Where local travel experts plan to go in 2022
From Maine to Mexico to Europe.
As 2021 comes to a close and the COVID-19 pandemic sets new case records, 2022 is upon us, bringing the promise of fresh experiences and destinations.
We asked local travel experts where they plan to visit in 2022. Although no trip is guaranteed — restrictions are evolving and precautions are necessary — their answers included destinations domestic and abroad.
Here are their plans.
Chris Lehane, senior vice president for global policy and communications at Airbnb
The Lawrence native, now living in California, will kick off the new year with a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico for the food, art, and culture.
“If you are looking for just a really interesting cultural experience, there’s just a ton to offer there,” he said. “It’s been one of our hot destinations over the last year or so.”
His family loves its annual summer trip to Maine — “always a must” — and he’s eyeing trips to Spain, Sicily, Prague, and Ireland.
Martha Sheridan, president of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
Sheridan will travel to Italy, where she’s looking forward to immersing herself in the country’s food and history. She’ll vacation in Aruba for “rest and relaxation” and also head to New York City in the new year for dinner and a theater show.
Daniel Velez, New England region spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Velez travels often in New England for work. But there’s one New England trip he’s planned in 2022 specifically for quality time with family and friends — to Vermont. He has also planned getaways to Phoenix, Arizona; Dallas, Texas; and Tampa, Fla., to catch some baseball spring training.
Keiko Matsudo Orrall, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
Orrall is keeping her travels local in 2022. Her goal: to explore “hidden gems” and “extraordinary stops” from the state’s 16 tourism regions in 2022, beginning with Mount Wachusett in Princeton.
Frederic Lalonde, founder and CEO of flight tracker app Hopper, which has an office in Boston
Lalonde, who splits his time between Boston and Montreal, is looking forward to spending time in Maine this summer.
“It’s my favorite vacation spot because I love surfing with my daughter at Higgins Beach in Scarborough,” Lalonde wrote in an email. “And Portland has become such a culinary hot spot. There are so many fantastic restaurants to visit.”
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