Surge in ‘workation’ in GCC as CEOs, business owners and top-paid expats take overseas family outings at whims

Los Angeles, London and Paris are among the popular holiday destinations for the Middle Eastern corporate top honchos, and seeking the finest experiences such as sessions with top hairdressers, getting luxurious facials and shopping at top-end designer places are among the ‘to-do’ items for their family members and many of the top executives as well, top executives at luxury travel concierge services told Arabian Business.

Though the ‘workation’ trend is more prevalent among C-suite executives of companies in the oil and gas and related sectors, besides post-IPO companies in the region, high-ranking government officials and members connected to the royal families are among the growing list of rich and famous from the region taking to frequent global outings for family breaks.

While the upsurge in wealth is driving the trend of frequent global family outings among corporate top honchos, sprouting of several luxury travel concierge services firms such as Sienna Charles helping planning, streamlining, booking and managing trips has aided in facilitating and promoting such passion.

“The number of last-minute requests we receive from the Middle East [for overseas family outings by top executives and celebrities] has nearly doubled since the pandemic,” Jaclyn Sienna India, founder and CEO, Sienna Charles, told Arabian Business.

“Our internal data shows that family outings abroad [from GCC] have increased by approximately 7 per cent this year compared to last year,” she said.

Post-pandemic environment triggers ‘workation’ trend

Sienna India said the post-pandemic environment has made it easier to combine business with leisure.

“It’s enough for a friend to mention a destination, and they’re inspired to go there next weekend,” she said.

“And once they’re back, sharing stories with friends and family, we often get calls from those friends wanting us to plan their trip,” she said, adding that “word of mouth is huge in the Middle East.”

The Sienna Charles founder said such trips often involve a lot of last-minute reservations for a big group, “but we make it look like a breeze”.

She said her firm has curated trips for multigenerational families from Riyadh to Rome and Manama to Paris and Cannes, in less than 48 hours, making sure that the itinerary is packed with interesting activities for every age while allowing family members to spend quality time together.

‘While designer boutiques are available in the Middle East, these executives and their families often prefer shopping in Europe,” she said.

European collections include unique pieces tailored to the local market, and it’s easier to schedule private appointments with designers.

“We assist with this process by facilitating their exclusive access to the latest collections during fashion week events, such as the upcoming Paris Fashion Week.

“We also organise exclusive experiences like visiting the Brunello Cucinelli factory, meeting the designer, and ordering custom pieces.

“We’ve curated similar experiences at Fendi in Rome and Chanel in Paris,” Sienna India said.

Work with leisure gets company activities going at usual break-neck pace

Senior executives in other luxury concierge firms said their clients rarely switch off, continuing to take calls and answer emails while travelling.

They said the top executives often use these trips as opportunities for their children and loved ones to pursue their passions, such as learning about gladiators in Rome or the Renaissance in Paris.

Sienna India said as a rule of thumb, her firm provides three dining options for each meal, every day, especially if their rich and famous clients are not bringing their own chef.

“Unsurprisingly, most of our Middle Eastern clients come from the oil & gas industry and related sectors.

“We also work with a few clients who are closely connected to the royal families and hold government positions. They primarily reside and/or work in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE,” she said.

Industry experts said the ‘workation’ trend is expected to catch up further going forward, as post-pandemic corner-room executives are increasingly trying to achieve a more balanced ‘work-life’ culture.

The Dentsu Travel DNA: Motivations & Trends in KSA and UAE 2023 report predicted that subscription and membership-based travel will become increasingly prominent, especially in the luxury travel sector amid the growing ‘workation’ trend.

According to GlobalData’s Traveler Spending Patterns Database, UAE and Saudi Arabian holidaymakers are among the highest travel spenders worldwide.