Worth about US$600 billion globally currently and expected to grow to US$3.5 trillion* over the next decade, bleisure can mean working while on holiday or tagging time on the beginning or end of a work trip for pleasure.
In 2023, 83% of business travellers reported taking a bleisure trip in the past 12 months**, and another survey by Expedia Group revealed that the most common trips which morph into bleisure are conferences, followed by external meetings and sales meetings.
The Global Business Traveler Association (GBTA) found that 44% of business travellers went with someone else for the leisure portion of their trip***, and on average bleisure tourists spend $1,566 per trip – more than leisure alone, which averages at $1,332.
So how can European Tour Destinations venues capitalise on this profitable and growing segment?
Ina Kanazireva, Sales and Marketing Director at Pirin Golf & Country Club in Bulgaria, says having excellent business facilities is crucial.
“We’ve worked hard on our business facilities so that companies have the complete package when they come here,” she says. “We have everything perfectly set up for work, and then we have a world-class resort and many leisure activities to enjoy when the work is done.
“In the last few years we’ve seen a rise in team-building events where companies host a conference or similar and then invite employees’ families to enjoy the resort afterwards.
“We’ve had business events ranging from 10 to 600 people, with a decent percentage of any group wanting to extend their stay to enjoy the resort. It’s an important revenue stream for us.
“And that’s not just the case for local and regional businesses but international companies as well.
“The most important thing is to have the best possible wifi in every part of the hotel. Guests want to be connected everywhere.”
David Ashington, General Manager of Costa Navarino, says the Greek resort’s stunning location and close proximity to Kalamata international airport are differentiating factors that are very appealing to its guests.
“Our House of Events at Navarino Dunes is a state of the art conference centre which is very popular in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) segment,” he says.
“Guests will often extend their stay because we’re in such a beautiful location on the Peloponnese coast. They attend a business conference here and then stay an extra two or three days.
“It helps being in an accessible location. We also have many people come to stay after doing business in Athens.
“We make sure working from here is very easy with comfortable workspaces, fast wifi, quiet zones, so people want to visit and extend their stay more and more.”
At Linna Golf in Finland, bleisure is more about combining a meeting with a round of golf than extending a stay at the resort.
“We host around 100 business events each season that include golf,” says Carita Helminen, Services Manager at Linna Golf.
“That’s quite a lot given our season is a fairly short one, just over five months long. We are one of many golf courses/clubs in the area with whom we work closely to accommodate our guests’ needs.
“Bleisure is a great opportunity for golf courses and clubs. Often when you try to arrange a meeting with a businessman or businesswoman it can be difficult because they’re so busy, but if you invite them for a meeting and a round of golf it’s more appealing, convenient, enjoyable and gives you so much time to talk.”
What can resorts do to increase bleisure travel?
- Give business travellers a reason to stay on. Consider a special price for additional nights or offer added extras as an incentive to extend their trip
- Communicate your bleisure travel packages or offers. If there is an appointed planner for a conference or corporate event, ask them to share information or offers with attendees. Perhaps even a suggested itinerary of activities for one, two or three days
- Make it easy for guests to switch between business and leisure. Ensure your business facilities and services function well
***Global Business Travel Association