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Bleisure... What it is and Why it Matters /  by JJ Singh

by: Elska Vuong

Bleisure.  It doesn't roll off the tongue.  It sounds unappetizing, gross even.  But it's a major hospitality trend and it's not going away anytime soon.

Not to be confused with a ‘workcation’ – where employees work on the road rather than taking time off – bleisure (a portmanteau of ‘business’ and ‘leisure’) refers to the practice of tacking on extra time before or after a business trip for leisure. 

“bleisure (a portmanteau of ‘business’ and ‘leisure’) refers to the practice of tacking on extra time before or after a business trip for leisure”

 

A study commissioned by the Expedia Group found that in 2016, 43% of US business trips were bleisure trips. In 2017, that number had increased to 60%, almost a 40% increase in one year! Business travelers – particularly millennials – are increasingly opting to mix business with pleasure, extending their trip typically by a day or two so they can experience their destination beyond the meeting room or convention center.

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So what does this mean for the hospitality industry?

  • Whether a business trip turns into a bleisure trip is primarily driven by the availability of enticing leisure activities. Unsurprisingly, food, beaches, and entertainment options (i.e., sightseeing and culture options) are major factors in determining whether travelers turn a business trip into a bleisure trip.
  • Overwhelmingly, business travelers visiting a city for a conference are the most likely to turn the excursion into a bleisure trip. Host conferences, hold audiences.
  • Bleisure travelers typically spend less time researching their destination than they would on a leisure trip, so marketers have an opportunity to reach and convert travelers mid-trip, particularly for add-on products like dining, entertainment, tours and activities.
  • Bleisure travelers typically remain at the same hotel for the duration of their trip – so a 1-2-night stay can easily convert into 3-4 nights
  • A third of bleisure trips are in a different city as the business trip, which means travelers are willing to travel from their business destination for leisure.  

Ultimately, bleisure can be big business for destinations both big and small, you just need to know how to target them.