If you’re like many professionals, you’re already dreaming up your next getaway—maybe picturing yourself poolside, catching up on sleep, or binge-watching your favorite shows. But if past vacations have left you returning to work more drained than refreshed, you’re not alone. Enter the “skillcation”: a growing travel trend that blends leisure with learning, offering a more energizing kind of reset.
What Exactly Is a Skillcation?
According to Lana Peters, Chief Revenue & Experience Officer at Klaar, a *skillcation* is a vacation where you intentionally use your earned paid time off (PTO) to develop new skills or deepen existing ones—often with an eye toward career growth. Unlike traditional getaways focused solely on rest, skillcations prioritize growth as a form of rejuvenation.
David Dominguez, VP of People at Smallpdf, explains the appeal: “For high-performers—especially remote workers—learning while traveling feels like optimizing downtime. It hits the sweet spot between personal development and today’s productivity-driven culture.”
And the numbers back it up: 39% of American travelers already gravitate toward active, immersive experiences—like photography workshops, yoga retreats, or intensive language programs abroad—suggesting a cultural shift toward vacations that engage the mind as much as the body.
The Upside: Renewal Through Mastery
Dr. Marais Bester, senior consultant at SHL, notes that true renewal doesn’t always come from doing nothing. “Psychology shows that engaging in something different—especially something that challenges you—can be deeply restorative,” he says. Learning a new skill in a fresh environment creates what psychologists call a “mastery experience,” which boosts confidence, adaptability, and motivation long after the trip ends.
Laura Lindsay, global travel trends expert at Skyscanner, adds that skillcations often focus on *personal* passions outside one’s day job. “An advertising professional might spend a week in Tuscany taking cooking classes, visiting local markets, or even working on a farm,” she explains. “It’s not about upskilling for work—it’s about feeding your soul through hands-on learning.”
In fact, 42% of Americans now prioritize activity-based bookings when planning vacations, seeking out experiences tied to niche interests like botany, astronomy, line dancing, or literary retreats. These “made-for-me” journeys—Skyscanner dubs 2026 the “era of personalized travel”—are less about escaping life and more about expanding it.
The Downside: When Learning Feels Like Work
Yet, there’s a cautionary note. Dominguez warns that without clear boundaries, skillcations can morph into disguised work obligations. “The pressure to ‘make your vacation count’—especially for social media or career optics—can undermine the whole point,” he says. “Instead of burning out in the office, you’re burning out in Bali.”
Peters agrees: “Upskilling should be part of formal professional development, not something employees feel they must squeeze into their PTO.” She emphasizes that true rest—disconnecting, unwinding, and doing nothing—is essential for long-term performance and well-being.
A New Balance for the Modern Worker
Interestingly, skillcations offer a more transparent alternative to recent trends like “hushcations,” where employees secretly traveled while working remotely. With skillcations, time off is intentional, planned, and purposeful—no guilt or secrecy required.
Bester believes this trend is here to stay. “Work and life are deeply intertwined now,” he says. “People crave time away that still feels meaningful.” Skillcations meet core psychological needs—for autonomy, mastery, and connection—while fostering creativity and fresh perspectives.
In fact, forward-thinking companies are already incorporating skill-based retreats into leadership and innovation programs. Early feedback is promising: participants return more reflective, inspired, and reconnected—not just to their work, but to themselves.
The key to a successful skillcation? Choose something that genuinely excites you—not because it looks good on LinkedIn, but because it lights you up. Whether it’s pottery in Portugal, stargazing in Chile, or poetry in Paris, let passion—not pressure—guide your next escape. After all, the best kind of growth doesn’t drain you—it refuels you.