A curated collection of can't-miss news from this week, including 2022 travel trends and more. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox.
As the newest COVID variant shows, it's hard to predict what will happen in the next week, much less the next year. But some are trying to look into the future. "Omicron permitting, could next year be when travel makes its true comeback?" asks The Times. "Many want to make up for lost time and reunite with family and friends, while some lucky travelers have saved more money and therefore want to splurge on that first big break. We asked experts from across the industry what their experience—and booking data—suggests will be trending."
One interesting trend to keep tabs on—retreats where psychedelic substances are allowed. The New York Times is on the case: "Proponents of psychedelic retreats describe them as places of life-changing transformations, where the drugs are incorporated into day- or weeklong programs that involve preparation, the psychedelic experience itself, and then an integration process that can be applied for weeks and months after." Some experts are urging caution, however.
Expanding consciousness is one thing. The rise of conscious travel is another. A new survey shows that travelers are more actively focused on enabling positive and empowering experiences for the communities they visit. "As demonstrated by our survey findings, we're seeing a trend where people are attempting to make their travel decisions more sustainable-economically, culturally and environmentally-and hoping to have a more positive impact by benefiting local communities," said Pratima Singh, Senior Manager for Policy and Insights at Economist Impact.
Will the latest COVID variant undo all the progress made in the past year? It's not all doom and gloom, reports Skift. "The most important takeaway at this point may simply be that there is still much to be learned about Omicron," writes Angela Tupper. "There are signs that it may be more transmissible and possibly even vaccine-resistant, but there are also signs that it may lead to less serious illness. It is too early to make any firm predictions about how Omicron will influence travel restrictions and other government regulations in the longer term."