As we approach 2022 and people reflect on another year of the pandemic and varying restrictions, new research shows a positive forecast for the travel industry. A new study by staff scheduling platform, Planday, has revealed that almost half of Brits are likely to book a stay in a UK hotel next year (45%), meaning that the industry could see more than 30 million British holiday goers booking a staycation throughout 2022.

With UK holiday rental marketplace, Snaptrip, reporting a huge 284% increase in demand for staycations following the easing of restrictions in April 2021, it is clear that people are going to continue to support the UK travel sector through the next 12 months. Whilst the Omicron variant poses yet another challenge to the industry, and countries such as France closing their doors to UK tourists with no confirmation on how long this travel ban will last, many Brits will be looking for alternative getaway destinations amidst the uncertainty.

When it comes to confidence across the age groups, 35-44 year olds are the most confident to stay in UK hotels in 2022 (67%) compared to 40% of those aged 55+. Interestingly, millennials (ages 25-34) are the most likely to feel confident to travel overseas (62%), with more than half of this age group saying that they’re likely to book a trip abroad in 2022 (55%).

Donna Torres, UK Sales and Global Partnerships Director at Planday said: “It’s fantastic to see that Brits are feeling confident to travel looking into the new year, with what has been a turbulent couple of years for the travel industry, 2022 looks like it is set to be a positive step in the right direction, getting back towards how life used to be pre-pandemic. With almost half of those surveyed confirming that they are likely to book a UK hotel stay, the outlook for the UK travel industry on a whole looks promising. There are set to be huge opportunities for hospitality and leisure venues in tourist hotspots, driving a much-needed boost to the industries hit hardest over the last couple of years.”

In terms of the changes people are expecting from the travel industry in a post-pandemic world, the most common request is for more thorough hygiene measures (38%), followed by more thorough security measures (29%) and more digitisation (e.g. automated check in processes) (28%). More than a quarter would request increased communication prior to their stay (27%), whilst one in five (20%) believe they need more affordable options.

Donna continues: “2022 is set to be huge for the industry. Holiday firms must start planning ahead, think about hiring in advance, invest in the right technologies, improve customer communication and increase hygiene measures. Making all of these small changes now will make it much easier to manage bookings and meet customers’ needs.”