Is Bleisure Travel The Future Of Business?

Industry experts discuss the raging phenomenon...

Business or pleasure?’ has become slightly out of fashion. Bleisure, a post-pandemic trend in travel that combines business with leisure has become the new buzz in business travel.

Subhrajit Bhardan, General Manager, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, and Dheeraj Kukreja, Vice President Hospitality, MG Muthu Group, give interesting insights on the subject...

The New Normal has made way for Bleisure Travel, a concept where business and leisure meet. Is that the future of business travel? And why?

Subhrajit Bhardan: This pandemic has changed many things in our life. And not so surprisingly, the way we travel and work has also seen a sea change. Out of the many trends that we have witnessed, either new or the ones which re-emerged, Bleisure’ is certainly one of them.

The idea of combining business with leisure is not exactly new but what is new is: Firstly, the demographics of the guests and secondly, the behaviour of these guests who adopt it. Back in the pre-pandemic era, a business trip would mean a few days of conferences or workshops in a different city, and extension of the stay in that destination over combined holidays or weekends.

The New Normal pushed more people to work from home, but depending on their role and the company, they have flexibility to work from different locations. So, a very millennial concept of a Digital Nomad’ is now being adopted by many who may not be from that generation. Bleisure’ travellers traditionally were motivated by the primary purpose of business but not anymore. Self-care, mindfulness and a larger ife purpose might be some of the many drivers of their choices today.