TPG staffers share their 2022 New Years' resolutions

This year began with the news of promising COVID-19 vaccines, which led to a downward trend in positive cases and sparked pent-up travel demand.

After more than at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, travelers were finally venturing out. Countries reopened their borders and relaxed testing requirements. It seemed like things were starting to get back to normal.

And then came the delta variant, followed by the omicron variant, which has already caused some destinations to shut their borders to travelers once again.

To say it's been an eventful year in travel is an understatement. But TPG staffers did travel: to reconnect with family and friends, to visit new destinations and to maximize their points and miles on dream trips around the world.

And despite the challenges of the new variant, we're still excited to plan and dream about travel in 2022. Here are nine travel resolutions TPG staffers are making for next year.

Visit 5 new countries

"I resolve to start traveling to new countries again. My crazy self-challenge is to visit five new countries every year, which I had accomplished for several years running until COVID-19, when my worldly travels came crashing to a halt. I only added one new country in 2020 (St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with the side story that the visit came during my COVID-19 cruise where I later was quarantined for four days), and this year I have had zero new countries." — Gene Sloan, principal writer, cruise and travel

Take a long-delayed trip

"I want to finally take my two-times-delayed, month-long trip to India. I'd like to visit new Caribbean islands (either Barbados, Grenada, Curaçao or Saba for my AvGeeks.) My 2021 highlights were hitting my 50th state (Alaska) and going to Paris, my first international flight since Feb. 23, 2020." — Benét J. Wilson, senior editor

Get back on a plane

"My travel goal is to take my family on a trip that includes a plane. I'd love to start collecting new countries and states again, but I'm not sure if that's realistic this year. Also -- more camping!" — Erica Silverstein, travel editor

Hang on to status

"I'd like to knock a few more states off my list and see if I can hang on to my United Silver status." — Ashley Kosciolek, writer

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Slow down and unplug

"My 2022 travel goal is to really enjoy a destination and get a sense of what is happening there. Yes, there will be a few family beach vacations and big resorts. But for those other trips, I want to dig a little deeper into a city, town or park and really get a feel for the place. That means probably slowing down a bit. And that's OK with me. Finally, I want to really unplug when I say I will." — Scott Mayerowitz, executive editor

Stay excited

"I don't make resolutions per se, but I want to try and be really into anything we take the time and money to do. Like, no trips where you're somewhat meh on the whole thing by the time it happens. That's a super-duper first-world problem, but it happens in the points and miles world if you aren't careful since you often book things far out and then your interests (or the world) change before the trip happens." — Summer Hull, director of travel content

Visit every Spanish-speaking country

"I don't really make resolutions, but I have a general life goal of visiting every Spanish-speaking country (including Equatorial Guinea), assuming it's relatively safe to visit." — Amanda Donnelly-Rankin, front end engineer

Go somewhere unexpected

"Some of my favorite trips have been to destinations I'd never thought of going to before — it just worked out, or there was a deal or something like that — both domestic and international."

"If we're lucky enough for the pandemic to ebb again to let international travel come back in full, my resolution is to go somewhere that wasn't on my radar or bucket list — not because there is a downside or catch or something, but just because it's off the beaten path or the usual list. And if international isn't doable for any of a million reasons, I'll pivot that to domestic." — David Slotnick, senior aviation business reporter

Learn something new

"One of my favorite things about travel is the opportunity to experience something new. I'm always eager to visit new destinations, but now I'm trying to be strategic about learning a new skill or activity everywhere I go."

"In 2022, I'd love to learn to ski (since right now, I can only snowboard badly), try my hand at surfing, get certified in scuba diving — these are just a few things inspiring my future travels." — Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor