Simply said, bleisure is when business travellers extend their business visits by a few days to participate in leisure travel activities. After nearly 2 pandemic years of being restricted to no travel, people are trying desperately to make up for the lost time and here is how!
Employees demand for flexibility to blend
Data from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) show that after being wrecked by the COVID-19 outbreak and the quick switch to videoconferencing and virtual events, international business travel is beginning to return to normal.
Employees prefer the flexibility to combine business and pleasure travel, although there are still barriers to its acceptance, notably the fact that travel policies do not clearly define what is and isn’t allowed. While travel bans and health issues have diminished, they have been replaced by financial worries, with many travellers worried about growing travel expenses.
Bleisure is likely to take off in this situation since it allows people to enjoy a quick holiday with family and loved ones at a considerably reduced cost because travel and hotel expenses are shared by their company. This is especially true for persons who are attending MICE events or in-person conferences in local or foreign locations after a two-year break.
Flexibility, work-life balance are facilitated by hybrid and WFH employment arrangements
Prior to the pandemic, professionals confined to specific areas, such as freelancers or entrepreneurs, had a greater preference for leisure travel and workcations. This has revolutionised how people view both work and travel today. Today, individuals working across varied industries and organisations are given the opportunity to explore possibilities of remote working and bleisure travel.
Additionally, many businesses promote leisure travel to aid in employee stress reduction and boost productivity. Thus, an increasing number of working professionals are taking advantage of any chance they get to go on vacation and spend time with their families.
When it comes to bleisure travel, business travellers like to choose locations that provide peace and quiet time away from their phones and laptops. Adventure vacations that put travellers in touch with nature are popular among leisure travellers.
The popular vacation options include jungle safaris, bird watching excursions, coffee estate tours, and wellness getaways with massages and spas.
Staffs working on business activities while travelling for pleasure also get to explore new locations and change up their routine. Employees benefit from their new space while also feeling revitalised, while their overall mental health is improved by taking bleisure excursions because they are happier, experience less depression risk, and experience less stress.
Thus, it is safe to say, that bleisure is definitely back in business and here to stay. By embracing this trend and offering experiences tailored to the changing needs of business travellers, hotels are also able to increase revenue and customer loyalty by giving their guests a cause to stay longer.
Tags: Bleisure travel, Blended travel, business travellers, travellers
