Workation- Future of Travel

“I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.” — Walt Disney

With every passing day we are, perhaps, drifting away from those happy, innocent and utopian world of Disney. The world has confronted with the biggest pandemic ever in the year 2020 and still fighting every day to survive the unprecedented challenges in life thanks to Covid-19.

But, just as Walt Disney said life has always made us look into the optimistic side even in the face of the extreme darkness. “Life always finds a way” and even a pandemic as devastating as corona virus cannot stop us from pursuing the basic necessities and biological stipulations. Thirst to travel and finding an occasional escape to nature is one such urge that makes us human.

On one hand the worldwide lock-down situation has forced us to adapt to a change in lifestyle and work from home on the other , it is practically impossible for anyone to stay indoors indefinitely. And thus comes the concept which, by now, we all are quite familiar with, popularly called ‘workation’. In the changing context, the concept of workation or staycation has not only become extremely popular among corporate and even businessmen but also, many see this as an important aspect of future of travel in the world.

As noted singer, musician and director Anjan Dutt said in a recent interview with TW print, “Travelling during covid is important to get out of depression, return to nature, and also for tourism…..but covid has actually taught us how to travel”

The idea of Workation has already shown promise to be a win-win strategy for both the travelers as well as for tourism industry which, otherwise, has been one of the worst hit in the recent economic disaster. The employees from various corporate sectors are choosing destinations in mountains and close to nature to spend the lockdown or extended ‘work’-from-home’ period. “If I have to be at home and away from office, its better be a place with scenic beauty, fresh air and mountain birds. In a home stay I would feel safe both in terms of health as well as security. All I need to have a good wifi“ says Suchira Ray the young corporate executive from Gurgaon.

For the Homestay owners and travel operators this development has brought a new ray of hope. The usual longer duration of stay by the working people are compensating the comparative lesser number of footfalls of tourists.

Vinod Verma the director of #homestayofindia , a Delhi based travel organsiation working with more than 250 homestays across India said in a recent interview , “ the workation concept is here to stay ; this has given a steady alternative source of income to the villagers living in remote locations. In a challenging situation like this when we have almost zero footfalls from tourists from abroad, the long-duration workation has really compensated a lot”.

Even the state tourism organizations like Kerala, Uttarakhand, Gujarat etc have embraced the concept of workation and has been promoting the same extensively since last year. A recent tweet by Uttarakhand tourism has warm invitation for the working people to “find a perfect balance between a busy and relaxing life. The energy of hills and the adventures around make Uttarakhand a top choice of Workation. ” The repeat lockdowns, the scary and desperate situation among masses caused by the second wave of corona have been a constant damper and damaging for everything from economy to health. But then, as we started this article dreaming and hoping for the silver lining on the other side of dark clouds- the world is all set to carry on with the new way of lifestyle – with a new realization of the value of nature, basic necessities of life, importance of bonhomie and togetherness and most importantly, it also taught us to balance between work and life. After all nothing heals like nature.