In 2022, the tourism industry as a whole experienced a remarkable upturn. Travel abroad increased noticeably year over year globally, though not to 2019 levels.
Destinations-wise, sun and beach vacations in Turkey and Spain were incredibly well-liked, almost reaching 2019 levels. The UK also reported three-digit growth rates year over year that was higher than the global average. Overall, several of the regions that suffered greatly from pandemic restrictions in 2020 and 2021 experienced above-average results in 2022.
The Maldives ranked first on IPK's Destination Performance Index (DPI), with Dubai and Cyprus coming in second and third, respectively, as the most popular vacation spots in 2022. The World Travel Monitor® surveyed travelers about their satisfaction with their vacation, whether they would recommend it to others, and whether they would return, and then analyzed the findings.
Holiday vacations were the largest reason for travel in 2022, with a market share of 70%, and exhibited stronger growth than business travel and even other private trips compared to 2021. MICE visits, in particular, showed a strong year-on-year increase in the business travel industry.
Sun and beach vacations were the most popular holiday globally in 2022, with more than 90% increase (total market share: 35%), with city breaks coming in second. Apart from city breaks, round trips had above-average growth. Vacations in nature (in the countryside or mountains), which had a significant surge during the pandemic, remained popular in 2022 and expanded their market share.
