The rise of the ‘bleisure’ traveller: How Brits are mixing business travel with leisure

According to new research conducted by car hire booking firm, Autoeurope.co.uk, a third of British employees now frequently extend their business trips into their personal holidays. The research also revealed that bleisure trips are more popular among Millennials than any other age group, with this generation saving on average a whopping £634 on personal holidays by prioritising experience and value when it comes to travelling with work. More than a quarter (26 per cent) of employees will change their working hours when travelling for business trips to take full advantage of what the destination has to offer. Over a fifth (23 per cent) will choose a more expensive hotel than they usually could afford and a further 20 per cent will opt for additional upgrades on travel because the company is paying. Loyalty schemes play a large part in the rise of bleisure travel, with 22 per cent making business appointments to collect frequent flyer air miles along the way, while remembering to claim club rewards for personal travel in the future. Employees don’t intend on travelling solo either, as 22 per cent often pay for a family member or friend to join them and enjoy the break too. Interestingly, the research suggests that bleisure travellers could make for happier and more engaged employees at no extra cost to businesses. More than one in four (26 per cent) believe that extending business trips into their own leisure time adds value to work assignments and helps to motivate them personally. A spokesperson for Autoeurope.co.uk said: “Travelling for business can be an exciting part of the job – it adds variety and offers opportunities to see new places and experience different working cultures. “Sharing the travelling opportunities between employees and organising bookings, check-ins and accommodation in advance can help ensure travel remains a perk, not a burden for employees. “We can’t make your business trips happen more often, however, we can offer fantastic car prices and affordable rates to anyone that wants more value from their bleisure trips or personal holidays.” We at BusinessClass would like to hear how you conduct your business trips. Do you like to keep it strictly professional, or do a few extra personal days make the trip not only bearable, but enjoyable? Or does a busy schedule and lack of flexibility mean you don’t have the opportunity to squeeze in some leisure time? Let us know in the comments.