Bleisure Travel: The Rise Of Mixing Business With Pleasure

John E. Kaye
- Published
- MICE

The concept of a “‘workcation,” in which people travel to a vacation destination but work while on the trip in order to save paid time off, has been around for many years. However, “bleisure” – which merges the words leisure and business – adds extra days at the beginning or end of a business trip, thereby offering employees some additional rest and relaxation before or after diving into work.
Bleisure trips became very popular a few years ago after travel restrictions were lifted and a growing number of workers started returning to business trips. Often wanting to take their loved ones with them for a respite from the isolation everyone had been subjected to, these trips evolved into hybrids of work and pleasure.
Chrisy Ranallo, Director of Sales & Marketing at Skytop Lodge in the Pocono Mountains of northeast Pennsylvania, hosts many bleisure travelers. She explains, “Many business events have a full itinerary in a conference room setting, so they have not been able to explore the 5,500 acres and everything we have to offer. We often get requests for the group guests to extend their stays and invite their families for the weekend, since we are an easy two hour drive from Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey. Our resort offers an array of summer activities and breathtaking views for unwinding.”
Research indicates that nearly half of American workers now embrace the concept of bleisure travel, and bleisure trips currently reach a worldwide market value of nearly $600 billion. Research indicates this market is expected to grow by around 500% or more over the next decade.
According to Routespring, a top-rated travel management platform that caters to the growing bleisure travel market, around 40% of business trips are extended for bleisure travel. Bleisure trips have seen significant growth in the last decade, with estimates suggesting a 20% increase from 2016. This trend has continued to accelerate, driven by factors like changing work dynamics, the desire for more personal and work balance and the relative affordability of adding personal time to business trips. Popular forms of bleisure travel include:
- City breaks: Extending a business trip to a major city to explore its cultural attractions, museums.
- Adventure travel: Combining a work conference in a scenic location with outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, or water sports.
- Visiting friends and family: Using a work trip to catch up with loved ones in a different city or country.
- Relaxation getaways: Adding a few days to a business trip to unwind at a resort or spa.
Sign up to The European Newsletter
RECENT ARTICLES
-
XTI Aerospace launches Founders Club for TriFan 600 backers
-
AHS Properties bets on boutique exclusivity as Dubai’s luxury market booms
-
New ranking measures how Europe’s biggest retailers report on sustainability
-
I never expected the Spanish Inquisition. How bureaucracy turned my life into a Python sketch
-
CEOs who endured childhood disasters show greater appetite for risky debt, study finds
-
Galorath appoints Julia Gerth to lead EMEA and APAC sales in global expansion push
-
Drowning is a public health crisis. Governments must treat it that way
-
UK to restart trade talks with China after seven-year pause
-
AM Best affirms Active Re’s ‘A’ rating for third year running
-
Britain’s most exclusive car show returns to Hampton Court
-
UK contract recruitment rises despite slowdown in permanent hiring
-
The Tokyo war crimes trial: an explainer 77 years on
-
Forterro buys Spain’s Inology to expand southern Europe footprint
-
Singapore student start-up wins $1m Hult Prize for education platform
-
Europe’s semiconductor boom 'risks stalling without skilled talent'
-
Nigeria’s startup scene takes global stage as Lagos hosts inaugural GITEX NIGERIA
-
City and Gulf investors track golf’s newest global venture
-
UK businesses increase AI investment despite economic uncertainty, Barclays index finds
-
French CEOs warn politics and geopolitics now threaten bottom lines, ESSEC study finds
-
Study links female-dominated classrooms to higher lifetime earnings for women
-
Inside London’s £1bn super-hotel with £20k penthouses, private butlers and a gilded eagle
-
Kia America hits record monthly sales as EV demand surges
-
The European Reads: two new guides for adults living with late autism and ADHD diagnosis
-
Trump family’s crypto debut adds $5bn to fortune amid ethics row
-
Warren Buffett turns 95 – the secrets behind a $130 billion fortune