From large-scale reunion parties and eco-conscious travel to the return of international tourists to British soil, Unique Homestays shares their forecast of top travel trends and what to expect for 2022.

The last two years has seen stuttered reunions due to the various restrictions; 2022 promises to be the year that extended friends and family come back together. With over 60% occupancy already secured for summer in the company's large properties (sleeps eight or more), guests are opting to reunite at the luxury celebration houses with no facility spared. Extras such as in-house catering and poolside spa treatments available to book, there really is no limit on the celebrations this year.

Gone are the days where long weekend breaks are enough. With the importance of time well documented, there is a new desire to escape the everyday for longer and take a more rejuvenating break in the UK's most sought-after homes. The average length of bookings has increased, seeing 66% of parties opting for a week-long break at the larger, multi-generational homes this year. The most indemand large home at this stage is Anthology Farm, an eclectic modern retreat complete with indoor pool in the Cotswolds, currently with 84% of all dates booked for the year ahead.

More purposeful and thoughtful travel is set to lead the way this year; the eco-conscious traveller is looking for slower journeys where local fare and a home's sustainability credentials are celebrated. The most popular eco-friendly home on the Unique Homestays portfolio is Heddwen, a Welsh granite farmhouse with over 80% of all its dates booked for 2022 in its first two months since launch date.

2022 is being regarded as the year that international travel fights back and begins its resurgence after two years of sporadic optimism. The desire to once again experience UK culture is supported by Visit Britain's prediction that trips by overseas tourists will have recovered to 68% of their pre-pandemic level by the end of the year. Unique Homestays has reported a 300% increase in the number of bookings by guests from outside the UK for the year so far, when compared to January 2020. Despite the ever-changing restrictions, nearly 10% of all 2022 bookings have been made by overseas guests spanning 25 nations; most sought after by the American and German traveller.