The pandemic dramatically changed how (and why) we travel.  Business travel shut down leading to the rapid rise of virtual conferencing and events.  Offices closed leading to the rise of remote work.  Consumer health concerns catalyzed a new wave of contactless solutions.  Initially, many thought that these trends would be short lived; however, as the pandemic extended over the last 2 years, these trends that were once thought to be short term grew more and more engrained in our long term behaviors.

As we look forward, past the coronavirus pandemic and into an economic recovery, sustainability in the hospitality industry must be our top priority. We are in a moment of unprecedented environmental and climate crisis, and on track to exceed the safe ceiling of 1.5C warming within 12 years or less. However, we are also slowly recovering from a disruptive pandemic at a moment of crucial opportunity.

The priority for most in 2022 will be to minimise a resurgence from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, building consumer confidence in key source markets.