5 Things to Know About Bleisure Travelers

More travelers are combining business with pleasure: here’s what you should know to win their business.

A business traveler checks into your hotel, pulls out her laptop and knocks out some work before heading to a conference the next day. After a busy few days, she welcomes her spouse and kids, who can’t wait to jump in the hotel pool and take a weekend trip to the local zoo.

She’s part of a growing segment known as “bleisure” travelers — those who travel for work then tack on extra time to relax and vacation. And she’s in good company: about 60 percent of U.S. travelers plan to add leisure travel to an upcoming business trip, according to a 2022 white paper, “The Future of Blended Travel,” from Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts.

“Bleisure is the blending of business and leisure travel,” states Markus Keller, chief sales and distribution officer for French hospitality company Accor, in an interview with BizBash. “People travel differently now—they leave home on Wednesday night and come back on Tuesday morning, giving them the full ability to work from a hotel or co-working space on Thursday, Friday, and Monday while taking advantage of the trip to enjoy the weekend.”

Here are five things to know about lucrative bleisure travelers so you can bring them to your hotel and provide them with outstanding service:

1. Millennials lead the way in blended travel

Of all the generations, Millennials are most likely to plan bleisure travel. In fact, 90 percent of travelers from this generation took blended work-and-personal trips in the past year, according to one survey. In contrast, only 80 percent of the older Gen X and Boomer generations did the same.

2. Bleisure travelers are looking to save money

One of the main reasons these travelers tack a vacation onto a work trip: to save money. Bleisure travel offers a budget-friendly way to see the world and enjoy experiences, with the boss or company footing the bill for travel to and from the destination. About half (49 percent) of Millennials added a vacation to a work trip to save money, the survey found.

3. Travelers who add onto work trips prize wellness

Many bleisure travelers use blended travel to improve their work-life balance. And, being focused on leading balanced lives, they also prioritize wellness, the survey shows. Because these travelers put a high priority on self-care, hoteliers can serve them by offering healthy meal options, quality fitness facilities and spa amenities focused on wellbeing.

4. Bleisure travelers seek out brands that use technology well

Because they prize efficiency, work-life balance and connection, these travelers look to technology to offer them better and more seamless work-and-play travel experiences. This means they will seek out hotels that offer technology like apps, digital keys, virtual concierges and chatbots to quickly solve their issues, help them plan their trips and make the most of their stays.

5. They appreciate targeted offers

Bleisure travelers seek efficiency in both work and play. You can help them achieve that through special packages targeted specifically to bleisure travelers. This helps take planning off their plates and helps to ensure that all the details are ironed out in advance. These bleisure travel offers could include tour packages or even a room discount for business travelers who tack extra nights onto their stay.

By making an effort to understand and serve bleisure travelers, you can better tap into this important segment and growing trend.