Crypto News: Cut through the travel chaos

Hi, Nikki Ekstein here—Bloomberg's travel editor. Some 37 million people are expected to hit the road or take to the skies this Memorial Day weekend, and despite my professional proclivities, I'm not one of them. (Luckily for our friends and family coming to visit, I am breaking out a new smoker and grill, though.)

This is it: the official start of summer. And where vacations are concerned, 2022 is going to bring a never-before-seen mix of euphoria and chaos.

What's that again about the journey being the destination? Photographer: Jordan Speer for Bloomberg Businessweek

While just 1 in 10 Americans are traveling this weekend, a lot more—73%, to be precise—have plans to dust off their suitcases over the course of the summer, according to MMGY Travel Intelligence. And they're ready to spend. Allianz Travel Partners predicts an historic $2,600 per US household, the most ever in 14 years of trend tracking, which amounts to an almost $200 billion summer bump.

Being able to shut off your brain and reengage your senses is always an investment worth making. Especially given the emotional and mental toll we've all been living with lately, it's going to feel nothing short of transcendent—even if you barely leave your city limits.

Up, up, and away! Photographer: Jordan Speer for Bloomberg Businessweek

The bad news is that those supply chain and labor shortages that you've been reading about? Yeah, they've hit the travel industry—hard. So chances are, you're going to encounter more snags along your journey than ever before.

In the least painful cases, you'll hit some extra traffic or wait longer for your suitcase to show up at baggage claim. In the worst, your cruise or flight could be cancelled because of a pilot shortage or a visa backlog that's made it impossible to rehire crew.

Remember: Eventually you'll get where you're going, and it will be great!

What's scarier than a monster under your bed? The hotel bill. Photographer: Jordan Speer for Bloomberg Businessweek

Yes, airfare is off-the-charts, as are villas and vacation homes and rental cars. Did you know hotels are having to buy towels and toilet paper at Bed Bath & Beyond because bulk suppliers are too delayed to fulfill quick orders? Prices are up 15%, on average, because of stuff like that. (Although some luxury resorts have basically started charging whatever guests are willing to pay.)

Warning: Prices in mirror may be higher than they appear. Photographer: Jordan Speer for Bloomberg Businessweek

I'm not saying you'll need a vacation from your vacation. But I am saying: Be flexible. Pack your sense of humor! And extra compassion for the people working hard to get you the break you deserve.

This season of 'revenge travel' may come with unprecedented logistical anomalies. Just remember: it's worth it.

Meanwhile, psychedelic businesses are here to soothe your mind with retreats in the jungles—and in your home. Illustration: Emma Erickson for Bloomberg Businessweek

Connect with Nikki on Twitter, Instagram, or via e-mail.

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So much of travel is about seeing new places—and indeed, traveling since the pandemic has felt like life suddenly switched to hi-def. When I first laid eyes on the Caribbean Sea after lockdown, I swore I'd never seen such a vibrant shade of turquoise.

With that memory fresh in my mind, I recently tasked five writers I love with sharing travelogues that revolved around awakening their senses—not just sight but also sound, smell, taste, and touch. The results will remind you just how full of wonderful surprises the world can be.

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You're late! But you're not alone. Here are some ideas to get you going.

The 25 best places to go in 2022.
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Sustainable paradise on the Mayan Riviera.
Ready for a 20-hr flight? Go to Australia, but get off the beaten track. And it's prime time for New Zealand, too.

So here's some answers! Keep 'em coming for next week via our Bloomberg Pursuits Instagram and e-mail.

What is the latest untapped (and affordable) luxury travel destination?

Untapped and affordable mean different things to different people, especially depending on where you're coming from. But let's put that aside for a minute. Right now the two untapped European destinations that are highest on my own list are Wales and Madeira, which I don't think are on the average traveler's radar.

Walking near Tenby in southern Pembrokeshire. Photographer: Emli Bendixen for Bloomberg Businessweek

Wales has Game of Thrones landscapes along its 870-mile Wales Coast Path, plus castles galore. It's also a new culinary designation that's giving more visibility to the master artisans—whisky distillers, cheesemakers, laverbread bakers—that give the Celtic region its unique flavors.

Just as interesting is a new hospitality company called Fforest that's opening design-y hotels and turning abandoned churches into glamorous campsites. They're scattered across the coast in such a way that you could theoretically explore the whole area by biking from one lodge to the next.

A mid-hike vantage from Pico Do Arieiro, Madeira's third-highest peak. Photographer: Jackson Groves

In Madeira, it's all about booking private homes, or quintas, and spending days exploring meandering hiking trails that lead through stunning mountains and canyons, depositing adventurers in front of staggering waterfalls or at tiny restaurants tucked at the bottom of cliffsides

It's here that you'll find the next Noma—a place called the Wanderer—plus no shortage of beautiful beach bars that'll remind you of 1960s St. Tropez. Getting there is easier than it used to be, thanks to new direct flights from New York and Boston on Sata Azores Airlines.

Outside of Europe, I have my sights set on Baru, one of the small barrier islands off Cartagena, Colombia, where a pretty Sofitel has just opened—with summertime rates under $300. It seems great for families: there's a free kids club, nanny services on demand (not free, but amazing!), daily sailing trips to the jaw-droppingly beautiful Islas del Rosario marine conservation area, and nighttime tours to see the ocean light up with bioluminescent plankton.

Also in Colombia, El Peñon de Guatapé near Medellin. Photographer: Boris G/Flickr

And the rest of Colombia is gaining traction, too—it's extremely affordable, generally speaking, with an extraordinary culture of hospitality and an enormous range of drawcards. There's the sky-high palm trees dotting the Corcora Valley, coffee-producing towns around Pereira, and the rhythmic nightlife of Medellin—to name only a few. Go, go, go.

For health reasons, I still need to be really Covid-cautious. What vacation options do I have?

Oh, I feel you. I have an autoimmune disease and a toddler who still isn't eligible for vaccines. So despite being a travel editor, I have been being incredibly cautious. I know it's not the most popular opinion, but I hated the decision to repeal the mask mandate on flights. Sigh.

Here's the good news: Hospital-grade masks like N95s do work very well, especially if you're able to get one professionally fit. That's a perk that's often limited to healthcare professionals, but you can approximate it with YouTube tutorials for either "fit tests" or "seal checks." That'll make sure you've got maximum protection.

Why you should still wear a mask while traveling, even without the mandate. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

You may still be in a road trip frame of mind—nothing wrong with that!—but if you choose to fly, consider going to a country like Anguilla that still requires proof of vaccination and negative PCR tests for entry. It'll increase the odds that the people around you on a flight are healthy.

Another option is plunking yourself down at a secluded resort where everything happens outdoors and you don't even need to venture out to restaurants for meals, like Jumby Bay, off the coast of Antigua, where I went on my first trip in 2021. It's practically contactless, and did more for my mental and overall health than I could possibly explain.

A little slice of Covid-cautious heaven in Anguilla. Source: Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club

When are flight prices going to come back down?

Short answer: August! Summer demand sends fares skyrocketing this time of year regardless of fuel prices and labor shortages. So if nothing else, prices should start to drop around 10% in August compared to a mid-July peak.

Next week, Bloomberg TV London's Sarah Rappaport will be writing an extra-special British edition of the newsletter timed to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Connect ahead of time on Twitter, Instagram, or via e-mail. And click those icons below to give all of Pursuits a follow.