2022 - The Year of the GOAT

Where are you GOATing in 2022?

According to data, 2022 is set to be the year we all go big. If 2021 was about domestic travel, 2022 is shaping up to be the year of the GOAT–“Greatest of All Trips.” And while many of us think of travel casually, our economy’s post-COVID recovery is dependent on us resuming business and leisure adventures. Travel is simply critical to our U.S. economy! The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed 2019 travel & tourism accounted for 8.6% of the total U.S. economy and approx. 16.8 million jobs, or 10.7% of our total workforce–an essential and indispensable source of job creation! The report also revealed international visitor spending totaled $195.1 billion, representing 7.8% of the U.S.’ total exports. Travel spending nearly reached pre-pandemic levels in Dec 2021. And despite the recent Omicron slowdown, confidence is increasing as more than 9 in 10 American travelers have travel plans in the next 6 months and almost 8 in 10 U.S. companies plan to conduct business travel in the next 90 days as of January. I’m doing my part in 2022 as my eno-adventures & policy work will take me to Vinexpo in New York, Prowein in Germany– 2 of the largest wine/spirits conferences in the world, Oaxaca & Baja, Mexico, & New Orleans for spirits/wine research; Honolulu, Seattle, Denver, & Napa for policy work; and Colombia, Israel, & Egypt for much-needed pure pleasure! So where are you GOATing this year? Bon Voyage!