Summer is approaching, and this year should see an uptick in individuals and families taking vacations. The pandemic slowed down this industry in 2020 and 2021, but stats show that more people feel comfortable traveling this year. 

If you're vaccinated and boosted, you may feel like this is the year when you satisfy your wanderlust or take a much-needed break from work. With this in mind, we'll discuss some summer travel trends for 2022. We'll also talk about vacation loans and whether getting one is a viable option for you.

Covid-19 Considerations

As the summer vacation season gets closer, some individuals say they're willing to travel again, but only to spots with a reasonable Covid-19 risk. That could disqualify a state like Florida, for instance, where cases there are ticking up again. Other families and individuals say they're not willing to travel internationally yet. Dealing with possible international quarantine protocols is reason #1 on their list.

If you are ready to travel, here are a few trends that will help you get the most out of your vacation without spending too much.  

Hotel Deals

If you're looking at summer travel this year, you may notice hotels and resorts are offering special discounted rates more than usual. Some are dropping prices to entice potential travelers who are still on the fence. Others are offering perks like an additional night free if you book for the weekend. Be on the lookout for these deals and plan your travel around them to get more bang for your buck. 

Credit Card Points

Many of those who haven't traveled since 2019, have been stockpiling credit card points that they now plan to use for their vacation this year. If you're one of these, you can put your points to good use on flights, hotel stays, or other travel-related costs.

When booking with points, try to book flights and hotels with built-in travel insurance. That way, you can get those points back if you end up not making the trip for some reason.

Vacation Loans

Some Americans who want to travel this year are taking out vacation loans in order to do so. This might entice you; Maybe you don't have the ready cash to take a vacation, but you feel like you deserve a break from work.

If you've got a solid credit score, you might approach a bank or credit union and get a short-term, multi-purpose loan you can use to take a vacation. There are no specific "vacation loans," but you can use the cash you get for that purpose. 

If you do decide to take out a loan for a vacation, make sure you get a loan with a favorable interest rate and in an amount that you can pay back in a timely manner. 

This Might Be Your Year to Travel Again

If you haven't taken a vacation since the pandemic started, 2022 might be the year you do. Many Americans are traveling this summer, though some say they're only going to destinations that don't have high Covid-19 numbers. Others only want to travel domestically to avoid pandemic-related international quarantine requirements. 

Many Americans are taking advantage of the hotel and flight deals the travel industry has available to lure tourists into taking a vacation again this year. Others are using the credit card points they have stockpiled over the past two-plus years. 

You might follow these trends if you're going on vacation this year, and you may take out a vacation loan as well. It's a viable option if you have a good credit score and you can get a favorable interest rate from a lending entity. 

This might be the year to give in to the urge and take a much-needed vacation.