WHY 'BITE-SIZED' VACATION IS THE NEW BIG IDEA

Long holidays are out; microcations are in. For India’s urban, time-starved generation, short, soul-charging getaways are fast becoming the norm. High on experience, low on logistics—this is travel redefined for the burnout era.

- NEETA LAL

Think vacation-but trimmed like a designer blazer. Welcome to the microcation: bite-sized vacations tailormade to today’s fast-paced lives. The short getaway, typically lasting two to four days, trades length for intensity, rest for rush. And it’s not just a long weekend—it’s a re-engineered travel format for the burnout-prone, time-strapped, dopamine-hungry Indian urbanite.

Indeed, the travel industry's most catalytic shift is happening on weekends. Coined circa the pandemic, the term 'microcation' exploded in popularity after lockdowns, becoming the new go-to for Millennials (aged 29-44) and Gen Z (in their 20s) looking to swap email pings for Himalayan winds—no HR approvals required. Propelled further by the remote work culture, these quick getaways—sometimes within the city or just a few hours away—fit snugly into weekends or long weekends, offering travellers the best of both worlds: a change of scenery and the ability to keep working, if needed.

As Devendra Parulekar, founder of SaffronStays, explains: "The concept of microcations-or as we call it, 'holiday snacking'-has transformed how we market private villa rentals. Gone are the days when Indian families took long domestic summer vacations. Today, extended breaks are mostly for international travel, leaving 52 weekends and 13 public holidays a year-each a chance for a short, rejuvenating escape.”