The Covid-19 pandemic has inarguably radically changed the tourism industry. The global crisis changed a lot of things about the way we travel, live and work. Like this, the working tourist of the future was born.
As a response to these changing trends, the tourism industry is facing challenges and opportunities at the same time. One of these opportunities is the trend of remote work. As one of the main measures encouraged by governments worldwide, remote work soon became a new way of working. Professionals started to get accustomed to their new freedom to balance work and life more liberally.
Working from Anywhere
Having stayed home for months, professionals are increasingly bored and challenged by their monotonous daily routines. Hence, remote work has opened new possibilities – the work from anywhere trend emerged. Working from anywhere appears as an attractive alternative to escape the own four walls. Merging remote work with a vacation provides a promising way to bring in a breath of fresh air.
Chances for the future of tourism
As with any shift in the market, businesses can try to resist them or ride the wave (three guesses which one is doomed to fail). In times of such rapid changes and uncertainties, actors increasingly need to master skills such as Futuring and Visioning.
However annoying the terms „bleisure“ (business + leisure) or „workation“ (work + vacation) may be, the trend behind it present a glimmer of hope for the restart of the tourism industry.
What requires tourism businesses to adjust their services to target the working tourist of the future, likewise offers a great opportunity to profit economically.
Countries like Croatia started offering Digital Nomad Work permits, hotel chains such as Citizen M created membership programs for digital nomads committing to a month-long stay, others advertise with slogans such as „It won’t feel like work when you choose to Work from Hyatt“.
The tourist of the future came to stay
Global head of policy and communications for Airbnb Inc. Chris Lehane, regards „The ‚great untethering‘“ not as a temporary phenomenon but as a permanent change. Given the newfound flexibility professionals found in working from anywhere, it looks like the working tourist has come to stay.
