TPG team members discuss their New Year’s resolutions for 2022

The year kicked off with encouraging news about COVID-19 vaccines, leading to a decline in positive cases and igniting a surge in travel demand.

After spending more time at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, travelers began to explore again. Countries reopened their borders and eased testing requirements, signaling a return to normalcy.

Then came the delta variant, followed by the omicron variant, causing some destinations to reimpose travel restrictions once more.

It’s an understatement to say it’s been a tumultuous year for travel. However, TPG staffers managed to travel: reconnecting with loved ones, exploring new destinations, and maximizing their points and miles for dream trips around the globe.

Despite the hurdles presented by the new variant, we’re still eager to dream about and plan for travel in 2022. Here are nine travel resolutions that TPG staffers are committing to for the upcoming year.

Explore 5 new countries

"I’m determined to resume traveling to new countries. My personal challenge is to visit five new countries each year, a goal I achieved consistently until COVID-19 put a stop to my travels. In 2020, I managed to visit only one new country (St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which I reached during my COVID-19 cruise where I ended up quarantined for four days), and this year I haven’t added any new countries at all." — Gene Sloan, principal writer, cruise and travel

Embark on a long-awaited trip

"I’m eager to finally embark on my long-postponed, month-long adventure to India. I also want to explore new Caribbean islands, potentially Barbados, Grenada, Curaçao, or Saba for my fellow AvGeeks. My highlights of 2021 included visiting my 50th state (Alaska) and my trip to Paris, which marked my first international flight since February 23, 2020." — Benét J. Wilson, senior editor

Return to the skies

"My travel ambition is to take my family on a journey that involves a flight. I’d love to start adding new countries and states to my collection again, although I’m uncertain if that’s realistic this year. Also -- more camping!" — Erica Silverstein, travel editor

Maintain my travel status

"I aim to check off a few more states from my list and see if I can maintain my United Silver status." — Ashley Kosciolek, writer

Take it slow and disconnect

"My travel objective for 2022 is to truly savor each destination and understand the local vibe. Sure, there will be some family beach vacations and large resorts, but for my other trips, I want to explore cities, towns, or parks more deeply and truly experience them. This likely means I’ll need to slow down a bit, which is perfectly fine with me. Lastly, I want to genuinely unplug during my time off." — Scott Mayerowitz, executive editor

Keep the enthusiasm alive

"I don't really set resolutions, but I want to fully commit to every experience we invest time and money in. No more trips where I feel a bit meh about it when the time comes. It’s definitely a first-world problem, but it can happen in the points and miles game if you’re not careful, especially since you often book things far in advance and then your interests (or circumstances) can shift before the trip actually occurs." — Summer Hull, director of travel content

Explore every Spanish-speaking nation

"While I don't typically make resolutions, I do have a lifelong goal to visit every Spanish-speaking country (including Equatorial Guinea), as long as it’s safe to do so." — Amanda Donnelly-Rankin, front end engineer

Travel somewhere unexpected

"Some of my most memorable trips have been to places I never considered visiting before — it just happened to work out, or there was a deal or something similar — both within the country and abroad."

"If we're fortunate enough for the pandemic to subside and allow international travel to resume fully, my goal is to visit a place that wasn't previously on my radar or bucket list — not due to any downsides or catches, but simply because it’s off the beaten path or outside the usual options. And if international travel isn't feasible for any number of reasons, I'll shift my focus to domestic destinations." — David Slotnick, senior aviation business reporter

Acquire a new skill

"One of the things I cherish most about travel is the chance to learn something new. I'm always excited to explore new places, but now I’m aiming to be more intentional about picking up a new skill or engaging in an activity wherever I go."

"In 2022, I aspire to learn skiing (since currently, I can only manage to snowboard poorly), try surfing, and get certified in scuba diving — these are just a few activities that are motivating my future travels." — Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor