Business travellers are craving more than just a boardroom and a hotel bed. They want to experience the destinations they visit. In fact, about 50% of travellers want to extend their work trips for some leisure time, especially if there's good food and exciting sights to see. Bleisure travel is the answer, and hotels that cater to this trend are poised for success.
Read this blog as we walk you through the ins and outs of bleisure travel and help you make some good revenue out of this rapidly growing segment.
Did you know that the global bleisure travel market was valued at USD 933.31 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.1% from 2023 to 2030?
What is Bleisure Travel?
Business travellers are over the same old routine—boardrooms, hotel rooms, repeat. They're hungry for adventure, a chance to experience the places they visit. They seek bleisure travel by either arriving early to feel the local vibes before diving into meetings or extending their stay for post-work sightseeing trips.
This makes bleisure travel a win-win for everyone involved. Employees come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle their tasks, and companies can use that mini-vacation as a sweet perk to keep their teams motivated.
So, who are bleisure travellers?
The short answer is they could be anybody. They could be frequent fliers or professionals from all sorts of industries, from healthcare to tech. Age doesn't matter either—Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers are all getting in on the bleisure trend.
How are Bleisure Travellers Different from Digital Nomads?
First things first, both bleisure travellers and digital nomads love to pack their bags for a work trip. But bleisure travellers and digital nomads live very different lives on the road.
Bleisure Traveller
Home Sweet Home: They've got roots. A regular place to come back to between those work trips.
Corporate Perks: Catch those business travel discounts on flights and hotels.
The 9-to-5 (and then some): Often hold traditional jobs, squeezing in sightseeing around meetings.
Social Butterfly: Loves making connections with colleagues and locals on their travels.
Digital Nomad
Home is Where the Wi-Fi Is: The world is their office, choosing where to live and work as they go.
Paying Their Own Way: No corporate discounts here, but they budget like pros!
Freelancers and Entrepreneurs: Call their own shots when it comes to their work.
The Solo Journey (Often): They can be more isolated than bleisure travellers, but online communities are a lifeline.
What do Bleisure Travellers Look for In Hotels?
To make your hotel the perfect fit for these work-and-play guests, here's what to keep in mind:
The Workspace Upgrade: Bleisure travellers may be on a mini-vacation, but those work commitments still come first. Make sure their room is a productivity haven with super-fast (and free!) Wi-Fi and a comfortable desk setup. Provide plenty of outlets and a chair that won't leave them with a sore back.
Family-Friendly Fun: It's not uncommon for bleisure travellers to have their loved ones in tow. Spacious rooms for everyone to spread out are a huge plus, especially if you can offer a separate bedroom for those work calls and bedtime differences. Keep the family entertained with a pool, nearby attractions, or even babysitting services so the business traveller can focus.
The Inside Scoop: Bleisure travellers are often short on time to plan their leisure activities. Be their go-to guide for the coolest local spots. A helpful concierge who can snag tickets or offer insider tips will make you their favourite destination.
How Can Hotels Become Bleisure-Travel Ready?
Ready to tap into the profitable world of bleisure travel? Here's your roadmap:
1. Promote Your Bleisure Focus
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are your direct line to those work-and-play travellers. Promote your hotel, special packages, and all those awesome extras that make your place the perfect bleisure spot.
But don't just broadcast—engage. Connect with potential guests, answer questions, and start building those relationships. Stay active, share eye-catching visuals, and keep your content fresh.
2. Plan their Stay
Bleisure travellers are short on time, so take the planning burden off their shoulders! Design curated activity packages (2-4 days) bursting with local flavour. Think delicious dining experiences showcasing local cuisine, exciting outdoor adventures like hikes or water sports, and sightseeing tours that unveil the hidden gems of your area.
Provide this information to planners in advance—they'll be happy to promote these itineraries to attendees, essentially doing your marketing for you.
3. Think of their family
Did you know nearly 60% of bleisure travellers have kids at home? Parents are just as eager to mix work and play as solo travellers.
You don't need to build a whole summer camp, but offering a few kid-friendly perks can make your venue a bleisure superstar. Consider having pool games, a fun craft corner, or s'mores by the setting sun. These simple touches make family bleisure trips unforgettable (and way less stressful for the work-travelling parent!).
4. Sweeten the Deal for a Longer Stay
It's a fact you can't give individual travellers the same deep discounts as MICE travellers, but that doesn't mean you can't make those extended stays irresistible.
Event planners can snag a special discount if they book leisure time into those business itineraries. They can then use it as a sweet bonus for their attendees or leave it to the employee for an extra dose of work-trip excitement.
And for those bleisure travellers who decide to linger a little longer, surprise them with something special like a voucher for a free meal at your restaurant, a happy hour on the house, or any other perk that'll make them feel valued.
5. Have a Work Zone
Work mode needs its own zone. A boardroom, a quiet work lounge, or literally anything to put some space between that hotel room and the workday. This is important even without kids in the picture.
Nobody wants to focus on a big presentation with traffic noise drifting in from the balcony or their travel colleague chatting on the phone. A separate work zone lets them switch gears and get the job done right.
6. Use Property Management System
A Property Management System (PMS) keeps track of rooms, bookings, and all those important guest details. For bleisure travellers, this is especially handy because you can see their entire trip plan at a glance—business check-in date, any room upgrades they requested for a more productive stay, and even any leisure activities they've booked through the hotel.
The PMS lets you personalise their experience from the moment they arrive.
Imagine a guest who's booked a conference room for their team. The PMS can help you ensure that space is prepped with everything they need, like A/V equipment and catering. On the flip side, if a guest has a late-night flight after their sightseeing adventures, the PMS can help you streamline a late check-out so they can accommodate in some extra relaxation before their journey home.
7. Create an Exclusive Rewards Programme
Traditional rewards programmes can feel a bit stuffy for bleisure folks mixing work and play. Why not shake things up with a scheme just for them? Create loyalty programmes that can be used for room upgrades or a fancy dinner out.
You could also have "bleisure bundles" that combine workspace essentials with fun perks like discounted tickets to local attractions or partnerships with restaurants for exclusive dining experiences.
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Charge Extra
Bleisure travellers are looking for a special experience, and that often includes pampering and unique activities. If your regular guests aren't always booking spa days or those fancy lunches, bleisure travellers might be more interested.
Since many have the luxury of a company expense account, they're willing to treat themselves. That said, don't overcharge. Nobody likes feeling taken advantage of. Focus on providing amazing experiences worth the price and you'll build a loyal following.
Parting Thoughts
The future of business travel is bleisure, and hotels that cater to this trend will thrive. Bleisure travellers crave experiences, not just a bed. Offer work-friendly spaces, family fun, and local insights to become their go-to destination. Everyone wins: happy, recharged guests and a booming hotel business. Welcome the bleisure boom!
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