Mumbai only Indian city among world’s top workcation destinations
MUMBAI: Mumbai has emerged as a prominent workcation destination earning a Total Score of 77 in the latest IWG's Work from Anywhere Index, which assesses cities for their support of remote work while traveling. This places Mumbai among other important cities like Bangkok, Tokyo and Barcelona that scored 106.5, 96.5 and 95.5 respectively and highlights its competitive stance ahead of major global cities like London and Miami.
The index evaluates various criteria essential for remote work, including climate, broadband speed, accommodation, transport, food, culture and flexible workspaces.
Mumbai's inclusion in the 2026 Index signifies advancements in India’s remote work infrastructure and its appeal to professionals blending work with travel. The city excels in factors such as transport costs, coworking space availability, climate, and accommodation options.
However, it faces challenges in areas like broadband speed and local events affecting its overall score. Notably, India has achieved a perfect score of 100 on Cushman & Wakefield's flex workspace maturity index, outperforming countries like the UK, France and the US.
As the largest flexible office market in the APAC region, India possesses 79.7 million sq ft of flexible workspace, poised to surpass 100 million sq ft by 2026. Mumbai stands out alongside cities like Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Pune and Hyderabad enhancing a robust professional workspace ecosystem that caters to both local companies and international remote workers.
In the broader context, Bangkok has topped this year's global rankings, maintaining its status as a well-connected, affordable city with vibrant travel appeal. Following Bangkok are Tokyo and Barcelona, with additional cities like Porto, Vancouver, Budapest and Medellin enhancing the diversity of desirable workcation spots. The index reflects a trend where the ideal workcation destination is characterized by efficient connectivity and a rich cultural experience rather than mere holiday potential.
Recent research shows that a significant number of employees (51%) benefit from work from anywhere (WFA) policies that have positively influenced work-life balance (90% satisfaction) and productivity (80% improvement). Such policies are becoming integral to career decisions with 80% of workers valuing them in job attractiveness and 62% considering job changes for better WFA offerings.