TAMPA, Fla. — Despite the omicron surge, CDC travel advisories and many flight delays, Tripadvisor says seven out of 10 people in the U.S. plan to travel for fun this year.
The agency predicts the number of Americans expected to travel this year is eight percent higher than in 2019.
There have been all kinds of concerns and advisories about cruising, but travel expert Jeanenne Tornatore says people are still ready to rock the boat.
"This January is what the industry calls wave season. This is when all those really great promotions are out there for trips that you may want to take later in the year, so that's something that travelers should keep in mind if you're thinking about that, but a little hesitant to travel maybe right now," she said.
Jeanenne says another hot trend is renting private vacation homes. Families want to be able to spread out and even work or go to school remotely.
"People in 2022 really need to plan especially for those vacation rentals a few months further out than they would have in the past," the expert added.
Also, more luxury hotels are opening this year all over the country, so that might help with more competitive prices, but Jeanenne says flying could still be a challenge.
"I think these staff shortages are going to be something that continue to play out for the airlines for a while. So if you are traveling over a long holiday weekend, over a busy travel period, that's just something that you're really going to have to plan for and be flexible with," she said.
Her three biggest tips:
- book early
- be flexible
- and consider travel insurance on expensive trips.
And when it comes to scheduling, travel experts say don't plan any special dinners or events the day you're traveling in case of delays. Plus, try to schedule your trip home a day before you have to go back to the office. That way delayed flights won't have you missing work.