Before the pandemic, inbound tourism to the UK was setting new records. In 2019, the 40.9 million visitors to the country spent an eye-watering £28.4 billion.

Of course, that all stopped when the country was locked down during CoVid. But as soon as the restrictions were lifted, visitor numbers started to bounce back. According to Visit Britain, by the end of 2022, they had reached around two-thirds of pre-Co-Vid levels. That is a faster recovery than has been seen in many other popular tourist areas. Interestingly, for the first time, visiting family and friends was the main reason given for traveling to the UK.

Workcations are extremely popular with remote workers

Interestingly, there is growing evidence that a significant percentage of those visitors are remote workers. People have realised that provided they deliver on time and are professional their bosses don´t care where they work from. As a result, more remote or hybrid workers are booking extra holidays.

It is a global trend. According to OYO Travelopedia 2021, 85% of remote working Indians treated themselves to a workcation. Many of them used these breaks to visit family they had not seen for a while. The UK has also seen a lot of American visitors, this year. According to a survey carried out by Passport Online, 67% of Americans who were working from home went on a workcation in 2021 and 94% of them plan to do the same in 2022.

Remote workers are enjoying longer visits to the UK

They are staying longer too. In 2019, the average stay for an inbound visitor to the UK was 7 days. Now, it is 16 days. Often, people are booking a week of annual leave, then tacking some remote work days on either side of those dates. The fact that they can work from anywhere makes this approach viable.

If you are a remote worker who wants to stay in the UK, read on. Below, we quickly explain how to find the best Wi-Fi, secure a good deal, and suggest some ways you can enjoy an extended stay.

Ensuring you always have a good connection

For most remote or hybrid workers having access to a strong, dependable, and secure connection to the web is essential. You should never assume that your journey will go smoothly. Travel delays are becoming increasingly common, so you need to be ready for them. The best approach is to equip yourself with multiple ways to connect.

Here are the options you can use while traveling to or staying in the UK:

Pick accommodation that has a reliable connection

Given that you will be spending most of your working hours in your hotel, B&B, or aparthotel it is especially important to choose one that offers decent Wi-Fi. You can find out about the best hotel Wi-Fi, in the UK, by clicking the link. The data has been put together by Broadband Genie which helps UK residents to get the best internet connections. So, it is an effective way to narrow down your options so that you can focus your accommodation search on those hotel chains that prioritise providing good Wi-Fi. But you should still read the reviews for the actual branch of the hotel you are planning to stay in.

Buy a SIM-only data card

It is also worth buying a SIM-only data card. In the UK, they are not that expensive, and most travellers will find themselves able to buy and use one in their mobile. This in-depth article explains how they work, who can use them, where to buy them, and gives you an idea of what they cost. Provided you have a good signal on your phone, you will always have a backup way to connect with your colleagues.

Investigate local co-working spaces

Another option is to use co-working spaces. They are not as in other parts of the world, but in tourist areas, you are still likely to find them. Do some research before you travel and consider pre-booking. This is particularly important for remote workers who consume a lot of data, people who need somewhere quiet to work or those who want access to facilities like photocopiers and printers.

Visit your colleagues in the UK

If you work for an international organisation, there is a good chance that they will have an office in the UK. Provided you ask in advance you can usually spend time collaborating with your colleagues there. It is a terrific way to make new connections and learn more about the company you work for.

As you can see, provided you plan carefully, staying in the UK for several weeks is a viable option for most types of remote or hybrid workers.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.