All work and all play: Almost two thirds (63%) of Brits are seeking to combine business and leisure travel. Cost-savings, family time and discovering destinations: Biggest motivations to embrace ‘bleisure’ for a third (33%) is to travel for ‘free’ on company budgets, to de-stress around a work trip (29%) and to explore a destination (29%).
LONDON – This year’s biggest travel trend looks set to be ‘Bleisure’, with 18.5 million Britons considering combining a business trip and a holiday according to new Swissport research1. With business travel firmly back on the corporate agenda, the concept seems to be an obvious choice for many Britons as almost two thirds (63%) are seeking to combine business and leisure travel.
Against the backdrop of a difficult economic climate, it’s no surprise that cost-savings are a big motivation, with the attraction of company budgets covering flights and hotels appealing to 33% of Brits to try the trend. Other motivations include to de-stress around a work trip (29%) and to take time to explore a destination visited for work (29%). Interestingly, more than one in seven (15%) were also attracted to the environmental benefits of bleisure with flights being used for two purposes.
With the extra bank holiday for the King’s coronation this year, savvy Britons are finding even more ways to maximise the amount of time they have off work with almost one in four (23%) saying they are motivated to tag holidays onto business trips to enable them to travel on company hours.
One in five (19%) Britons said that their primary motivation for travelling in 2023 was to achieve a better work/life balance, which could be why people are seeking to incorporate leisure time into their business travel. Post-pandemic, more than one in three (37%) are more likely to seek meaningful travel experiences – potentially a contributing factor to the phenomenon as Brits want to see more than just a boardroom or an office if they are in a different country on business.
The ‘work from anywhere’ trend is continuing to surge with more than one in seven (16%) saying that they are more likely to work remotely while travelling post-Covid which could be another factor driving the bleisure trend.
Shaun Weston, Managing Director at No1 Lounges, part of SwissportALD Holdings commented; “Corporate travel is finally back on the agenda, and as people have also gained more flexibility in their working patterns post-pandemic, it’s no surprise that 18.5 million Brits are considering combining business and leisure travel this year.
Recently voted the World’s Best Airport Lounge at the World Travel Awards, our Club Aspire Lounge at Heathrow's Terminal 3 is the perfect place to begin a bleisure break with complimentary food and beverages served daily, including premium beers, wines, spirits, coffees, teas and soft drinks. Guests can help themselves to the freshly prepared, seasonal hot dishes and snacks in lounge while using the unlimited Wi-Fi, charging facilities, and taking in the runway views from a comfortable seat away from the airport crowds.”
Research was conducted online by Research Without Barriers on 2,004 UK adults between 23.12.2022 – 04.01.2023. Research Without Barriers adheres to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2019) and is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with the DPA (2018).
1Methodology based on ONS data revealing that there are 29.33 million UK nationals working in the UK. 63% of those surveyed said they were motivated to book a leisure holiday tagged onto an existing business trip, so 63% of 29,330,000 is 18,477,900.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.