A new report found that “bleisure” travel is a rapidly growing trend, especially among frequent business travelers who take five or more trips per year. Three-quarters of the respondents said they have extended business trips for leisure purposes in the past year, in most cases multiple times, according to the Great Hotels of the World (GHOTW) survey.
Highlights from the survey include the following:
- While technology becomes increasingly popular, human interaction remains essential.
- Half of those considered “frequent business travelers” (meaning they take five or more trips per year) choose upscale hotels, while less than 20% of infrequent business travelers (three to four times a year) choose them. Only 10% that travel occasionally (one to two times a year) stay at upscale hotels.
- 44% of travelers say that bleisure is a rising trend that will increase further in the future.
- The majority of bleisure travelers (59%) booked the leisure part of their trip directly with the accommodation provider; 22% of frequent travelers booked the leisure part of the trip through a corporate travel agent.
- The majority of bleisure travelers (56%) bring family or friends; 43% travel solo. When travelers are joined by family/friends for the leisure part of the trip, 72% are joined by one person; 29% indicated that the leisure part of their trip involves three or more people.
- 72% of survey respondents stayed in the same accommodation for the leisure and business parts of their trip. For those who changed accommodations, budget was an important issue.
Source: Hotel Business
