It used to be true that people took vacations from their work that lasted about two weeks. Today, however, more and more Americans are combining work and play. In a country where time is money, American workers are less able to get away from the office for two weeks with their families. Many don’t get paid for vacation time, and most are just too busy. Consequently, many business travelers now take minivacations that turn work trips into family vacations.
Minivacations are the new trend in family vacationing. According to the travel industry, more families are limiting their vacations to three or four days. Shorter trips cost less, and parents are able to get back to work without losing too much paid time in the office.
These minivacations are often added to one of the parents’ business trips. More than half of business travelers today invite a family member or friend to join them. The vacation costs are reduced because the parent’s plane ticket is already paid for by his or her company. Alternatively, one parent could be working while the other explores the vacation city with the children.
Because more American family vacations are combining work and play, hotels have become an office away from the home office. The traditional hotel extras are there, like swimming pools and exercise rooms, but most now also offer computers and wireless Internet. Parents can watch their children swim while they finish reports or check e-mails from co-workers. Now they don’t have to worry about coming home to hundreds of unread messages and feeling behind at work.
The minivacation is a modern experiment that gives American families the opportunity to bring together business and pleasure. Working while vacationing might not be ideal, but it saves time and money and still lets the family escape their day-to-day life. The two-week vacation might be rare nowadays, but American families have discovered a new way to survive their busier lifestyles—one minivacation at a time.