Workation vs Digital Nomad Lifestyle: What Cities Need to Know

Apr 26, 2025 | Digital Nomad FAQ, Workation

Workation vs Digital Nomad Lifestyle: What Cities Need to Know

Cities and travel destinations need to constantly adapt to meet the needs of the market, and the Workation market segment is a growing segment with lots of potential. According to a recent survey conducted by PayInOne, 65% of US workers are planning to take a Workation in the next year.

However, some cities have been reluctant to engage with this segment, assuming Workation = digital nomadism. Not only do digital nomads often have special visa needs that are beyond the scope of what destinations can offer, but they have received some bad press lately for gentrifying and disrupting local communities. While digital nomads probably aren’t to blame for many of the woes laid at their feet, what matters more is that the Workation market and digital nomad markets are simply not the same.

Hubs Travel specializes in creating Workation experiences and has developed a deep understanding of the Workation market and what the segment needs. Let’s deep dive into the (1) difference between digital nomads and those looking for a Workation, (2) the types of people who participate in Workations, and (4) what their principal needs are.

 

Digital Nomadism vs Workations

While there is no single way to be a digital nomad, most digital nomads are fully remote workers who choose travel as a lifestyle and therefore more-or-less work and travel full-time.

They could be a “backpacker” style nomad, moving frequently to take in as much of the world as possible. They could be committed to getting to know a place long-term, taking advantage of a digital nomad visa to stay put for six to 18 months. They may choose to split their time, spending part of the year at a home base and part of the year traveling.

Whatever their particular brand of digital nomadism, they have chosen a location-independent approach to work, building their life around where they want to be and making their career fit that, rather than letting where they work dictate where they live.

While digital nomads may choose to participate in Workations, the Workation market segment is much broader. In theory, anyone who can work fully remotely for a limited period may choose to go on a Workation. A Workation is simply combining travel and work. You choose a vacation destination because it is a place you are interested in, because it will allow you to relax or spend time with family, or because you are looking for a change of scenery and pace to deal with burnout or find inspiration. But wherever you plan to go and why, you intend to continue working, combining vacation activities with meeting your full or agreed-reduced work commitments.

You can read our full guide to Workations here.

The Workation Market Segment

While being able to work fully remotely for a period is generally a prerequisite for a Workation, beyond that, in theory, anyone could decide to take a Workation. But based on Hubs-Travel’s experience hosting Workations, what types of people tend to book Workations?

 

Corporate Remote Workers

Despite the recent return to the office trends, larger corporate organizations tend to have remote-first approaches to working since the pandemic. As well as job security, they tend to offer flexible remote working policies. Even those who are pushing for a return to the office tend to offer the opportunity for limited periods of remote work, ideal for a Workation, as a perk.

These employees tend to choose to work abroad for one to three-month periods, often in search of a change of routine, the opportunity to fully focus on a professional or personal project, or gain inspiration from being exposed to new environments.

Case Study: A UX designer at a major tech company joined a Hubs.Travel Workation in a village in the Swiss Alps to escape city life while staying fully engaged with their team.

 

Freelancers & Entrepreneurs

Independent professionals, including freelancers and entrepreneurs, often have the freedom to book Workations around projects and commitments. They will often choose a Workation when they have significant deep work to do with no face-to-face client contact as a Workation provides an affordable and structured environment for focused work.

For them, networking with other professionals and making new connections can also often be a bonus of a Workation, since it offers an opportunity to bond and share ideas with like-minded people.

Case Study: A freelance copywriter joining a Hubs.Travel Workation in a rural area to boost focus and connect with like-minded professionals.

 

Hybrid Workers & Consultants

This group represents professionals who usually work in the office but have the freedom to take extended trips at certain times of the year. They are often most in need of a change of scenery to avoid burnout in high-stress environments or to seek new environments and inspiration to reinvigorate their work.

A Workation allows these types of workers to enjoy a temporary change in lifestyle while still staying professionally active. Like freelance workers, they also tend to find the ability to network and make new connections, personal and professional, inspiring.

Case Study: A management consultant spent a few weeks working from a Hubs-Travel Workation location in the Alps before returning to their home base.

 

Remote Startup Teams

Workations can sometimes be a collective rather than an individual experience. Businesses might decide to send teams on a coworking and retreat experience to form bonds among a new team or boost connections for a remote or hybrid team. They can also be a useful way to bring remote teams together for a short period to produce a major piece of work in a nurturing environment.

It is often startups that see the value in this kind of investment, as the founders often worked remotely for an extended period while creating the business and know that you can’t put a price on teams feeling connected and inspired.

Case Study: A remote-first startup that joined a Hubs.Travel Workation in off-season Bovec in the Slovenian Alps to work intensely on a product launch.

 

Transitioning Remote Workers

While an increasing number of people are moving towards remote and hybrid work, the transition is not always simple. It can be hard to learn how to build a structured and productive work environment. Many people who are considering embracing the digital nomad lifestyle also consider “try before you buy” before committing to long-term travel.

A Workation can act as a kind of half-way-house that allows people to experiment with both approaches to fully remote working and mixing work and travel.

Case Study: A marketing manager trying remote work for the first time joined a Hubs.Travel experience hub before negotiating a full-time work-from-anywhere contract with their employer.

 

Key Takeaways for Cities and Destinations

Based on this deeper understanding of the Workation market segment, what are the key takeaways for destinations hoping to attract and host these types of tourists?

(1) People choose to go on Workation for a variety of reasons, but their principal needs are an environment where they can balance the inspiration and personal investment that comes with travel with the structure and focus needed for productivity.

(2) People tend to choose to stay for a limited, fixed period that is often longer than a normal vacation, usually between one and three months. It must represent value for money because of the length of the stay and the fact that they will spend a lot of their time doing routine tasks. Most people do not want to feel like they are paying an excessive amount “to work.” Flexible facilities that include self-catering and laundry are important.

(3) People are seeking comfortable accommodation that can “feel like home” for a number of months, but also reliable workspaces with good Wi-Fi, ergonomic desk setups, quiet spaces for focused work, and dedicated spaces for online meetings. A mix of private and coworking options is valued.

(4) People often value community because they are looking to share experiences, learn, and grow. People who take Workations are also often solo travelers who value being able to connect with like-minded people while away from family, friends, and familiar acquaintances.

(5) Workation travelers may be more inclined to book a “curated” experience at dedicated times of the year and with organized activities such as tours and networking events. This meets the need for connection, and the ability to better balance work and travel by signing up for activities that are already organized, removing some of the stress associated with travel.

Creating an offer for this market segment can be highly valuable for destinations because it can offer a stable and predictable client cycle, often focused on the off-season when destinations can offer discounts to those who book longer-term accommodation. Workations are often booked well in advance, allowing for forward planning, and participants often want similar things when it comes to facilities and activities, so resources can be focused on providing targeted services for a wider audience.

As the Workation market grows swiftly, now is the time for destinations to consider developing a curated experience to meet the needs of this dynamic market segment.

 


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How Workations Help Destinations Solve Seasonality IssuesHow Workations Help Destinations Solve Seasonality Issues An increasing number of destinations are offering Workation retreats, opening their doors to digital nomads and remote workers for designated seasons. These destinations not only provide discounted rates for extended stays but also employ community managers to create a vibrant social atmosphere that promotes productivity and connection and helps participants make the most of their Workation time. Hubs currently offers these Workations in the Swiss Alps, Slovenian Alps, and Budapest, and participants have been raving about their experiences. But what do community managers have to say about what it takes to put on a successful Workation? What does it take to provide the best possible experience for participants and the maximum benefit to the destination? We recently interviewed Ivan, one of the Hubs community managers, to find out exactly what he thinks about putting on the best possible Workation experience. Ivan is a community manager who engages with Hubs residents to ensure the best possible experience, and also a content manager for the brand, helping to bring those stories to the wider community. Who Is Attending Workation Experiences? The first thing we asked Ivan was who exactly is attending Workation experiences like those offered by Hubs. As a relatively new offering, most participants to date have been digital nomads, remote workers, freelancers and entrepreneurs looking for coworking and coliving experiences to make new connections and focus on productivity while traveling more-or-less continuously. Many participants are part of broader digital nomad networks and word-of-mouth has been the most effective way to share the experience and encourage new participants. Many digital nomads who have participated in Hubs Workations have returned to join again or have expressed interest in doing so in the future.  While this represents a stable and engaged audience for Workation experiences, it also means that there is still an untapped market in the form of location-based workers with the ability to work remotely who are looking for an opportunity to get away, recharge their batteries, and experience something new while continuing to work. There is significant potential in marketing the Workation experience both to these workers and their employers as a productive Workation. What Did Participants Value Most About the Experience? When participants are asked about what they valued most about Workation experiences they often remark on how easy it is to be productive in the environment, how invigorating it is to be so close to nature and cultural experiences, and how being part of a community of like-minded individuals was inspiring and motivating. Through his engagement with participants, did Ivan have any further opinions on the most valuable aspects of the experience? Ivan was part of the Workation at Lenk, in the Swiss Alps, and noted that the beautiful and peaceful town offered the perfect balance between seclusion and having everything that participants needed. This gave the participants the opportunity to “get away from it all” without the stress of worrying about the essentials. The environment was highly conducive to focus and mental clarity, supporting creative and deep work. However, while the location was extremely important, it was the social element that clearly had the biggest impact on participants. Bringing together talented and dedicated professionals from a variety of different fields allowed for natural cross-pollination of ideas, which provided inspiration and kicked off several interesting multi-disciplinary projects and ideas. Moreover, spending time together in this environment forged fast new friendships, which are often particularly important to digital nomads who are constantly on the move and are known to struggle with isolation and loneliness. How Was the Social Aspect of the Workation Managed? Hubs Workations always have a dedicated community manager to is available to help individual participants with anything they might need and also organize social events for the community. Participation in social events is always optional and depends on the preference of the participant, but most choose to engage deeply in group activities. Social activities are designed to provide stimulation and opportunity for natural connections. Activities can be simple such as shared meals and movie nights, but also activities that make the most of the region such as day trips to nearby cities and organized hikes and adventures. Simplicity is often key, letting people make their own connections and establish their own cultural exchanges. Travel and sharing new experiences is often a natural way of bonding. How Do Destinations Benefit from Hosing Workations? As well as providing enriching experiences for visitors, Hubs aims to bring significant benefits to the host destination. Ivan described what some of those benefits can be. Workations are held during low seasons when destinations that are designed to accommodate large numbers of tourists during the high season are often mostly vacant. This helps support the local tourism market during low periods, but does so without overcrowding, allowing popular destinations to combine income generation and recovery from peak seasons. It also allows destinations to provide a different type of experience as they focus on sharing the more relaxed local way of life rather than just catering to visitors en masse. This allows accommodations, restaurants, and other businesses to experiment with their offer, and engage on a deeper level with their consumers. This can feed into more sustainable approaches to tourism in the long term. Lessons Learned Hubs has now hosted successful Workation experiences at all of their European destinations and has 2025 dates lined up for each. The destinations are constantly learning from one another, exchanging ideas on how they can offer the best possible experience for participants while bringing the maximum benefit to destinations. Some of the key takeaways for creating successful Workation experiences include: The importance of building a positive community of participants looking for the same things and keen to support one another. Making the most of the unique aspects of the destination to create meaningful and authentic travel and cultural experiences. Making the social aspects of the experience simple and intuitive so that making connections is easy and natural. Working with destinations to experiment with new ideas and approaches and obtain meaningful feedback from participants. Of course, the best way to learn what makes for a successful Workation experience is probably to participate in one!Inside a Successful Workation: The Community Manager Perspective Remote Work Policies and Their Impact on Workation DemandRemote Work Policies and Their Impact on Workation Demand Kenya Launches Digital Nomad VisaKenya Launches Digital Nomad Visa