Making the Best of Bleisure Travel

Have you heard of, or even taken advantage of, “bleisure” travel—when you combine a business trip with some leisure/vacation time? It’s a rising trend in the United States, according to a November 2017 study from Expedia.

Findings of bleisure travelers

The study conducted by Expedia Media Solutions and Luth Research revealed that:

  • 43 percent of business trips in the U.S. today are bleisure, with 70 percent of business travelers adding extra days to their trips at least once every two to three months.
  • Typically, business travelers only book their flights, hotels and transportation once dates are set, which means they book quicker than leisure travelers.
  • The study found that the length of stay for a bleisure traveler when compared to a business traveler increases from two nights to six-plus nights.
  • Business travelers value hotel location above all other criteria due to the need to be close to meetings and conferences.
  • Geographic location is also very important to bleisure travelers, with 66 percent of survey responders saying the location of the business trip is key to whether they add extra leisure days or not.
  • As a result, cities that attract the most bleisure travelers are common vacation destinations.
  • Other factors impacting the decision-making process include flexibility, star ratings, quality and comfort.

Traveldailynews.com offers tips on how to make the most of bleisure trips:

  1. Stay near the sights you want to see. It may seem cheaper to book a hotel away from the tourist district, but those car fares will add up more quickly than you expect. Instead, pay for a more centrally located hotel within walking distance of the places you want to see most. Plus, walking will allow you to truly soak up the culture.
  2. Don’t waste time in touristy gift shops. If you’ve seen one gift shop, you’ve seen them all, and many gift shops sell similar souvenirs in every city. If you want a memento of your trip, look for unique local shops with native items that really capture the flavor of the city you’re visiting.
  3. Avoid long lines if possible. Skip the typical tourist traps for a better overall experience. Do good research beforehand to find out the points of interest, and schedule tours, appointments, or reservations ahead of time to save time and reduce stress.
  4. Let your meals guide you. Think outside the hotel bar, and find a restaurant that offers the most local flavor. It’s your best bet for experiencing the area’s particular culture and cuisine. If you aren’t sure where to start, ask your hotel concierge for a few local recommendations.
  5. Book meetings strategically. If possible, schedule meetings on Mondays and Fridays (and never before 10 a.m.). This way, you have a reason to be in town for the weekend. Better yet, you don’t have to burn vacation days to do so. And when you avoid scheduling meetings before 10 a.m., you free up your mornings for a quick hike, some “me time” at the spa, or a cup of joe at an iconic coffeehouse.

Source: Travelpulse.com, Traveldailynews.com

Business Travelers Weigh In On Safety and Security

Business travel spending worldwide reached approximately $1.3 trillion in 2016 and is expected to rise to $1.6 trillion by 2020, according to Statista.

But while business travel increases annually, business travelers are experiencing more worry about safety and security in an increasingly unpredictable world.

Consider the CWT Connected Traveler Study, which was conducted by Carlson Wagonlit Travel from March 30-April 24, 2017. The survey collected data from more than 1,900 business travelers between the ages of 25-65 from the Americas (Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and the United States), EMEA (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) and APAC (Australia, China, India, Japan and Singapore). To participate in the study, business travelers were required to have made more than four business trips within the past 12 months.

Main sources of worry

The results found that while more than one-third (37 percent) of European travelers are concerned about safety and security, their counterparts from other regions worry more. Travelers from the Americas said that nearly half (47 percent) of the time they worry about safety and security, while Asia Pacific travelers worry the most (56 percent).

“Despite recent terrorist attacks, business travelers say they’re more worried about other things, and that’s surprising,” said Simon Nowroz, Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s chief marketing officer. “We found that, yes, the world seems scarier at times, but travelers believe they have more tools at their disposal to keep them informed and safe.”

One in five travelers has cancelled a trip due to concerns about their safety and security. And 30 percent say they’re worried about their health and wellbeing when it comes to traveling.

Surprisingly, terrorism only ranks fifth (35 percent) among safety concerns, despite the high visibility of terrorist attacks. “Forgetting something needed for work” ranked higher (40 percent), as did “losing something important” (38 percent), “being robbed or attacked” (37 percent) – and even “weather conditions” (37 percent).

Differences among travelers

The study revealed some intriguing regional differences between the Americas, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Only 7 percent of APAC travelers said they were “not concerned” about personal safety while traveling for business. That percentage rose to 12 percent for Americas travelers and 21 percent among EMEA travelers. This is reflected in the fact that APAC travelers appear to be better prepared, as more than half (52 percent) of APAC travelers maintain an up-to-date emergency contact profile compared to 38 percent in the Americas and only 34 percent in EMEA.

Feeling safer with technology

Interestingly, two-thirds (67 percent) of business travelers believe travel is safer today than in the past as they have more technology tools to stay aware of and mitigate safety concerns. Seven out of 10 travelers use at least one of their employer’s security protocols, such as traveler tracking or emergency contact profiles. And more than two-thirds (68 percent) buy travel insurance.

APAC travelers are also more likely to sign up for notifications of real-time risks (41 percent). Only 33 percent do in the Americas, while only 29 percent do from EMEA. APAC travelers were also more likely to know ahead of time about local medical or security services providers. More than a third (35 percent) of APAC travelers planned for these services ahead, versus 25 percent in the Americas and 20 percent in EMEA.

“Today’s travelers are sophisticated,” said Nowroz. “They’re signing up for alerts, they’re paying attention to the news and they use the available tools at their disposal. So while travel may seem risky, they’re taking steps to stay safe.”

Source: Hotelnewsresource.com, Statista