A recent Allianz Global Assistance study conducted by Ipsos shows that the Work From Anywhere trend is here to stay, even post-pandemic - and that opens up more business opportunities for savvy travel advisors to tap into that growing market.
According to the survey, one in four Canadians said that their employer allows them the benefit of taking a bizcation – blending remote work while on vacation. Flexible work arrangements, like bizcations, have become a key factor in attracting and retaining talent - with the survey indicating just how popular the option to work remotely is to employees: seventy two per cent of those who have the option plan on taking a bizcation this year.
That's especially true among younger generations.
“Bizcations are becoming increasingly popular, as we see the value younger generations place on travel,” stated Dan Keon, Vice President, Marketing & Insights at Allianz.
“Our survey found that 82 per cent of those aged 18-34 will exercise their option to take a bizcation, while only 50 per cent of those over the age of 55 plan to do the same. As the workplace continues to evolve, the office can be anywhere and the travel industry must prioritize keeping people connected while vacationing.”
The travel industry has been adapting to this growing need. With hotels and resorts and even cruise ships offering with more access and better access to Wi-Fi, workspaces, coworking spaces, charging ports, mobile connections and more.
A 'Bizcation' can turn into 'Bleisure' travel, too, with workers taking personal time off while away to travel beyond their bizcation base and extend their trip by weeks or months - especially in more distant destinations.
In the Allianz study, those with the option to work remotely shared their top bizcation destinations:
- 32 per cent said they plan to travel within Canada, outside of their home province
- 24 per cent said they plan to travel to Mexico or the Caribbean
- 15 per cent said they plan to travel in the US
- 29 per cent said they plan to travel to some other international destination
