Why staycations are perfect holidays

Maybe you have vacation envy after seeing that Insta post of your friend skiing in St Moritz or lounging on the sand in Koh Samui. Maybe the end of the warmer weather and the steady descent into cooler, darker mornings has left you with the feeling of wanting to chase summer around the globe. Or maybe the wanderlust has just taken hold, as it so often does. But while you’re trawling the internet for 2019’s hottest travel list, remember this: there’s a reason people say there’s no place like home.

Last year, travel search engine Kayak reported that 56% of hotel searches by Australian travellers were for domestic destinations. And now more than ever, the rise in popularity of a holiday in our own backyard has Australia on track to become the staycation nation. Here are five reasons why holidaying at home is a fantastic choice you’ll never regret.

It’s cost effective

Sure, choosing something because it’s cheaper isn’t the most glamorous reason to do anything. But it’s certainly the most practical and, in the long run, also the most financially savvy. Inevitably, the cost of overseas travel – from the flights to the travel insurance to the currency exchange and the card fees for overseas transactions – will likely leave you worse off money-wise than if you’d stayed put and planned some adventures on familiar territory. And with world-class restaurants, stunning natural beauty and popular tourist attractions in almost every Australian capital city, you’re totally spoilt for choice.

You save time

Time is the ultimate luxury. It’s the one commodity that everyone is trying to get more of because unlike money, it can never be recouped. So, wouldn’t you rather spend it doing rather than waiting? From the minute you arrive at the airport to the minute the plane’s doors are sealed shut, the global average for time spent waiting for your holiday to begin is 133 minutes. That’s enough time for a trip to your favourite cinema, a catch-up with an old friend, a leisurely lunch at a celebrated restaurant, a solid jog on a much-loved running trail … the list goes on. A staycation means that you are never in transit, never risking a cancelled flight or delay, never wondering whether your lost baggage will ever find its way to you. Instead, you can make every moment count.

You’ll see places in another light

Exploring the town or city where you live means that you give yourself an opportunity to view it through different eyes. You can lose yourself in the back streets and alleyways, meander languorously from one store to another, visit that exhibition at the museum or art gallery you’ve always wanted to see but never made it to. In our busy day-to-day lives, it’s so easy to rush past attractions and events that call out to us but we mostly ignore. With a staycation, you choose what you want to see, where you want to visit, and how you want to enjoy it. The added benefit is that nothing gets lost in translation and the comforts of home are right at your fingertips.

You set the pace

Maybe you’re the kind of traveller who enjoys the hustle and bustle, or the adrenaline rush of a packed itinerary. There’s no reason why you can’t have that on a staycation. With expert planning, you can design yourself a schedule jam-packed with activities that you’ve always dreamed about doing. Book yourself in for that bread making course, set aside a day to declutter the garden shed, whatever it is that will be fun for you. And if you’re looking to really slow down then give yourself permission to turn off your phone and tell your friends and family that you’re on holiday … because you are!

It’s the greenest option

Every day, a staggering 5 million barrels of oil fuel the aviation industry. Add to this the entire supply chain around holidays and holidaymakers including transportation, accommodation, souvenirs, clothing, food and beverages … and global tourism is responsible for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s around 4.5 gigatonnes of carbon. While it is of course possible to offset your emissions or try to reduce your carbon footprint by choosing only sustainable tourism operators, wouldn’t you enjoy your time out so much more if you knew that you weren’t generating all of that carbon in the first place? With the prospect of solar-powered planes something that we won’t likely see in our lifetime, it pays to remember that the joys of holidaying don’t always have to be at the expense of the planet and its people.

So, give yourself a much-needed break from the incessant internet searching and burden of decision making about where to go. Instead, open your eyes to the wonders and spoils to be had while holidaying on home turf. Adventure awaits.

Angelica Hannan is a secondary English teacher of more than twelve years who specialises in gifted education. She loves nothing more than helping students find exactly what it is that sparks their curiosity. Angelica is also a writer and researcher with a strong interest in sustainability, zero waste living, behavioural economics, and progressive education systems.