As we all settle into the new(-ish) year, we’ve already looked at some of the ‘Best Travel Destinations for 2022’, highlighting popular spots like Mexico, Poland, and Jordan, to name a few. But trends in travel go beyond destinations, and in this follow-up we want to look at some of what people will be packing on their trips throughout this year.
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Read on for a look at some increasingly essential suitcase inclusions.
1. Slip-On Sneakers
People are increasingly prioritizing comfort during travel. Business-casual looks on airplanes have been replaced by athleisure, and really it’s a shame it took so long! Along with this trend though, a lot of travelers are also beginning to invest specifically in sneakers that are convenient for the occasions –– pairs that are comfortable and easy to slip on and off, but still stylish. And sure enough, the market is responding to this preference. Brands like Allbirds, Cariuma, and even Under Armour have all excelled putting out these types of shoes in recent years, and you’re only going to be seeing more of them on planes and trains moving forward.
2. Sweatshirt-Style Blazers
Travelers spend a lot of time outdoors so it is important to always be prepared to put on something warm. Of course, comfort and style are important, too! So a lot of regular travelers are bundling these needs and priorities together and opting for fleece- or sweatshirt-style blazers. These versatile pieces an be worn more or less all year round, and can be dressed up or down. They also help you to look a little bit more stylish while you travel, while still providing the comfort of that cozy travel hoodie (or something close to it). Check out brands like Uniqlo, H&M, and Banana Republic to find some good options.
3. Healthy Snacks
Okay, so healthy snacks for travelers are nothing new. But the idea here is that there are new healthy snacks that are fast emerging as popular picks. For one thing, dried fruit –– which has been around forever –– is suddenly being packaged and marketed in ways that very much appeal to health-conscious younger generations. Perhaps even more fun tough is the rise of organic chickpea snacks as, essentially, healthier chip alternatives. Hippeas is leading the way as vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO options that come in a variety of flavors (nacho cheese, anyone?) and are almost bizarrely tasty for how healthy they are. Expect to see these peeking out of a lot of travel backpacks this year and in years to come.
4. Nicotine Pouches
On a vaguely similar note to that of snacking, a lot of travelers have historically liked to have smoking and/or tobacco products along with them as well. But of course, such products are now all but entirely prohibited on most major modes of transportation –– not to mention in most public venues around the world. For a while this has just been a sort of tough-luck situation for smokers, whose best option was to tack on nicotine patches and make do. Now, however, a more enjoyable option is emerging in the form of nicotine pouches –– little items placed inside the upper lip to release nicotine slowly and discrete, and sometimes with pleasant flavors. Per the online pouch resource Prilla, common flavors right now include cinnamon, citrus, coffee and mint. Given these options (and likely more to come), we’d expect to see these pouches becoming very popular among travelers.
5. Actual Digital Cameras
Travelers know that every day is a photo opportunity. And while most capture those photos with phones these days, a lot of regular travelers are finally realizing that real digital cameras simply do the job better. This realization seems to grow more widespread each year, and at some point –– maybe in 2022 –– you might just look around and realize that your fellow travelers are all holding up DSLR or mirrorless devices rather than iPhones and Androids.
6. Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses
Honestly, these just sound really cool to have because they are at the forefront of technology. It’s like virtual reality (VR) but designed for day-to-day use! AR glasses have supposedly been on the way for a while now, with companies like Facebook and Apple competing to launch them. Candidly, we don’t know if they’ll be major consumer products yet in 2022. But when they are, they’ll be very popular among travelers –– who will potentially be able to use them for everything from following navigation directions to live translation of foreign languages.
Traveling should be fun, and traveling with trendy products makes it even more enjoyable. Expect to see a lot of the products mentioned above on your trips this year –– and be sure to stock up yourself if you’re interested.
