The boundaries between business and leisure travel are dissolving and giving rise to a new trend known as bleisure, a portmanteau of business and leisure. This innovative concept seamlessly blends work obligations with leisure activities during the same trip, providing professionals with a unique opportunity to balance productivity and relaxation.
While millennials have been at the forefront of this trend, bleisure travel is now common across various age groups. In fact, Gen X employees (ages 36-54) represent the second-largest group attracted to bleisure tourism. A 2024 report found that over 33% of Gen Zers and millennials globally plan to extend a business trip. At this time, they can wind down and to take a break before or after their work commitments. Similarly, around 24% of business travellers across the world now plan to bring friends or family along on their trips.
Key drivers of bleisure tourism
Bleisure tourism has become a part of modern professional lifestyles, and empowers professionals to achieve work-life balance in meaningful and transformative ways. Its rise is driven by multiple factors that cater to evolving work models, cultural priorities, and technological advancements:
Flexible work models
The adoption of remote and hybrid work culture has changed the overall traditional office dynamics. This paradigm shift enables seamless integration of work and exploration, allowing individuals to strike a better balance between professional responsibilities and personal peace. With just a reliable internet connection, professionals can now extend their business trips to include a break and enriching experiences, blending productivity with relaxation.
A 2025 study revealed that more than 60% of business travellers are incorporating leisure into their trips, redefining the concept of work-life integration.
Work-life balance
With the increasing focus on mental health, bleisure tourism has emerged as a powerful strategy to manage stress and combat burnout. This approach allows individuals to recharge without sacrificing productivity. Business leisure travel not only alleviates stress and burnout but also fosters greater satisfaction and protects overall well-being.
Cost efficiency
Bleisure tourism is an excellent option for budget-conscious professionals. Since companies often cover essential costs like transportation and accommodation during business trips, travellers only need to budget for the marginal expenses of extending their stay.
This cost-effective model is particularly attractive to younger travellers who value affordability without compromising experiences. By leveraging existing business arrangements, bleisure travel creates an economical path to explore new destinations while honouring professional commitments.
Challenges and considerations
While these bleisure travel trends offer unique opportunities for work-life integration, their growing popularity also introduces new challenges that require careful consideration from both travellers and employers.
Policy and compliance
As bleisure travel becomes popular, businesses face the challenge of establishing clear policies. Employers must address reimbursement structures, liability issues, and insurance coverage when trips transition from business to leisure.
Without well-defined guidelines, organisations may face financial uncertainty or potential disputes. To support employee flexibility, accountability, and operational clarity, businesses should develop travel policies that account for this blended travel model.
Tax and legal implications
The combination of business and leisure travel can lead to several tax and legal challenges, especially during international journeys. Both travellers and companies should consider navigating visa rules, tax obligations, and local employment laws.
Failures to address these complexities can result in compliance issues, fines, or legal complications. Thus, proactive planning and legal counselling are vital to avoid such issues.
Sustainability
These business-leisure travel trends also increase the environmental impact of travel. Longer stays can contribute to a larger carbon footprint, making it important for companies and travellers to focus on sustainable practices.
From encouraging the use of eco-friendly accommodations to supporting carbon offset initiatives, businesses and travellers must actively reduce their environmental impact while embracing these bleisure travel trends.
How can Infosys BPM help with travel and hospitality services?
As bleisure travel trends gain momentum, they are reshaping work-life balance and opening doors for innovative, customer-centric solutions. To navigate these dynamic changes effectively, Infosys BPM offers strategic expertise in optimising business processes within the travel and hospitality sectors. From enhancing customer experience to leveraging cutting-edge technology for operational efficiency, Infosys BPM helps organisations stay ahead in meeting the unique demands of bleisure travellers.
