The one thing most leaders today agree upon: there will be no end to Covid in 2022 and we will continue to see an uncertain market.

It seems like a long time ago when 2020 came to a close and for a few days, there was a sense of genuine hope that 2021 would see a new dawn. If anything, 2021 has been even more testing but companies have fought their way through, survived and are learning to live with the virus.

Certainly, everyone is today weary of the constant battle but there is little choice. Companies need to continue to seek and find new solutions.

The good news is that companies do seem to feel more bullish going into 2022 but all expect volatility to be a major theme. However, the difference is that it is not about lockdowns and rebuilding but about enormous volatility in the supply chain and customers numbers. In some ways, it is easier to face real problems rather than the unknown. Leaders are concerned about everything from supply availability, capacity, transportation, and labour. At the same time, when will densities return to city centres?

For hospitality, this is as challenging as it can be.

Covid is now unlikely to just disappear. New variants are appearing and it is a virus which is transmissible so the odds must be that will just continue. However, the world adapts, work patterns change and behaviours change as well. Traditions are changing and new rules are coming to the fore. New business models and solutions too will emerge.

The economy still this year did bounce back with some strength. It is not all doom and gloom; it is more about how all adapt to a new landscape. The belief is that the new norm will be seen during the spring and summer of 2022. By next winter, we will be now experienced in living with the virus.

Things will never return to how they once were in 2019 but the economy will continue to recover. Businesses will adapt and change. New value sets will emerge and very soon a new generation will take leadership positions and lay out new visions for the future.