly pick one as everything about my trip was memorable, but I think these were the highlights for me: the profound sereneness of Antarctica's raw and magical impressive nature, observing thousands of penguins in their natural environment for about 2 hours at Petermann Island (just sitting silently on a rock right between them going about their every day life), our silent evening zodiac cruise alongside the unimaginable formations at 'iceberg graveyard' at Pléneau Bay, scuba diving around an iceberg, and the awe inspiring sceneries at Paradise Harbour - plus the amazing crew on board the very comfortable MV Greg Mortimer (the five star service and food, being able to dry or warm up my thermals on the bathroom floor heating in my Balcony Stateroom with the most breathtaking views in the world, to name a few)... this was my #1 lifetime dream trip for 30 years and it truly was everything and more I could have hoped for."
Start dreaming BIG with our new 2022-2024 Season Brochure
Dive into awe-inspiring adventures in Antarctica, the Arctic and beyond in our latest brochure. Featuring 11 new itineraries and several returning favourites for both the Greg Mortimer and our newest ship, the Sylvia Earle.
Get our new 144-page brochure to start planning your next adventure.
