Holiday as an Investment?

I have been lucky to experience holidays — with my lovely family, friends, parents, and at times alone. No debate here that a holiday is what everyone should experience in life; it should be a basic human right, not a privilege.

However I have seen a lateral shift in my approach to holidays. Thankfully not in terms of taking more holidays, but in my approach to planning them.

So what is it that has changed? I never considered a holiday as an investment. I always considered it as an expenditure. If I could afford one, I would spend on it; if I couldn’t, I would probably be sorry about it.

I want to talk about why a holiday is an investment and needs to be planned like any other investment you make in your life — house, insurance, mutual funds, fixed deposits.

With increasing life expectancy, improved medical aid and more awareness, we are seeing an increased life span. This also means higher stress on your working life and a higher demand for you and your family to unwind. A holiday is the antidote to it.

The question is — can you afford holidays, say, 10 years from now when life poses different challenges: kids’ studies, parents’ health, your own health checks? Inflation and being on the wrong side of 50 would leave you with fewer chances of taking risks. Does it mean you stop taking holidays? Not really.

That is where you plan a holiday like an investment — an investment which leads to successful family time for the next two decades or so. You may end up buying any holiday which fits your scheme of things — budgets, life stage, family type — but invest you must. Do not consider it as an expenditure. You and your family need it.

What do you consider your holidays as — expenditure or investment? I want to leave you with that thought.