In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the trend of “bleisure” travel, a combination of business and leisure travel. In fact, 89% of people are considering combining personal vacation time with business travel. This trend is driven by several factors, including increased flexible work arrangements, the ability to work remotely, and the desire to make the most of business trips by adding a leisure component.
As a result of this trend, tourism brands and destinations can take advantage of the bleisure travel trend by promoting packages and services online that cater to the needs of both business and leisure travelers.
What is Driving the Bleisure Travel Trend?
Here are a few of the recent trends driving the bleisure travel trend we are seeing.
Remote Work
One of the biggest drivers of bleisure travel is the rise of remote work. With more and more companies allowing their employees to work from anywhere, it has become increasingly common for people to extend their business trips to include some leisure time. This arrangement will enable them to explore a new city or country while still being able to fulfill their work obligations.
Experiential Travel
Another factor contributing to the upsurge of bleisure travel is the growing interest in “experiential” travel. People are increasingly looking for unique and memorable experiences when they travel, and bleisure travel allows them to combine the opportunity to explore a new place with the ability to conduct business.
Affordable & Convenient Travel Options
The rise of bleisure travel is also driven by the growing availability of affordable and convenient travel options. Online travel booking platforms and apps have made it easy for people to plan and book their trips, while budget airlines and vacation rental properties have made it more affordable for people to add a leisure component to their business trips.
How Tourism Brands Can Capitalize on the Bleisure Travel Trend
If your destination is interested in capitalizing on the bleisure travel trend, here are some ideas you can explore.
Offer Package Deals
Tourism companies can capitalize on the bleisure trend by offering package deals that combine hotel accommodations, transportation, and meeting or event spaces. These packages could also include leisure activities such as tours, activities, or excursions designed to appeal to both business and leisure travelers.
Customized Travel Experiences
Tourism brands can make the most of the new bleisure travel trend by offering customized experiences for business travelers. These experiences could include arranging specialized tours or activities related to the traveler’s industry or expertise.
If your destination is known for its health and wellness experiences or unique cuisine, offer special packages that explore these interests. This type of tailored experience can make business trips more valuable and memorable for travelers and make them more likely to return to leisure travel.
Perks & Discounts
Tourism destinations can also benefit by offering special perks and discounts to bleisure travelers. For example, you can offer discounts on dining, shopping, or entertainment to those who book a bleisure package or provide early check-in or late check-out at hotels to help bleisure travelers make the most of their trip.
Bleisure Travel Marketing Opportunities
Now that you have enticing packages, experiences, and discounts in place to target bleisure travelers, you need to start marketing your offerings to your target audience. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Promote Bleisure Travel Packages on Your Website
Tourism brands should include bleisure travel packages on their website. By providing potential visitors with a website design featuring a one-stop-shop solution, destinations can make it easy for travelers to plan and book their trips. Additionally, tourism brands can promote their bleisure tailored offerings in their social media marketing or paid advertising to reach a wider audience.
Provide Valuable Content About Belisure Travel
Blogging about the top attractions, dining, and experiences in your destination city is another way to promote bleisure travel. Not only does it give potential travelers an idea of what they can expect during their trip, but it also showcases the unique offerings of your city and sets it apart as a desirable travel destination. By providing valuable and informative content, you attract and engage with a wider audience, which can lead to increased tourism and more business for local hotels, restaurants, and attractions in your area. Writing about these topics also allows your destination to position itself as a travel expert and build a strong online presence, boosting your credibility and reputation as a top travel destination for bleisure travelers.
Partner with Influencers in Your Destination
Consider partnering with a digital nomad on social media traveling in your market for an effective influencer marketing campaign to expand that audience even more. Leverage popular social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to reach a wider audience with engaging social media posts from popular influencers. Influencers can create content that showcases the benefits of bleisure travel, such as combining work and play and share it with their followers.
Instagram Influencer campaign for Thailand Insider
Attract a New and Growing Market
In summary, the bleisure travel trend is a growing trend that allows tourism brands and destinations to increase revenue by promoting package deals, customized experiences, and special perks and discounts. By understanding the needs of bleisure travelers and catering to them, tourism brands can attract a new and growing market and drive repeat business in the long term.
If your tourism brand or destination is looking to get in on the booming bleisure travel trend in 2023, follow these tips or contact our team of tourism marketing experts to get you set up for success.