Bleisure travel is on the rise: Is combining business and leisure a good idea?

The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged all of us to strive for a healthier work-life balance and an overall rise in general well-being. This need for balance has resulted in an increase in domestic travel, staycations, and extended periods of work visits so that employees can enjoy a few days of leisure rather than returning home immediately. Additionally, with the “Bleisure Travel” trend gaining in popularity, business travellers are figuring out how to combine work visits with fun activities to create a memorable and rewarding travel experience. Let’s dive deeper into this rising work trend. Also read: What is skiplagging, the new air travel hack that airlines hate? What is bleisure travel? The practice of blending business travel with leisure time is known as bleisure. It entails extending your stay past your contractual obligations to explore the area, fully immerse yourself in the culture, and engage in leisure activities. Although the phrase was first used in 2009, its use surged in popularity in 2016. The two primary types of bleisure travellers are business travellers who bring friends or family along and corporate, group, or conference guests who add a few days of holiday to their business visits. In order to enjoy some downtime or local sightseeing before or after their professional commitments, leisure travellers frequently make use of flights or hotels that are paid for by their employers. In a survey by SAP Concur, it was discovered that travellers of all ages partake in bleisure travel, though millennials are more inclined than Gen Xers or Baby Boomers to do so. Also read: Why Bali is considering a ban on mountain climbing Is it growing? 78 per cent of millennials consciously include personal time during business travel, according to RegionDo. In a 2017 GBTA research, the percentage was 48 per cent prior to the epidemic. According to research from AMEX Global Business Travel, 57 per cent of organisations have a policy allowing young employees to extend business trips with vacation time. While 74 per cent of seasoned business travellers wish their company’s travel policy had a budget for entertainment, as per Swapnil Shinde, co-founder and CEO of Mezi. American bleisure travellers made an average of 6.4 business trips annually, 88 per cent of which were domestic (12 per cent were international), according to a 2023 Expedia study on bleisure travel patterns. The study also discovered that the top factors influencing a business traveller to prolong their trip were the entertainment or activities offered at the destination, the site being a “bucket list” place, and the simplicity of getting around in the area. Bleisure travel doesn’t seem to be a short-lived trend; according to an American Hotel and Lodging Association poll of international travellers conducted in 2022, 89 per cent of participants desired to include some downtime on their next business trip. [caption id=“attachment_12758952” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The practice of blending business travel with leisure time is known as bleisure. Graphic: Pranay Bhardwaj[/caption] According to a study by Allied Market Research, the travel industry’s “bleisure” segment will likely be worth $731.4 billion (~Rs 59.91 billion) by 2032 after being valued at $315.3 billion (~Rs 25.83 billion) in 2022. According to a 2017 study by SAP Concur on bleisure travel, New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles are some of the most well-liked vacation spots. Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Goa, Kerala, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad are a few of the most well-known vacation destinations in India. The SAP report states September and October are the busiest months for leisure travel. According to the GBTA, leisure travellers are more likely to hold middle management (42 per cent), executive (31 per cent) and entry-level employee (27 per cent) roles. Also read: Global tourism on track to return to pre-pandemic levels, says UN Why is it so popular? The term “bleisure travel” has gained popularity because it has several advantages for both travellers and hoteliers. According to CNBC-TV18, bleisure travel can enhance a person’s work-life balance and make them more creative and productive. They may also develop personally as a result of it. They may be able to visit a location with this form of travel at a lower cost and with fewer vacation days than if they were to take a vacation solely for leisure. However, there are also lots of benefits for businesses. An analysis by Global HR Analytics found that leaving a job is frequently for reasons other than money. With bleisure travel on the rise today, businesses may assist employees in achieving their objective of a better work-life balance. Employees demand more advantages. Along with generating intriguing outcomes, introducing novel approaches, knowing the local way of life, and engaging in fruitful dialogue, employees also improve customer satisfaction. Additionally, dependable personnel provide tremendous value to the company through their productivity. It would reduce the number of workers abandoning their positions, saving a business the cost of hiring a successor. Also read: A Good Night’s Rest: Why more people are waking up to sleep tourism in 2023 What does it mean for the hospitality industry? After a difficult few years, bleisure travel offers fresh chances in the hospitality industry and ushers in a new kind of traveller: the leisure or business traveller. According to Businesslend, this new form of travel gives hospitality providers the opportunity to provide customers with more flexible booking alternatives. The sector has a chance to win over frequent business travellers. By offering alluring trip packages, pre-planned itineraries, and customised services, hotels can highlight their relaxing sides, provide amazing experiences, and develop a following of repeat customers, reported Forbes. After a turbulent few years, the hotel sector is ready for change. And bleisure travel may very well be the catalyst for positive change. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.