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The biggest travel highlight of 2021? As reported by millennials and Gen Z, 'being able to travel again.' At least, this is the official report from Viator, one of the leading travel experience operators in the world by Tripadvisor. While the world has opened its doors to avid and new travelers again, Viator has noticed some exciting trends on their side, all having to do with travelers getting back out there in 2022.

Exciting new domestic travel trends indicate that the world of tourism is changing and likely changing for the better. Lesser-known destinations and experiences, in general, have seen a surge like never before, while tried-and-true destination locations are being exchanged for a more local vibe. Along with that, there seem to be some very specific places - and types of places - that have seen an overwhelming increase in the number of visitors they see each year - and we were surprised, to say the least.

Viator has given us the inside scoop regarding the biggest 2022 travel trends, and has given us a glimpse into the future of what travel likely holds for those who are fully immersing themselves in vacation mode once again.

Viator put us in touch with their Director of Communications, Adam Lawless, who had plenty to share regarding the trends that have been seen through their incredible experiences. For those who don't know, Viator offers bookings for tour, food, and sightseeing experiences around the world, ranging in anything from four-wheeling through deserts to exclusive nightly ghost tours in historic cities. Therefore, if anyone is an authority on U.S. & international travel trends, it's them - and the results did not disappoint.

It quickly became overwhelming obvious that people were eager to begin traveling again - but on their own terms. Local and outdoor trips have skyrocketed, with many travelers opting to metaphorically explore their own backyards before booking a trip halfway across the world. Here's what Adam had to say on the matter:

Most notably, people are flocking towards outdoor experiences, with the 10 fastest-growing experiences categories (and 18 of the top 20) all related to outdoor activities. Nearly half - 48% - of the experiences booked over the past year were predominantly outdoors.Another strong trend that dominates the post-restriction travel market is the desire to stay closer to home for ease and comfort. Before the travel restrictions were lifted, people grew more interested in experiencing life closer to where they live instead of traveling far distances. Nearly half - 48% - of Americans reported that they sought out more local experiences over the past year, and this trend is expected to continue.

In regard to the age demographic associated with these trends, Adam also said that "half of Americans—and nearly 60% of Gen-Z and millennials" were the ones who reported traveling as their biggest highlight for 2021.

Related: Top Trending Outbound Destinations From Canada In 2022

Not surprisingly, people are quick to book trips domestically to classic 'bucket list' cities. Of these, the top four that have seen the most increase in demand are:

  • Oahu
  • New York City
  • Las Vegas
  • Maui

Interestingly enough, Adam states that "Consumers are combining the lust for new experiences with the desire for the outdoors by flocking to cities that offer cultural and outdoor experiences alike, as shown by the top four U.S. travel destinations of 2022."

This explains why Hawaii - which has shown an increase in tourism in both Oahu and Maui, according to Viator - is such a hotspot right now. Its outdoor experiences are second to none, and it also includes one other aspect that travelers seem to be craving on their journeys: being close to the water.

Even beyond the summer months, Viator has seen travelers want to experience the water. Between 2019 and 2021, water sport-related experiences saw a 311% increase and cruises, sailing and water-tours saw a 122% growth.

The Great Outdoors isn't only trending in these cities, however. According to Viator, their San Diego Harbor Cruise and Boston's Ghosts & Gravestones Nightly Trolley Tour have seen a whopping 700% growth increase this past year.

Has Seasonality Affected The Growth In Outdoor & Local Tourism?

Not surprisingly, given the data, seasonality has not had much of a negative effect on ether outdoor tourism or local tourism rates. Viator has noticed that summer has brought an influx of travelers seeking out the best - and more - outdoor experiences, as it's been the "the safest way to explore this season." According to Adam, the 10 fastest-growing experience categories on Viator were all related to outdoor experiences, whether it be tours or activities.

Additionally, local experiences in North America continued to skyrocket with Viator - with nearly half (48%) of Americans seeking out unique or new experiences much closer to their homes.

This year, much like the last few, will still see some uncertainty. However, what feels certain is that our need to explore is relentless and extraordinary. According to a recent Tripadvisor report, intent to travel in 2022 is higher than in 2019 reported travel, and more than 1 in 3 Americans say it’s more important now than before the pandemic that they choose a destination where they can immerse themselves in 'authentic local experiences.'"

So, what about Viator's Top 20 Viator Awarded U.S. experiences? These seem to fit into the overall data, as well, as judged by their overall average ratings, shares of bookings with a review, and the number of bookings for each experience. "Travelers have had to learn to adjust their approach to exploration over the past several years, outdoor experiences shined in the inaugural rankings," said Adam, in response to the overwhelming number of local travel by Viator users.

Travel trends, just like anything else, usually experience an ebb and flow. When it comes to what's top-trending from one year to the next, it's rare that anything is ever consistently popular, with the exception of the world's most popular tourist destinations. However, Viator has a different take on what will continue to be popular in the year to come.

According to forecasted data, it's predicted that three things will continue to make up the most bookings into 2023's travel season:

  • Outdoor experiences
  • Local travel
  • Destinations by the water (oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.)

Following the pandemic lockdown, Adam said that Viator saw record numbers of bookings for outdoor activities and tours, including 18 of the top 20 top-ranked experiences in the U.S. To add to this, nearly half of the bookings for 2022 were also outdoor activities.

  • Fun Fact: Nearly one hundred different markets in North America saw demand for experiences double versus pre-pandemic, with the top locations, such as Tulum, Cabo San Lucas, and Denali National Park breaking 500% growth.

The numbers for local travel are equally staggering on a Viator scale, with 48% of Americans booking domestic over international experiences. The 10 fastest-growing experiences were also U.S.-based post-2019 data, which is not surprising considering the toll that the pandemic took on international travel.

So, how can water-based travel destinations be justified? Viator's data collected between 2019 and 2021 reflects that astounding 311% increase in demand for water sports, with tours and cruises seeing a 122% increase, all ranking among the experiences booked during this time frame. However, the team at Viator also believes that this is a trend that will continue for the next year - even through winter, when water-related tourism usually experiences its off-season dip.

With Viator as the authority in the travel industry, it can be said for certain that outdoor and locally-based travel will continue to increase through the 2023 year, and possibly beyond. In a post-pandemic world, the world of travel and tourism has also seen its changes, allowing travelers to take advantage of things they didn't even realize right in their own backyards. Thanks to Viator, many of these experiences are now widely available and easily accessible to any traveler with wanderlust streak.