2022 Travel Trends That Will Benefit Agritourism - Part 1
This week at Agritourism For All, we are taking a look at how your agritourism product can take advantage of the 2022 travel trends.
Many international companies and organizations, from Hilton to the UNWTO, have been sharing what they see as the major forces that will shape and define tourism in the year to come.
As is the case with any industry-wide trend, it’s important to look at it from a macro level and consider the factors causing it as well as a micro level in considering how it will affect us as tourism operators and providers.
While we will break down the top-level view in the weeks and months to come, this week is about how these trends will affect you (the situation) and how you can best prepare for them (the solution).
COVID-19 Will Continue To Impact 2022
The situation: It’s hard to stay on top of everything that’s been developing with COVID-19. You may not agree with everything your country is doing. But if tourists are traveling to you, especially from outside of your country, they’re dealing with some sort of COVID-19 controls to arrive. Maybe it’s being vaccinated to leave their country. Maybe it’s testing negative to get into yours. Some countries even require a test to leave.
Given that COVID-19 has been affecting travel seriously since March 2020 - and that there are countries still facing confinements shutdowns as we were this in December 2021 - this is going to be a concern throughout 2022, as well.
The solution: Be open about your COVID-19 safety measures. Don’t make tourists do extra work to find out how you’ll prioritize their safety. When you review your current promotional materials, ask yourself how clear you are on the following points?
What steps you’re taking to comply with international safety measures? Where are they listed on your website and profiles?
Where can they find COVID-19/health resources in your region? And in your country?
Include a link to where they can look for testing centers, and any other pertinent information
Tourists Will Seek Wellness
The situation: After nearly two years of COVID-related restrictions and health concerns, there is certain to be a renewed emphasis on wellness tourism. This type of travel niche, defined as travel intended to promote health and well-being through physical, psychological, or spiritual activities, was growing at twice the rate of regular tourism through 2017, and was on track to be worth nearly $900 billion in 2022.
The solution: Tapping into this market doesn’t require establishing your own yoga retreat or studying Ayurveda. One of the tenets of this wellness experience is healthy, organic, and local cuisine. Beyond that, Expedia’s 2022 Travel Trends Report, reveals that, of over 12,000 participants surveyed, 40% want to try food they’ve never eaten before.
With your agritourism project, it may already be clear what you produce. Now it’s time to lean into this trend by sharing what tourists are searching for: unique, local, and when possible, organic food. From looking at your website and social media, strive to answer these questions as clearly as possible:
What techniques does your farm use?
Do you produce food organically?
How can tourists taste your food? Do you supply local restaurants and hotels, or will they be visiting you?
Can you share a few local recipes?
It’s Time For The Trip Of A Lifetime
The situation: Amadeus recently shared that searches for trips to Tanzania - where travelers can see the Big Five animal species - are up 36%. International restrictions permitting, tourists are planning now for the big trips they want to take next year.
The solution: Though we’d all love it if a banana plantation were as easy to promote as seeing lions hunt in the wild, we know that tourists are likely building their trip around those attention-grabbing moments. Still, there are plenty of other moments to be found and connections to be made.
When presenting your tourism project to local and national tour operators, consider:
How close are you to those big draws? Or which routes across the country could you be conveniently included in? Sending a pre-made itinerary will make the conversation easier.
In what ways is your community or your crop connected to these big, attention-grabbing moments? Do elephants walk through your coffee plantations? Do baboons stop by every day at sunset? Help paint the picture of how agriculture is a part of the country’s picture.
Make Business Travel Your Business
The situation: After a few down years, business travel and the spending associated with it is set to bounce back 38% in 2022 - with spending approaching $1 trillion - as business travel aims to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024. Though dependent on many factors, including vaccination rates, national policies, and the particular business industry itself, the resurgence of business travel (including bleisure tourism, which includes those who travel for business, then extend their stay) represents a big opportunity.
The solution: As the agricultural products you create are a reflection of your country, it’s reasonable to expect that those traveling to attend a conference or convention will want to take something back home with them. Additionally, a conference may consider it beneficial to be seen supporting the local community. Using a resource like Conference Next, you can see an upcoming list of conferences and conventions near you. When reaching out to the organizers, you might see:
How many attendees they expect, and if they are looking for local products to give as gifts
Whether they offer welcome baskets or parting gifts
If they are providing meals
If there is a guide or materials for attendees who want to extend their stay - and the process for being included
A Culinary Connection To Communities
The situation: From The 2022 Traveler: Emerging Trends and the Redefined Traveler:
“Beyond their inner circles, travelers 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.” One example Hilton gives is the connection between a farm they started and a hotel they operate in Thailand.
The solution: Taking inspiration from the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge, hotels can support many local farmers, textile manufacturers, fishermen, carpenters, artisans, local brewers, and more. And while it would be great if your local hotels and lodges came looking for you, they also have their hands full. So, take charge of this opportunity and make this happen by starting the conversation. Knowing that you produce a great agricultural product, ask yourself:
Who can you reach out to in your area? Hotels, lodges, Airbnbs, and more
If they don’t know what you grow, how can you show it to them in a local dish?
Knowing that hotels often need to cater to international dishes, in what ways can your ingredients be prepared in some international dishes?
We hope these first 5 trends were useful to you. Ready to hear about growing group sizes, future-proofing your business, and longer visitor stays? We’ve got our second set of 2022 travel trends coming this Thursday. Let us know if there are any you want to see covered!
Warmly,
Alex and Joseph