The Work from Home Revolution

People across the country and around the world were thrust into the work from home lifestyle this year in response to the coronavirus. While this certainly has repercussions that ripple throughout the economy, it creates an interesting opportunity for the tourism industry. It’s a rare moment to inspire people, who would otherwise work from home, to instead safely work remotely from a new destination, hotel or vacation rental for an extended period of time.

Among our clients, several Choose Chicago hotel partners recognized this opportunity and designed packages specifically catering to the unique needs of those who want to take their work from home setup to a hotel. Those “Work from Home” hotel day-packages included:

Thompson Chicago

Escape your standard work from home routine by reserving a quiet room at the Thompson Workspace. Work remotely while enjoying views of Lake Michigan with lunch by Nico Osteria. Sneak in a Peloton ride over the noon hour or clear your mind as you take a quick stroll down the lakeshore. Extend your workspace overnight for an additional $50 and have peace of mind knowing the Thompson is taking precautionary measures to maintain a safe environment for all guests and team members.

The Kimpton Gray

The Kimpton Gray’s “Home Office” package is the perfect accommodation for working professionals whose work from home spaces don’t fit their productivity needs. The Gray gives guests a quiet and clean space to work for a few hours or overnight and includes a $20 mini bar credit for refreshments, bottled waters to keep guests hydrated, a phone charger/international converter, earbuds, hand sanitizer, in-room Keurig coffee for a kick, and flexible check-in and checkout times to accommodate any productivity timeline. 

Hotel Allegro 

With the Hotel Allegro’s “Business without Baggage” package, guests will be ready to work in comfort. Reservations include a quiet atmosphere, a computer monitor with laptop connectors, a lunchbox filled with snacks + water, hotel notebook, pen and coffee mug keepsakes, In-room Keurig, plus a face-covering + hand sanitizer.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago

Make the Monaco Chicago Your Office or Classroom to kick the work-from-home routine up a notch.  Plus, Kids will love e-learning from the hotel’s River View room window seats. This package includes a guest room equipped with complimentary WiFi, a Keurig coffee machine, a daily boxed gourmet lunch from Fisk & Co for up to two guests, and flexible check-in/check-out (based upon availability). The Hotel Monaco Chicago is also pet-friendly with no additional fees, bring four-legged co-workers along for the change of scenery.

While packages like these are certainly appealing, what might be even more tempting is the growing list of countries offering special visas that encourage foreigners to work remotely from their destination for an extended period of time. There are countless articles published listing out which countries are offering these kinds of visas. 

So what does this mean for businesses across the tourism and hospitality industry? Well, it begs the question: how is your destination or accommodation handling this growing competition? 

To continue attracting customers, consider how you can partner with complementary businesses to offer remote workers a one-of-a-kind, only-here experience. Or a luxurious experience. Or a family-friendly experience… you get the idea. What’s going to make them want to book with you and stay longer than they may have under normal circumstances?

The SiPP Communications team is available to discuss ways that we can assist with partnerships promoting special offers. Visit our contact page and we’ll follow up.