Every cloud has a silver lining, and the recession’s silver lining might be the development of a new breed of vacation: the staycation. The neologism was included in the 2009 Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, and staycations have become popular both in the USA and in the UK. Not sure if a staycation is for you? Here are the 7 top benefits you can look forward to as a staycationer:

1. Avoid Travel Mishaps
Lost luggage, aggressive shopkeepers, stolen electronics, disease-carrying food, and inexplicable delays are only a few of the more well-known travel mishaps. A staycation gives you more hands-on control and offers less opportunity for things to go terribly wrong.

2. Skip Long Queues
If you enjoy waiting in seemingly endless lines, then take that trip to Disneyworld your kids have been begging for. But a staycation gives you the opportunity to try out fun local activities during off-peak hours, when everyone else is at work. Skip the queues and spend more time having fun.

3. Put Less Strain on the Environment
Although eco-friendly tourism is becoming trendy, the fact is that any kind of travel puts a strain on the environment. Air travel, long road trips, and train journeys use fossil fuels and rely on imported products. A staycation gives you the same amount of pleasure with fewer harmful effects.

4. Steer Clear of Stress
Ever heard the expression, “I need a vacation from my vacation?” On a staycation, if you need a day off from activities, just stay home–no need to worry about “wasting” the money you’ve spent on pre-booked tours and activities. You avoid travel-related stress and can be more flexible.

5. Save Money
A lot of the stress of travel comes from feeling that you are overspending. While you may still spend money on your staycation, you can get away with a smaller budget and unexpected expenses are less likely.

6. Support the Local Economy
The money that you do spend during your staycation will go to support the local economy, which is nothing to sneeze at during a recession. You can make an extra effort to try out local privately-owned restaurants, shops and attractions that you’ve never had the time for.

7. Spend More Time Relaxing
If the point of a vacation is to relax, why does it often seem that you spend most of your time zooming from place to place? A staycation cuts down on your travel time and lets you spend the bulk of your holiday relaxing and enjoying yourself.

While a staycation has its downsides–you’re more prone to calls from work, for one–it’s an excellent alternative to the traditional vacation. And even once the economy stabilizes, the word on the streets is that staycations will continue to grow in popularity as people realize their benefits.

After going on staycation, you’ll probably be able to think of several more benefits than the seven listed above. Care to share them? Tell us by leaving a comment!

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