The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a permanent merger of work and vacation into a workcation. But where are all those travelers going to stay?
That s what John Tarantino wondered after he left his 9-to-5 job in Manhattan. Tarantino, who founded a boutique watchmaking business in New York, had spent time in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mexico City, New York and Miami. But by the end of last year, he d grown weary of making new reservations at a different vacation rental every month and figured there had to be a better way.
There is. The fast-growing market for long-term accommodations picked up speed during the pandemic, as offices closed and more Americans like Tarantino began working remotely. The options range from innovative new companies that offer housing as a subscription to traditional rental platforms and hotels adjusting their products for the workcation crowd.
We recently released our annual travel industry trends forecast,
Skift Megatrends 2025. Because of the havoc that the pandemic triggered, we wrote Travel Megatrends 2025 as a vision of how travel industry dynamics could play out five years from now. You can read about each of the trends on Skift, or download a copy here.
In 2025, the subscription model, with its recurring payments, is a mainstream business model option for many travel companies. The vast promise of monthly or annual payments as an alternative to one-off purchases has been gaining traction.
In the past five years, lodging brands Selina, Oasis, and CitizenM each debuted a plan that lets remote workers hopscotch from property to property for monthly fees. You can expect other brands across travel sectors to sign-on to the concept, too. Some will seek steadily paying customers with subscription solutions that provide surprises to wow customers. Businesses may stack perks on top of their new mainstay subscription offe