The rise of the “workation”

The post-pandemic era has created a new surge of remote work, in which offices have been replaced by laptops. Having a portable source of income has drastically changed where travellers go, how long they stay, and the destinations they frequent. With people able to reply to work emails from inside the Pantheon, it seems like the sky’s the limit. 

“Is it idealistic to keep on top of your workload as you relax on a sunbed, or is it the start of the gentle integration into the continuation of work in all situations – even with a pina colada in hand?”

While the idea of a “workation” certainly evokes an image of the best of both worlds, there are questions raised as to whether it is truly empowering to blur the line between work and travel, or if we are just romanticising hustle culture. With only limited annual leave, employees may be unable to truly “log off”, constantly on the alert as a byproduct of our new way of living. Is it idealistic to keep on top of your workload as you relax on a sunbed, or is it the start of the gentle integration into the continuation of work in all situations – even with a piña colada in hand?

The workation may only be beneficial if it is a bonus, rather than your genuine break from work. Taken at face value, the trend seems like a win-win: the economics of a trip change when accommodation costs are offset by continued salaries, while companies get constant income from their workers even while abroad. Travel companies have begun using the workation as a way to profit, with Tui advertising “handpicked hotels that are perfect for a working day” as a main draw on their website. Yet despite it seeming like a win-win-win situation, the workation could easily shift into holidays becoming less of a break from work and more of a push further into constant productivity. 

“Rather than being undertaken on a whim, you must consider whether your chosen destination has reliable Wi-Fi…”

Many companies have taken to encouraging the workation as an effort to seem progressive while still benefiting from it economically. When workers are allowed a change of scenery, productivity and job satisfaction tend to skyrocket; A holiday fosters an environment that makes the typical workload seem a lot more manageable. Though this seems like a tempting situation, it also means that the workation doesn’t provide much respite – you can expect to be busy if you also want to participate in any tourist activities.

Alongside this, workations revolve around logistics more than normal travelling. Rather than being undertaken on a whim, you must consider whether your chosen destination has reliable Wi-Fi, if there is adequate time zone alignment, what your company policy is, and whether you have full coverage travel insurance. 

You can’t go just anywhere on a workation, with many countries not permitting full-time remote work for an employer back home. There may be tax implications: if you work in a foreign country for more than 183 days in a rolling 12-month period, that country gains the right to tax your income. This means that workations necessarily must take shape as short breaks rather than extensive trips.

 “Barclay’s Consumer Spend Report for early 2026 found that flight bookings for Spain were up 32 percent from last year – with only a one-hour time difference and just a short flight away, it perfectly fits the brief”

Alongside this, immigration laws mean that using a tourist visa to conduct business meetings, answer emails, or work remotely is illegal in many countries. An EU citizen can work from another EU country without a permit, but a non-EU national working remotely from the EU may need authorisation to prevent either immigration or employer-sanction risks. To prevent this complication, you should probably pick a destination that doesn’t cross continents.

The most popular places for workations take these factors into account, with Spain and Portugal both being utilised by UK citizens for this purpose. Barclay’s Consumer Spend Report for early 2026 found that flight bookings for Spain were up 32 percent from last year – with only a one-hour time difference and just a short flight away, it perfectly fits the brief. Holidu.co.uk says that Barcelona is one of the best cities for a workation, featuring the second biggest number of co-working spaces in Europe after London. With the work aspect covered, the city also hosts impressive architecture and an average annual temperature of 20 degrees Celsius making it perfectly instagrammable.

Though the “workation” has become the latest fashionable trend for increasing both productivity and excitement, it certainly brings with it a host of potential well-being and legal issues. Work-life blending can only be successful when it is coupled with genuine respite, with workations bringing lesser benefits in terms of recovery and potentially leading to more exhaustion. But if undertaken sensibly, the concept may have huge long-term value in modern day society, allowing people the freedom to choose their work environment and to integrate travel into their daily routines.