Just when we all thought that the pandemic was nearing its end, we are suffering a rebound of infections with the Omicron variant. This means that the commercial reactivation of different sectors will continue to be unusual. Tourism is one of the most affected sectors and the evidence of it was in 2020 when international tourism was almost completely paralyzed, and the only alternatives were national and local tourism. While it’s true that 2021 experienced some improvements, it was subtle, as there are still restrictions and many countries keep their borders totally or partially closed. It is difficult for me to estimate where we are going in this new year since it is not known how the pandemic will evolve. However, it is possible to talk about the new tourism trends that I see emerging.  - International travel with restrictions still maintained by both destinations and airlines in order to provide 100% consumer safety. - Reinforcement of COVID-19 testing; two years after the pandemic, COVID testing will remain in place as a preventative measure. - Conscious travel will be recommended. Travel to more distant destinations, but with extended stays, as consumers seek to enjoy as much as possible of each place they visit. - Green

Over time we have been part of the great advances in technology. It has also happened with the gastronomic sector, and in what way! The importance that this universe of gastronomy has gained has definitely been on a large scale. In this digital age, we are living in times in which taking care of health has once again become a priority for society. The number of people who have opted for healthier nutrition is no longer surprising, and the truth is, I believe that this has been one of the best initiatives that this generation has given us. Among the gastronomic trends for the year 2022 we can highlight the following: Food to prepare at home. The confinement that the pandemic produced, added to the excessive hygiene care that we began to adopt to take care of our health, brought the restaurants home, and with this I mean it literally. The audience that arose in recipe blogs led the gastronomic sector to induce more food preparation at home, which is why the culinary world was not limited to just providing totally ready products, but to vary the dynamics and design your own products to prepare and enjoy at home. Delivery boom. Undoubtedly,

The return to normal of the pre-pandemic is gaining ground and it seems that "the pandemic has changed us" is losing ground. Really? Maybe not. At least in the hospitality industry, where "contact less" seems to have an increasingly present future. A couple days ago I was reading an article in Travesías magazine about this. They referred to a survey conducted by Skift and Oracle Hospitality in which they interviewed "more than 1,800 hospitality industry leaders and over 4,000 consumers around the world to understand their preferences regarding best practices that could help the industry recover". In reference to having less and less personal contact in their activities during their stay in an establishment, the data that stood out the most was that the sum of the values of the various answers given by those consulted, 151%, related the future of the industry to the use of technologies that would allow greater independence in the management of experiences and use of spaces. In other words, doing more on their own without having to interact with an employee of the establishment. And the hotel executives surveyed seem to be clear about this, as 73% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that

Recently I read about the lessons learned from experiencing a pandemic. The devastating COVID-19 pointed out the impacts that tourism causes to the environment. After a drastic off-season of travels the planet was breathing. For a statistics view, we only have to take a look at the data from the World Tourism Organization, estimating that 5% of global carbon dioxide comes from hospitality. Knowing this, sustainability and respecting the environment is not only a trend, it is essential in all that has to be considered when developing business in tourism. That is why inversionist and leaders of the industry should go the extra mile to design new hospitality models tied to sustainability, not leaving behind comfort and luxury. I’ve been reading about the ones making it happen and the Svart stands out. Projected as the most sustainable hotel in the world. Will open doors in Norway in 2023. Svart is a 500 millions euro investment with a 7% estimated annual return to the inversionist that join the innovative concept. If you are asking yourself how sustainable will it really be, let me tell you that 85% of annual energy consumption will be saved and also will collect enough solar energy to cover

Restaurateurs around the world are doing extraordinarily creative things to survive during the pandemic.

Tragically, some iconic restaurants have closed for good over the past year.  But with $29 billion in funding from the American Rescue Plan and more than a hundred million jabs in arms so far, better days may be right around the corner.  And some of our favorite dining spots may be well positioned for a roaring come back.

Although hospitality has its roots as far back as ancient Greece, the hotel industry is in for its most significant changes yet.  Post-COVID, guests will want a touch-free experience, at check in, in the room and gym, and at check out.