Over the last three years, there has been a lot of discussion over how and when business travel would make a resurgence — even with millions now taking persona. trips put off by lockdowns and border closures, the rise of remote work has permanently altered how many companies approach business travel.
Amid a looming recession and austerity measures needed to prevent layoffs, company leaders are often hesitant to send workers to faraway places without a strong need.
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On the other end, the rising cost of airfare and hotel stays are also pushing many workers to combine trips and squeeze more sightseeing into every destination.
Here's All You Need To Know About 'Bleisure' Travel
While the term "bleisure travel" would sporadically pop up in some corners of the internet and internet circles over the last decade, Google Trends (GOOGL) data shows a sharp spike in searches for the portmanteau of "business" and "travel" in the spring of 2023.
The term can be used to mean both adding a few days to a business trip taken through one's employer with the purpose of sightseeing or, for remote workers and freelancers, going to a destination one already wanted to see and doing one's work there.
"The rise of remote, flexible and hybrid work schedules has given professionals more autonomy than ever regarding how, when and where they work," Lorena Kurtjian Hernandez, a senior director at customer experience management company Medallia, told TheStreet. "This increased flexibility allows travelers to balance work obligations with leisure activities."
An earlier survey from Expedia (EXPE) found that 81% of business travelers also engaged in some sort of leisure activities while the average "bleisure traveler" takes 6.4 plane trips per year — significantly higher than the 1.4 estimate for the average American.
A report from Allied Market Research further calculated that the "bleisure" segment of the travel industry was worth $315.3 billion in 2022 and will reach $731.4 billion by 2032.
Given the growing market share, both airlines and hotels have been adjusting their business models to adapt to this rising group of travelers. This sometimes simply comes down to marketing one's place as "work-" or "business-friendly" but has increasingly been seeping into the booking model or even infrastructure itself — dedicated business centers and workstations within a hotel or free WiFi on economy flights.
'More Flexible Booking Options, Repurposing Hotel Space': How The Industry Is Adapting
"This could be offering more flexible booking options, repurposing a hotel space to create a coworking floor or creating service bundles that offer attractive rates for packaged services on extended stays," Hernandez said.
Another example would be hotels adjusting their room cleaning schedule to accommodate guests who need to stay in their room during the day to work — traditionally, rooms get cleaned early in the morning with the expectation that guests are out in the city for sightseeing.
According to Hernandez, those who want to reach this growing market need to above all create the perception that one's space will make it easy for the "bleisure traveler" to be productive — many are specifically searching for places that have WiFi, work stations and more quiet than a typical hotel.
"These guests are creating additional revenue opportunities, increasing hotel occupancy percentages, spending more on food, beverage and other services, while also improving local economies," she said.
