FEATURE: Bleisure Travel: A New Trend in Tourism?

HUMANS ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS IT LESSENS THE STRESS OF EMPLOYEES?

BLEISURE TRAVEL:

A NEW TREND IN TOURISM? WRITTEN BY: ALAINA CHERESE OLAEZ A new type of tourism emerges as the world combats the lingering effects of COVID⸺bleisure travel. It is a term that describes travelers who squeeze a little bit of leisure in their business travels. Business travelers attach a day or two at the beginning or end of their business trip to explore a destination, relax and recharge, or attend an event. Some travelers even bring along their friends and family and take the chance to scratch out a destination off of their bucket list.

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new type of tourism emerges as the world combats the lingering effects of COVID⸺bleisure travel. It is a term that describes travelers who squeeze a little bit of leisure in their business travels. Business travelers attach a day or two at the beginning or end of their business trip to explore a destination, relax and recharge, or attend an event. Some travelers even bring along their friends and family and take the chance to scratch out a destination off of their bucket list.

Bleisure was gaining traction before the pandemic; COVID accelerated its prevalence.

COVID’s infectious transmission abruptly halted business operations and forced employees to work from home. This led to the blurring between employees’ personal and work life since the past two years were spent in Zoom calls and lockdown. Workers have gotten used to remote working conditions which allowed more flexibility and a demand for an alternative workplace. An SAP Concur survey finds that employees worked in a coffee shop (70%), lobby (64%), and waiting room (57%) instead of a traditional office. Though it seems like employees can “work from anywhere,” a hybrid workplace will not necessarily eradicate traditional business travel. Humans are social

animals; it is in our nature to interact with each other in person. From a business standpoint, a personal interaction better nurtures the company: it improves the company culture, fosters relationships with clients, and helps seal or make deals. There is something about human connection that digitalization and technology cannot replace. In that sense, the need to meet in-person through traditional business travel will always be there.

In addition to the change in work culture and the rise in domestic leisure travel, business travelers now search for authenticity and sustainability. In fact, 69% of travelers expect the tourism industry to have sustainable travel options available. Travelers also prefer hotels that offer the amenities they want⸺what services hotels can provide beyond the hotel room. More hotels are including: A suitable workplace: Bleisure travelers’ top priority is their work commitment, so they need amenities they can comfortably and efficiently access for work. They need free Wifi that is strong enough for multiple work tabs and video conferences. Hotels should also provide desks with an ergonomic chair and plenty of accessible outlets in case travelers need to charge multiple devices.

Childcare and kid-friendly amenities: Hotels should avail guest rooms with enough space for bleisure travelers that bring their families along with them. Family members also want to enjoy while the business traveler works like chilling by the pool, spending time at the playground, or maximizing the babysitting service.

Concierge services and local recommendations: Bleisure travelers may not have as much time to plan activities to do in their free time and would appreciate it if hotels could give recommendations or help in securing tickets to attractions or events.

Bleisure is no passing fad. Many companies are becoming more comfortable with their employees working outside the walls of a traditional office. They recognize that bleisure lessens the stress of employees and promotes job satisfaction, employee retention, and workers’ mental health. A satisfied employee is a better asset to the company since it promotes productivity and employee retention.

Companies’ acceptance of bleisure travel invites young talented employees since they are extending the travel perks throughout the organization instead of reserving them exclusively for the higher ups. According to

Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), many bleisure travelers hold middle management positions (42%), followed by executives (31%) and entry-level employees (27%). There is also a growing number of millennials who are going on business trips, averaging 7.4 trips a year. Companies may further adjust their policies and work environment to appeal to millenials, who are growing in power and numbers in the workforce.

COVID caused travelers’ mindset to change significantly. Since international borders were closed, there has been a demand for domestic travel, staycations, and bleisure travel.

Especially with the ongoing global inflation, travelers will opt for a more cost-effective option to travel (which is adding a few days to their business trip instead of planning a separate trip altogether). Pandemic fatigue also contributes as travelers crave for any kind of getaway and a change of scenery as a stressreliever. With the resurgence of bleisure travel, the tourism industry can be less dependent on the peak travel periods during holidays and school vacations. Bleisure can keep the tourism industry afloat during off-peak seasons and may just be the key to help the industry recover.