The rise in bleisure travel -- mixing business with pleasure or ‘leisure’ -- improves job satisfaction and loyalty and is more common among younger rather than older workers, according to results of a new worldwide survey.
With convention season in high gear, a pair of separate surveys have noted the growing interest in bleisure travel.
The latest survey from BridgeStreet Global Hospitality polled 640 international travelers and found that most bleisure travelers tack on an average of two vacation days to their business trips.
More than half of respondents also said they’ve brought family members or their other half with them on such trips and most (78 per cent) agreed that adding vacation days adds value to their work assignments.
The most popular bleisure activites are sightseeing, dining, arts and culture.
The survey also found that an overwhelming majority of younger travelers -- aged 35 and under -- are more likely to take advantage of a business trip to soak in the sights: 94 per cent of travelers in this age group said they’re likely or more than likely to take a bleisure trip in the next five years.
That compares to the worldwide average of 60 per cent.
Meanwhile, a similar survey of 2,020 American travelers released earlier this month found that about half (49 per cent) of American adults used their business trips to discover a new destination.
The Hotwire.com survey also found that younger travelers -- defined as 18-34 -- were more likely to mix business with pleasure compared to their older counterparts (aged 35 to 44) at 56 per cent and 37 per cent respectively.
For those who don’t take advantage of bleisure trips, the online booking site points out that hotels drop their room rates once corporate groups leave and conventions end -- typically Thursdays, to offer visitors an incentive to stay longer.
