Is the ‘workation’ here to stay, even post-pandemic? How luxury resorts, from Rosewood and Six Senses to Aman, are welcoming digital nomads as they work remotely – while travelling the world
- Once the realm of diehard digital nomads, post-pandemic trends have seen a whole host of working holiday options open up in the luxury sector
- Japan and Thailand rank highly as remote work destinations, with ‘business travel’ being redefined by entire families making temporary homes at luxury resorts
While this is by no means a new phenomenon, it’s one that’s growing – fast. “We have seen many guests across our entire collection working from the comfort and safety of their private pavilions, maisons, suites and villas,” says Roland Fasel, Aman Resorts’ chief operating officer.
The very definition of a business traveller is expanding, says Fasel, who explains it now encompasses not just the conventional demographic, but also those travelling with whole families in tow.
These families, he says, “seek the safety of our serene sanctuaries as a temporary home”.
Japan scored highest among Asian countries analysed and fifth overall worldwide. Fasel has seen a number of guests at urban resort Aman Tokyo, looking to strike a balance between productivity, privacy, and rest and relaxation. This, he says, is why Aman properties have been carefully designed to “provide amenities to aid in combating the stress and fatigue that is so synonymous with working life”.
Thailand ranks highly on Kayak’s Asia-Pacific list of best remote work destinations. At Rosewood Bangkok, 20 spacious suites and three luxury houses offer the ultimate home away from home experience, and are equipped to service all manner of connectivity requirements.
At luxury resort Six Senses Ninh Van Bay – once the exclusive stamping ground of leisure travellers – there has been a marked change. “There’s a definite trade-off between business and relaxation, justifying a longer stay,” says general manager Andrew Whiffen. Where business travellers previously stayed between three and 14 nights, Whiffen says they are seeing longer stays of up to three months for the first time. This includes whole families taking extended working holidays, with children attending school online.
While Whiffen sees their existing clientele extending their holidays and working remotely, is the working holiday trend one that is accessible to a wider cross-section of society? Omer Ari, a full-time recruitment professional who up until recently was based in Hong Kong, believes so.