It Is Time for Businesses to Start to Include Leisure Travel Extensions in Their Policies

2022 was a breakthrough year for bleisure travel, which is the trend of adding leisure time onto business meetings and travel. 2023 is already shaping up to be an even stronger year for the trend. A recent survey of those who travel internationally indicated that nine out of ten of those polled wished to incorporate some time for leisure into their upcoming business trips. It is abundantly evident that there is a demand and desire on the part of workers; it is now time for businesses to take action and incorporate 'bleisure' options into their policies.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, business travel has evolved significantly from its pre-pandemic state. In today's workplaces, maintaining the distinction between one's personal and professional lives has become increasingly difficult. So, the line between work trips and leisure trips is becoming increasingly blurred. According to a recent Expedia study, more than 60 percent of business travelers extend business trips for a little leisure time fun which = bleisure (business + leisure) travel. 

What factors are contributing to the growth of the bleisure travel market?

Travel is becoming increasingly important to businesses as a means of keeping their cultures consistent in the face of an increasingly dispersed and distributed workforce. Traveling for company meetings, events, and off-site meetings, has surpassed all others as the primary purpose for business travels.

"Bleisure" is a term used to describe a type of travel that combines both business and leisure activities. It's a way for business travelers to add some fun and relaxation to their work trips.

This means that people who either infrequently traveled for work or never at all are now suddenly required to do so. These new types of business travelers have a tendency to view traveling to a different region of the world for work as a career benefit rather than a job duty. To effectively manage business travel for business travelers from the millennial and Gen Z generations, businesses will need new tools, an expanded view of what business travel might be, and the capacity to personalize the travel experience to the specific needs of each individual traveler. The thought of going home having just seen the interior of airports and conference rooms can be a disheartening experience for some travelers, which is why they are drawn to the idea of extending their trips somewhat so that they have more time to explore.

Company benefits, perks, bonuses

Because there are so many travelers currently on the road who are looking for new and exciting experiences, businesses have the chance to flip the script and use bleisure travel as a bonus for their employees. It's a good plan: in the current cutthroat competition to supply perks, permitting leisure extensions is not only simple, but it's almost as good as giving them away for free.

In point of fact, leisure extensions may even bring about some rather significant cost savings for businesses: If business travelers were permitted to prolong their visits, they might choose to fly on days with lower demand, which would result in lower airfare. And considering that the corporation will be paying for transportation regardless, why not give workers the opportunity to extend their break time as long as they are responsible for covering their own costs?

Decompressing is absolutely necessary in today's world

More than half of office workers in the United States still report feeling burned out on the job, despite the fact that the pandemic's impacts are beginning to abate. The Great Resignation, which began in 2021 and has continued unabated despite growing concerns about the impending economic downturn around the world. It is still difficult for businesses to find and keep qualified workers; given the level of competition in this space, every benefit offered to workers is important.

As a consequence of this, it has risen to the top of the priority list for organizations to identify ways to improve company culture and boost employee wellness. Both of these spheres can benefit from the adoption of bleisure travel. It is a simple act that communicates a great deal of thoughtfulness to encourage staff to enjoy some leisure time while on business trips. It sends the message that a company values work-life balance and recognizes its employees as genuine people who have lives outside of work that are full and interesting.

Strengthening Company Culture

How can businesses encourage a culture that is conducive to both work and leisure? Companies can demonstrate they value work-life balance. They can get things rolling by incorporating a time for leisure into the company's travel policy, and then they can let staff know about it. When there are clear criteria in place, employees will have a better understanding of what constitutes business travel, and businesses may even see a reduction in the number of leisure charges that find their way onto their books.

In the same way that they already offer flexible work arrangements to prospective employees, firms may in the future promote bleisure travel as an employee benefit. It is good for both the company and the employees to cultivate a work culture in which people feel free to rest and recharge before or after a business trip. Failing to meet the growing demand for bleisure travel now could be a missed opportunity.

The pandemic has highlighted how crucial preventative care and good health are for organizations. Ailm Medical’s health and wellness portfolio provides à la carte and simple solutions to match your event and overall organization needs and vision to provide safe and healthy travel for employees.