Not such a bad day at the office
RESPONDING TO A NEW BREED OF DIGITAL NOMADS, SOME COUNTRIES ARE OFFERING TOURISTS OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK, REST AND PLAY. SARAH MARSHALL REPORTS
FOR more than a year now, many of us have been working from home, and even though many offices are set to re-open this summer, it looks like remote working – in some form or another – is here to stay.
But why stick to loading up a laptop at home? In our increasingly connected digital world, it’s easy to stay in touch, opening up options to perform tasks from almost anywhere.
Responding to an increasing demand for ‘workstations’, hotels are offering longer stay packages and governments are even tempting tourists with extended visas. Seeking a new working environment? You could hot-desk in these exotic climes...
MAURITIUS
Fancy topping up your tan while tapping away and dipping toes into the Indian Ocean? Open to tourists, retirees or professionals who would like to work remotely, a new Premium Visa (business.edbmauritius.org) allows foreigners to reside in Mauritius for a year with an option to renew for those who comfortably settle into beach life. To help visitors with their move, the scheme offers an ‘arrival concierge’ to assist with issues such as banking or finding a car.
Keen applicants must provide proof of accommodation, along with adequate health and travel insurance. And as long as applicants promise not to enter the local labour market, they are free to conduct their business from afar. The only downside is a mandatory 14-day in-room hotel quarantine, with PCR tests on day 7 and 14.
Also, anyone spending more than 183 days in the country is liable to pay tax. But on the plus side, the visa is available free of charge and includes a free Covid vaccination. Alternatively, if you just fancy a long holiday, a regular tourist visa is available for anyone who wants to stay up to 180 days in a calendar year.
Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels (beachcomber-hotels.com) offers a 65% discount for long-term stays of at least two months. Meanwhile, Heritage Resorts (heritageresorts.mu), located on Domaine de Bel Ombre on the south coast, offers two-month stays in a three-bed villa from £2,800 per month, including all utilities, daily housekeeping, pool and garden maintenance, complimentary wi-fi and use of a golf cart, plus free daily green fees.