Are Consumers Blending Business And Leisure Travel?

Blending Business And Leisure Travel

Are you using the flexibility of your work schedule and travel to take time for leisure? In this article, we will discuss how consumers are blending business and leisure travel together rather than completely separating the two.

Consumers are blending business and leisure travel as jobs have become more flexible. Traveling to a different location for work purposes also provides the opportunity for leisure time at the destination after work hours or by being able to book some extra days at their accommodation.

Everyone likes to travel and enjoy some relaxing and wholesome time for themselves, but how about merging it with your business trips? See how people are doing it and what the benefits are.

The Benefits Of Blending Business And Leisure Travel

The blending of business and leisure travel as one trip is becoming increasingly popular compared to completely separating the two. Recent studiesOpens in a new tab. of business travelers show that the greater the distance for travel, the more likely business, and leisure would blend. 

8.5% of women are more likely to combine business and leisure travel together compared to men at 6.8% and younger people were more likely to do this compared to the older generation. Millennials want to see sights and explore a new place while away on a work trip and other people like to take the opportunity to visit friends and family.

Working From A Cruise Ship

The Flexibility

Working from home or in another city due to a work appointment and not being stuck in an office is becoming more popular. As more people have flexible jobs where they can work from home or from anywhere in the world from their laptop, this gives people an opportunity to travel more or to get some travel time in, whilst in another city for work purposes.  

People have the option to work from the office if they choose, but also can work remotely, which may suit someone’s lifestyle. This flexibility allows work to be done and also provides the time and space for an employee or entrepreneur to be situated where they would like to be. 

Having a businessOpens in a new tab. meeting in a new place on a Friday can allow you to explore a city on the weekend, therefore getting the best of both worlds. Or you may decide to stay there another week or visit friends and family in the area while you are there. 

Someone may work remotely full time and just need to ensure that they can jump online to join their meeting at its scheduled time. Many companies are happy with having a more flexible structure if their business can still run successfully.

time to travel
Business Verse Leisure Travel

The Lifestyle 

Business and leisure travel can be blended rather than doing one or the other. It is a shift from business vs holiday, to a complete lifestyle change. You don’t have to work all year and then take a couple of weeks off to go on holiday, but instead have that life and work balance throughout the year when the opportunity arises.

The table below shows results from a survey that asked employees what type of trip they anticipate taking next year. The survey was done on the 4th and 5th of February 2022, asking 1163 employed US adults. 

What Type Of Trip Do You Anticipate Taking Next Year?
AnswerPercentage Voted
Leisure Only76%
Business Only41%
Blended, Primarily Leisure44%
Blended, Primarily Business40%
Blended, Even Split40%

SourceOpens in a new tab.

From this data, we can see that many people plan to travel whilst doing work in some way, whether it is an even split between leisure and business or whether one will be more dominant than the other. We can still see that some people do just want a leisure-only trip or business-only trip as well.

It is great that people have the flexibility to choose these options, and it is important for someone’s well-being to take time off work completely as well and not work all the time, but it is great to have such flexible options. 

We all have such different lives, some of us may not feel that we can afford a leisure only holiday, therefore having the option to travel for work and have some leisure time suits our needs. However, for another person, taking a leisure trip may not be desired, they may be fully focused on just work and business commitments.

No matter who we are, we now have a more fluid approach to work, in regard to where we work from and the times we work, and how we want our day-to-day lives to go. 

stay healthy

Increased Wellbeing

Some people thrive and feel so much more comfortable working from their home office than heading into an uninviting office space. They may love traveling for work purposes and being in new environments or being able to work from home. In turn, this sense of ease allows them to be much more productive and passionate about their job. 

A great life and work balance are what contributes to someone’s overall well-being. If a person works too much and doesn’t take time to do things that light them up and bring them joy and peace, then this is detrimental to their health

However, by blending leisure and work in a way that feels good for you and is allowed by the company you work for, you can feel a sense of freedom and accomplishment and enjoy life a bit more. 

In turn, this will lead you to want to continue to work for the company you are with, as the flexible lifestyle is working with your needs and desires and not trying to force you into fixed work hours or to be in a certain place. 

DataOpens in a new tab. shows that 91% of French people think that combining business and leisure travel helps in having a balance between personal and professional life. 

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Travel For Companies

Advantages Of Blended Travel For Companies

As companies allow their employees to have a more flexible schedule and environment, there are benefits that come from it that affects everyone, employees and the company. 

Let’s take a look at the advantages companies have through allowing the blending of business and leisure travel.

  • Attract millennials to work for their company
  • Attract qualified employees
  • Reduce travel expenses from employees
  • Staff productivity and well-being increase, which aids in the overall success of the company and its staff
  • Reduce stress for all in the business
  • Increase in employee job satisfaction
  • Reduced employee sick days
  • Deepen client relationships
  • May be able to reduce travel emissions

If companies set up their organization to suit this new wave of lifestyle, it is likely that they will attract staff that are skilled and will want to work there on a long-term basis. Employees want to feel cared about and trusted. They want to have a job that they love but is also flexible. 

Therefore, by ensuring that their employees and their business can thrive through this model, it will be a great option to have. As a company, it is important to make it clear what your policies are around this first, so everyone is on the same page moving forward.

The Differences Between Booking Business VS Leisure Travel

There are a few differences between what booking a business trip is like compared to booking a leisure trip. Let’s explore them.

Price Sensitivity

When people are traveling solely for leisure purposes, it is likely that they will want to look for bargains and keep costs as low as they can, as they will not be earning any money while they are away. 

Whereas when you book a trip solely for business, the business will still want to keep costs low, but the return on investment can be great, such as signing up a long-term client from the trip. Therefore, the cost of the flight, accommodation and food is a worthwhile expense.

Travel Day

Most leisure travelers will travel during the weekends or take Friday or Monday off work to extend their travel duration. Many business travelers will travel solely within work hours from Monday to Friday. They may leave early in the morning and come back later that day if it is a day trip or they may travel during the day if they will be in a location for the next few days.

Amenities

Leisure travelers may seek amenities that are more relaxing and luxurious in nature, such as wanting food service delivered to their room, having a spa bath or pool available, having tv and entertainment in their space, and can access popular tourist attractions.

A business traveler may want amenities that are practical, such as free and fast Wi-Fi, dry cleaning services, a gym, printer access, and a quiet space. 

Timing And Location

Leisure travelers tend to be very flexible with their times. There is nothing they must do at a certain time or on a certain day unless they book something specific. Generally, they go with the flow and do what they feel like doing on a given day.

They can pick a flight which is more affordable and they can stay anywhere they like depending on the accommodation they prefer.

Business travelers have specific business meeting times and may need to be at a conference or event on a certain day and at a certain time. Therefore, their flights will be made at a specific time and their accommodation will be close to where they need to be for business purposes. 

Recommendations And Reviews

A leisure traveler will spend time reading up on reviews of the place they are going to or staying at. They will take others’ opinions and experiences into consideration when determining what services they may use or what they will do on their trip. They may look at reviews for hotels, restaurants, activities, and the location.

Business travelers will not care so much about recommendations and reviews because they are more focused on work-related issues, therefore what is most productive, efficient, and convenient. 

However, if they are entertaining a potential client or business partner, they may look into the recommended top restaurants or cafes in the area. We can see it is more for the other person’s satisfaction, not for their own desires. 

From looking at the differences between a leisure traveler and a business traveler, we can see how their needs are different. However, they can definitely cross over if someone is blending business and leisure travel together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Possible To Combine Business And Leisure?

You can combine business and leisure on a trip. However, it is up to you to arrange and pay for the leisure part of your travels. There are different ways to combine them, such as having a meeting at a destination on a Friday and then taking the following few days to have fun and explore.

What Counts As Traveling For Business?

Traveling for business can include going to a business meeting, attending work training, going to a conference, attending a sales meeting, and more. Traveling for business is where you will be doing something work-related during your trip.

Why Is Combining Business And Pleasure Travel Popular?

It is popular because it can make a trip more fun and pleasurable. You have things to look forward to and it’s not just full of work or stress but instead, there is some relaxation, exploring, or whatever it is you decide to do with your time.

Final Words

Consumers are blending business travel with leisure travel as they have the flexibility to do so with their job and they desire a better work and life balance. This is especially popular with the younger generation and with those who desire to not take time off solely for leisure but instead want to make the most of their time away on work trips.

Daniel Clarke

The website is run by myself Daniel Clarke, I’m lucky enough to have been living in Hervey Bay, for 31 years so I’m classed as a local I have seen many changes over this time. Read more about us here

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