Humans are creative. We are especially creative when we need to create new names for new trends (in travel). That is how staycation and glamping originated just a few odd years ago. Today we will cover the growing popularity of bleisure travel in the B2B travel industry.
What is Bleisure Travel?
The phrase "bleisure travel," which combines the words "business" and "leisure," describes the practice of mixing work trips with leisure time so that travelers can extend their trips for personal interests. Employees have been increasingly seeking a better balance between their personal and professional lives in recent years, which has increased the amount of leisure travel.
Employees can take advantage of a new location, try new things to do, and see new views while still being productive and taking care of their job commitments by extending a business trip by a few extra days. Bleisure travel is growing more prevalent and might continue to grow in popularity in the future as more businesses realize the importance of employee satisfaction and work-life balance.
Bleisure travel differs from traditional business travel in that it includes a personal element, whereas traditional business travel is solely focused on work. Bleisure travel also differs from leisure travel in that it is primarily work-focused, with the addition of personal activities as a secondary objective.
Some interesting statistics on bleisure travel show that
1) Six in 10 US workers plan to add leisure time to their next business trip.
2) 80% of business travelers have engaged in bleisure in recent years.
3) 40% of travel managers reported a significant spike in interest in bleisure trips in August 2022—10% more than in February.
4) 46% of bleisure travelers do it because it makes business trips more fun.
The Benefits of Bleisure Travel for B2B Travelers
For B2B travelers, leisure travel can provide a number of advantages. The chance to attain a better work-life balance is one of the main advantages. Employees can prevent burnout and tiredness from nonstop work and travel by scheduling downtime into a business trip. Increased job happiness, productivity, and general wellbeing can result from this. Employees are more likely to perform better on the job and feel more devoted to their organization and work when they are both personally and professionally fulfilled.
Bleisure travel can offer chances for cultural enrichment and personal growth in addition to work-life balance. Employees can widen their perspectives and deepen their understanding of other cultures by visiting new places and taking part in novel activities.
The Benefits of Bleisure Travel for B2B Travel Companies
For B2B travel agencies, leisure travel can also provide important advantages. Companies may boost employee loyalty and retention by giving their staff the option to partake in bleisure travel. Long-term retention is higher at companies where employees feel valued and supported by their employers. Companies that provide leisure travel as a reward may also have an edge in luring and hiring top talent. As a result, the staff may become more talented and varied, which may ultimately increase the bottom line of the business.
Companies can promote a more upbeat and supportive work atmosphere by demonstrating that they appreciate their employees' personal well-being. Increased employee satisfaction, productivity, and general company morale can result from this.
Bleisure Travel Trends to Watch in B2B
There are various trends in the B2B travel sector to keep an eye on as bleisure travel gains popularity. The rising use of technology to support virtual business meetings and networking is one of the most important trends. Now that remote work and digital communication are more common, businesses can carry out many of their operations online. An increasing emphasis has been placed on eco-friendly lodgings and sustainable travel options as more businesses work to lower their carbon footprints.
Conclusion
Finally, bleisure travel is a growingly well-liked trend in the B2B travel sector. More and more business travelers are attempting to prolong their visits for leisure activities as the distinction between work and play becomes hazier. Traveling for pleasure can have a variety of advantages for both individuals and businesses, including better work-life balance, increased productivity, increased job satisfaction, opportunities for personal growth and cultural immersion, reduced stress and burnout, increased employee loyalty and retention, an advantage in attracting top talent, increased revenue potential, and a positive effect on workplace morale and culture.