What Makes Remote Year Different Than Other Travel Options?

Today, there are travel options available that fit everyone's needs, goals, and lifestyle. At Remote Year, we couldn't be more excited that there are platforms to help different types of travelers explore the world. At the end of the day, no matter how you travel, the world changes for the better when we come in contact with new cultures, new people, and new perspectives. 

We wanted to share what makes a Remote Year travel program stand out from the crowd - all in the hopes of connecting with others around the world who also travel the Remote Year way - with community, adventure, and experiences being the heart of it all. 

With the most experience in the industry and the largest community in the work and travel space, we are excited for you to learn more about our unique programming and for you to see if it’s the right fit for you.  

What Does Remote Year Do? 

Here at Remote Year, we carefully curate community-based travel programs, enabling like-valued individuals to live, work, and grow in the most inspiring locations on the planet. 

In fact, since the company was founded in 2015, over 3,000 remote professionals have set off on an international journey and changed their life by participating in one of our carefully curated travel programs. Currently, we run 4 different types of travel programs: Retreats, Work and Travel, Learn and Travel, and Business Programs for Companies. 

• Retreats are an opportunity to step away from your day-to-day and recharge for a week in an inspiring location. 

• Work and Travel Programs let you bring your job & live like a local in inspiring destinations for 1, 4, or 12 months. 

• Learn and Travel Programs allow you to grow your skills & develop professionally through impactful group learning for 1, 4, or 12 months. 

• Business Programs for Companies allow organizations to invest in their teams through customized global programs. 

No matter the program you choose, we take care of the logistics - the accommodations, professional workspace, travel between destinations, signature curated experiences and programming, full-time staff, and access to a health & safety service. This way, you can focus on the thrilling adventures and personal and professional growth you’ll experience with your newfound community! 

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Community: Travel Is All About the People 

If there's one thing we've learned in the past year, it's that we all need meaningful connections and community in life. Joining Remote Year programs grants you automatic membership into our global community of like-valued professionals - The Remote Nation. Within your program’s community and the broader Remote Nation community, you'll create many deep and meaningful connections that last the rest of your life. 

In fact, almost everyone who goes on a Remote Year Program values their community the most when asked about their experience. These communities stay in touch over many years, plan reunions, and even continue to travel together, whether that be with Remote Year or independently. Best friends, business partners, and even romantic relationships are formed on programs every day. 

Unique, Carefully Curated Local Experiences: Experience a New City In the Most Authentic Way Possible 

As a solo traveler, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on some of the more enveloping experiences that a destination has to offer, simply because you’re a tourist, not a local (yet!). 

When you travel with a Remote Year program, you’ll participate in curated experiences as well as personalized recommendations from our local, on-the-ground staff members who know the city like the back of their hand. Whether you need a restaurant recommendation, want to know the gyms in town, or simply have general questions about the city, they have you covered. 

City Teams curate local Tracks™ that give you a unique perspective into the local history and culture of your destination. 

Think of it this way... 

• Learning how to craft knives from masters who have passed down this ancient art for generations in Hanoi. 

• Sitting down with Nelson Mandela’s former warden in Cape Town to hear about the legendary leader firsthand. 

• Taking a private tour through Medellín, learning the stories behind the city’s violent past and how it was interpreted through graffiti murals directly from the street artists. 

These are the kinds of once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you can expect on a Remote Year program. ‍

Planning and Logistics: From Flights, to Coworking Spaces and Wifi, to Accommodation, We've Got You Covered

Traveling solo means days spent researching flight deals and trying to find Airbnbs, hotels, or hostels that fit your budget and meet your standards. As a member of the Remote Year community, you don’t have to worry about the travel details - we take care of all of that for you.

Your flights between destinations on your itinerary, access to great coworking spaces, and your accommodations are carefully planned for you before you arrive at your destination. Typically you’ll live in a great neighborhood of the city in a 2-3 bedroom apartment (with 1-2 roommates), a 15-20 minute walk from the coworking space. Not only does our local, on-the-ground Remote Year staff take care of all of this for you, but they are also the people that you can count on if anything goes awry.

Since Remote Year is a work and travel experience that is built for professional working remotely, we make sure we only travel during weekend hours, have lighter programming Monday - Friday to respect your work week and focus on having an extremely stable working environment ready for you (fast wifi, beautiful coworking spaces, and more). 

Remote Year also offers you another layer of safety on top of the planning and logistics -  International SOS. As a participant you will have access to International SOS, the leader in global safety and security, to and provide recommendations and support to you if you need urgent or non-urgent medical support.

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Our Staff: The Magic of Remote Year

Remote Year has two types of staff for you at all times: Program Leaders and Local Staff. 

Program Leaders: Your Remote Year program will be joined by a Program Leader, a member of the Remote Year team who will guide you throughout your journey. This person will work closely with the Local City Manager to curate community-building experiences and provide you with great customer service throughout your Remote Year experience. They will travel with your community for the entire experience. 

Local Staff: Remote Year has a staff of 1-2 locals in every city. These Remote Year staff were typically born and raised in the city you're visiting and are excited to share their culture and homes with participants. 

The City Team is responsible for setting up the foundation of your experience in each city by selecting the neighborhood, accommodations, and workspace in which you will be living and working in. They also carefully curate unique local events and provide recommendations so you can experience the best of each city and explore the hidden local gems.

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Travel Team: You'll Never Have to Navigate Between Cities Alone 

Remote Year programs provide door-to-door transportation between each stop on your itinerary, including airport transportation to and from your apartment. 

Since participants are working while traveling, the Travel Team plans the itinerary in a way that doesn’t interfere with most work hours, and guarantees group travel falls between Friday evening and Monday morning local time. 

In addition, the travel team provides flexibility - if you want to reroute one of your flights to stop somewhere for a weekend trip or go home for a week in between destinations, the travel team will help you with these changes and use your existing ticket to cover part of the cost. 

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What Travel Program Is Right for You?

Whether you choose a Remote Year program, another travel program, or decide to travel the globe on your own, Remote Year is proud to be part of the work and travel movement - fostering an environment for remote professionals to travel the world, expand their perspectives, and change their lives. 

If you have any questions, feel free to submit them here or email hello@remoteyear.com anytime. We’d love to meet you!