FINDING HOME AWAY FROM HOME

What makes staycations one of the biggest travel trends of 2024

- By Ananya Ghosh

The ‘staycation’ has turned out to be one of the biggest travel trends of 2024. A portmanteau of the words ‘stay’ and ‘vacation’, this eco-friendly travel option is about staying within instead of travelling from one’s home, rather city. Think of it as a hotel stay within one’s city of residence, combined with dining and/or activities or simply put, a vacation close to home while enjoying leisurely activities. But this travel trend which initially gained popularity post the pandemic due to international travel restrictions and safety concerns, has today an ultra-luxe update offering varied options for all kinds of travellers. Let me start by confessing that being a solo traveller for about two decades now and having used hotel rooms just to stay the nights and freshen up, I have never really understood the concept of a staycation— why would anyone spend money and check into a resort/hotel just to chill and enjoy the amenities? You might as well stay at home! Unless of course, you are Hemingway, and hotel rooms are your muse, or you are Jay Pritchett trying to escape Gloria's snoring.

Maybe it is the privilege of being a single woman living alone (with essentially no snoring to escape other than one's own) in a city with househelps and online apps to do the chores that was partially responsible for creating this ignorance. Maybe it is just the chaos and not peace that I thrived on and ached for. 'I will drink life to the lees...' who wants to 'waste' an entire evening relaxing and rejuvenating in the spa or wake up at the crack of dawn to indulge in a paid 'activity' when sleeping some more would have done the same?