# Staycation

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Vacation taken within one's own home or territory

Relaxing in a home swimming pool is a typical staycation pursuit.

In Hong Kong, the term may refer to a [domestic tourism](/source/Domestic_tourism) vacation at a hotel or accommodation elsewhere in the territory.

A **staycation** (a [portmanteau](/source/Portmanteau) of "stay" and "vacation") is a recreational break spent at home or within a [both-ways day's trip](/source/Day_trip) distance of it, requiring no overnight accommodation.[1] In the UK, Ireland and Hong Kong, the term has increasingly come to encompass [domestic tourism](/source/Domestic_tourism), or taking a holiday in one's resident country or territory as opposed to traveling abroad.[2][3][4][5][6] In Hong Kong, the term has also come to mean a vacation spent staying in a nearby hotel or accommodation.[6]

Common activities of a staycation include the use of a home [pool](/source/Swimming_pool), visits to local [parks](/source/Park) and [museums](/source/Museum), and attendance at local [festivals](/source/Festival) and [amusement parks](/source/Amusement_park). Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.[7]

Staycations achieved popularity in the U.S. during the [Great Recession](/source/Great_Recession) of the late 2000s.[8][9] In 2020, they became common because of the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic).[10]

## Etymology

The word *staycation* is a [portmanteau](/source/Portmanteau) of *stay* (meaning stay-at-home) and *vacation*.[11][12] The term *[daycation](/source/Daycation)* is also sometimes used.[9] Merriam-Webster cites the earliest use in the 18 July 1944 Cincinnati Enquirer. [13] The term was used by Canadian comedian [Brent Butt](/source/Brent_Butt) in the television show *[Corner Gas](/source/Corner_Gas)*, in the episode "Mail Fraud", which first aired 24 October 2005. The word became widely used in the United States during 2008, when gas prices reached record highs, leading many people to cut back on expenses including travel.[14][12] The term was added to the 2009 version of [Merriam-Webster's *Collegiate Dictionary*](/source/Merriam%E2%80%93Webster's_Collegiate_Dictionary).[15] However, [Lake Superior State University](/source/Lake_Superior_State_University) added the word to its 2009 List of Banished Words. The citation noted that *vacation* is not synonymous with *travel*, and thus a separate term is not necessary to describe a vacation during which one stays at home.[16]

## Benefits

Staycations are likely to be less costly than a vacation involving distant traveling. There may be no lodging costs, and travel expenses may be minimal. Costs may include [transportation](/source/Transportation) for local trips, [dining](/source/Dining), and local attractions.[17] According to the American Automobile Association, "the average North American vacation will cost $244 per day for two people for lodging and meals" and "Add some kids and airfare, and a 10-day vacation could top $8,000."[17]

Staycations are likely to avoid some of the stress associated with travel, such as [jet lag](/source/Jet_lag), packing, long drives, or waits at [airports](/source/Airport).[18]

Staycations may also be of economic benefit to some local businesses, who get customers only from the area providing them with business. In 2008, the tourism bureaus of many U.S. cities also began promoting staycations for their residents to help replace the tourism dollars lost from a drop in out-of-town visitors.[7]

## Risks

Staycationers may spend money they had not planned as retailers and other advertisers offer "deals".[19] Staycationers can also finish a stay-at-home vacation feeling unsatisfied if they allow themselves to fall into their daily monotony and include household projects, errands, and other tasks in their vacation at home or near home.[7]

## See also

- [Day trip](/source/Day_trip)

- [Domestic tourism](/source/Domestic_tourism)

- [Tourism](/source/Tourism)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Definition of Staycation"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171020113659/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/staycation). English Oxford Living Dictionaries. Archived from [the original](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/staycation) on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Rallying call for UK 'staycation'"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7952280.stm). BBC News. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["UK holidaymakers opt for a 'staycation' in the Britain \[*sic*\]"](https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jul/17/holiday-staycationing-uk-travel-seaside-towns). *The Guardian*. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["STAYCATION noun definition and synonyms"](https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/staycation). Macmillan Dictionary macmillandictionary.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Staycation definition and meaning"](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/staycation). Collins English Dictionary collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-hongkong_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-hongkong_6-1) Heung, Sammy (15 June 2021). ["Beware of Hong Kong hotels' staycation traps, consumer watchdog warns"](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3137398/beware-hong-kong-hotels-staycation-traps-warns-citys). *South China Morning Post*. Retrieved 14 August 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-amazon.com_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-amazon.com_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-amazon.com_7-2) Wixon, Matt (18 March 2009). *The Great American Staycation: How to Make a Vacation at Home Fun for the Whole Family*. Adams Media. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781605506562](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781605506562).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Get away on vacation — at home"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130307074616/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23580960). NBC News. 12 March 2008. Archived from [the original](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23580960) on March 7, 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated3_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated3_9-1) ["The Ultimate Staycation Guide"](https://englishcountryhouse.co.uk/staycation/). Retrieved 25 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Farr, Christina (5 May 2020). ["When will we start traveling again? Here's what experts are saying"](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/05/when-will-travel-resume-after-coronavirus.html). CNBC. Retrieved 18 June 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Wordspy_11-0)** ["staycation"](http://www.wordspy.com/words/staycation.asp). Word Spy. Retrieved 2 August 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-blogs_consumerreports_org_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-blogs_consumerreports_org_12-1) ["Buzzword: Staycation"](http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2008/04/staycation.html). Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog. Retrieved 2 August 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["The Secret History of 'Staycation'"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/staycation-date-meaning). Retrieved 2024-06-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Goldman, David (2008-05-07). ["Congress takes on gasoline prices"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080512231517/http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/07/news/economy/gas_prices_hearing/). CNN. Archived from [the original](https://money.cnn.com/2008/05/07/news/economy/gas_prices_hearing/) on May 12, 2008. Retrieved 2010-05-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Locavores, staycations get official in dictionary"](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-words-dictionary-idUSTRE5690LE20090710). *Reuters*. 10 July 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Lake Superior State University 2009 List of Banished Words" 1 January 2009](https://www.lssu.edu/banished-words-list/banished-word-list-archive/)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated2_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated2_17-1) ["Avoiding high gas prices with a 'staycation'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305115041/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24859538/). *[NBC News](/source/NBC_News)*. 29 May 2008. Archived from [the original](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24859538) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_18-0)** ["Staycations: Alternative to pricey, stressful travel"](http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/06/12/balance.staycation/). CNN. 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2010-05-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Retailers promote 'staycation' sales"](https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-05-24-staycations_N.htm). USA Today. 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2010-05-24.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Staycation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staycation) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staycation?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.