What Makes a Great Workation?
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Han Talbot
Digital Nomad
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The Rise in Structured Lifestyle Tourism: What Makes a Great Workation?
The concept of a workation is to give digital nomads and remote workers the opportunity to explore new places, cultures, and experiences while still participating in their profession. But what makes a great workation and how can destinations benefit from more structured digital nomad tourism programs?
What Does a Great Workation Need?
The aim of a workation is for remote workers to feel fulfilled by the end of their work week while simultaneously energized from exploring and connecting with a region.
A great workation creates balance. Facilitating space for remote workers to carry out their professional duties as normal and then seamlessly step into a readily prepared schedule of activities where they explore more of a destination.
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Creating a Seamless Experience
There are some other important elements to consider when building a product for remote individuals and teams, such as:
Strong wifi and an optimized workspace are at the top of the list. Whether designated workspace in a villa or in a cowork space, employees must be able to carry out business as usual with minimal to no distractions or problems. Factoring for virtual calls and other software that require solid connections.
An itinerary of activities that meet the needs of all involved, whether that be visits to cultural sites or gastronomy experiences or adrenaline activities. The schedule outside of work needs to be fulfilling according to different needs. And all of which factor for reasonable travel time to get to activities once the work day ends.
Networking and a chance to get to spend time with the local community. Getting to know the local way of living is an exciting way for remote workers to not only make great contacts, but also connect with daily life.
The Benefits of Digital Nomad Tourism for Destinations
Structured lifestyle tourism, like workations, attracts a new type of visitor that has more time to get to know the local culture and community better. Which for a country like Croatia, that has traditionally been a more popular destination in the warmer months, could mean year-round development in local businesses and communities.
Back in December, I and a group of digital nomads were invited by the Central Istria Tourism Board, Saltwater Nomads and Digital Nomad Association Croatia to explore the region as a potential workation destination.
From our villa base near Tinjan, we worked for a few hours and then toured the region in our down time. From vineyards to ziplining, we got a flavor of what a Croatian workation could look like and got to discussing what this might look like in a set of design workshops.
It was intriguing to get to know a lesser known destination and design a longer term potential plan of success. In general, now is a great time for up and coming destinations to use the example of currently popular hotspots and create their own take.
Weather, cost of living and great wifi will always be factors in a visitor’s decision, but being able to offer, for example, a long term, year-round community provides just as exciting an opportunity for the local businesses.
In our design workshops, we even touched upon the potential for a central hub for digital nomads and locals to connect that could be used all year. Which in itself would entice more long stay visitors looking to build deeper connections.
The Benefits of Digital Nomad Tourism for Remote Professionals
Digital nomad tourism is gaining momentum for destinations, but also for companies as they realize the benefits it offers them and their teams. Workations provide an opportunity for people to see new places and learn about different cultures.
And they can also be tailored according to company needs and goals. It’s a fresh take on team building, which, with the right schedule and set up, could truly foster creativity and collaboration within teams.
The Future Is Bright for Workations
As we got to discover in our workshops, there is strong potential for workations, which could benefit both locals and digital nomads if carried out well. And personally, I’m looking forward to seeing how the work in Central Istria develops.
Discover more from the Central Istria ‘Live and Work’ Initiative here.
FAQs About Workation
What Is Workation (Definition)?
A workation, also known as a "work vacation," is a type of extended trip where an individual combines work and leisure activities. Essentially, it involves taking a vacation while still working remotely.
The idea behind a workation is to blend work and leisure time, allowing individuals to take advantage of the flexibility of remote work while still enjoying the benefits of a change of scenery.
What Are the Common Workation Destinations in Europe?
Ultimately, the best destination for a workation will depend on the needs of the individual and team, as well as any other work requirements needed.
For example, Bali, Chiang Mai and Lisbon may be more popular for co-working spaces and digital nomad hub options. But Bansko, Central Istria and Frilingue may be preferable for the outdoor activities on offer.
Where Can I Find Workation Jobs?
You can find a huge selection of workation options on remote job boards. We recommend our own digital nomad job board, but you can also look at other sites such as Remote.co, FlexJobs, and We Work Remotely.
By regularly checking these remote job boards, you can discover workation opportunities and apply for remote positions that allow you to combine work and travel.
Author
Han Talbot, also known as @hanmeetsworld, is host of The Remote Life Podcast. A show with a mission to empower people to live their remote life dreams.
Originally from the UK, Han has been living and working remotely on-off since 2013 when she was studying for a year in Brazil. As a Creative Project Manager, she has led communications on projects and campaigns in various industries, including work with tourism boards, DMOs and travel brands. In the past year, she has also been involved in pilot workation programs for digital nomads in the Balkans region.
