It used to be that the two-week vacation was the highlight of every working person’s year. After spending weeks planning and dreaming about it, once the 14 glorious days of R&R were over, it was back to the grindstone. This was considered normal, in fact, it was considered almost rude to take more time off or to have a non-stressful life to start with!
Since the global pandemic has made it easier for people to dictate the terms of their working lives, there’s a trend towards the long stay and new modes of travel. Could this make the once sacred, fortnightly annual holiday outdated?
The Rise of the Long stay and New Travel Models
We have previously discussed the fact that more people are booking longer trips and even testing the water by relocating to an exciting foreign country for the medium term. In particular, the trend to work from anywhere means there are more digital nomads and location independent remote workers. Travel is no longer just about the two-weeks in summer, so does this mean the end of the annual fortnight in the sun?
With advances in technology and the effect of the pandemic pushing companies to accept hybrid and remote work, the types and lengths of holidays people go on is changing. Even those who still like to go on a two-week vacation tend to bring work with them, as the boundaries between work and leisure are becoming blurred. So much so that TNMT, a leading travel tech insight company, has coined this trend “blurred travel” which describes the increasingly fuzzy lines between leisure vacations and professional work trips.
Opportunity for the Travel Industry
While we can’t envisage the annual vacation becoming obsolete, we do recognise that there are changes afoot. At Swish we welcome this, as new travel trends bring opportunity. The luxury rentals industry now has even more scope in a resort like Marbella, which was traditionally all about the high season. This is a fantastic boost for the economy and the tourism industry. Marbella has some of the best weather in Europe, with 320 days of sunshine out of every 365 so it makes it a perfect destination for people travelling throughout the full year. We can’t wait to see more unconventional travellers hitting the Marbella shoreline in the future, and in fact, we already have guests who come here to experience a longer stay. Many of our properties are set up for the remote worker too, with offices and/or private desks. Of course, fast speed Wi-Fi is available in all villas as standard. Our Swish concierge service can help with administrative needs like printing or even booking meeting rooms for clients in external venues.
As a luxury rentals company in Marbella, we understand the market and growing a business from the aftermath of the pandemic has meant we can see emerging trends. Do we envisage the traditional two-week vacation ending? Not at all. We are certainly still welcoming many families and couples for their fortnight in the sun and expect to do so for the foreseeable future.
There’s still something magical about a two-week holiday. It’s just long enough to recharge, but not so long that you get bored or homesick. Two weeks in Marbella gives you the luxury of mixing things up between down-time and fun activities. With two weeks to enjoy the resort, you can have days of pure relaxation where your biggest concern is which sun lounger to lie on, but there are still enough days to explore the local golf courses, attractions and even plan a few days trips too.
If you enjoyed this article, follow us on Instagram @Swishmarbella or contact one of the team to discuss your next dream vacation in Marbella, whether it’s for two-weeks or several months.
