Come for work. Stay for fun.
Bleisure—combining business and leisure travel—is an increasingly popular way to see the world. Experts predict the bleisure travel market will grow substantially in the years ahead, reaching $731.4 billion by 2032.
From a guest’s perspective, it’s great to have your company pay for your airfare and then tack on a little vacation at your own expense. From an employer’s perspective, people work harder: 59% of employees said traveling and exploring new places inspired them to be more productive with their work, according to a global survey by Booking.com. And from hospitality pros’ perspective, bleisure travelers are a desirable and profitable customer segment. Here’s how to attract them.
1. Create the authentic experiences that motivate bleisure travelers.
So many people who travel for business never really get to experience the places they visit. They might spend three nights in Delhi or Tokyo and see nothing of the city beyond meeting rooms, restaurants, and their hotel. Hospitality operators can inspire these guests by making it easier for them to get out and explore, with offerings like:
- App-guided walking tours
- Local food tours
- Complimentary bicycles to borrow
Luxury hotels must be even more ambitious with the experiences they offer. Social media feeds a desire for travelers to do things that are truly wow-worthy. “We have guests that are almost aggressive in how they want to experience something,” Philippe Gills, who oversees the concierge team at the Langham, Chicago, told The New York Times. “Even if it’s something that they’ve experienced before, they’re looking to do it new now, so we have to be creative.” That could mean arranging for a forest therapist to lead a guided hike, offering private cooking lessons with the hotel chef, or sending guests with a personal shopper to visit the best local boutiques.
2. Offer special discounts for bleisure travelers.
This is a sure-fire way to encourage travelers to turn their business trip into a vacation. 93 percent of bleisure travelers are likely to extend their trip if the hotel offers a discounted weekend rate, according to a study by the GBTA Foundation in partnership with Hilton. And 88 percent said a discount would sway their decision to pick one hotel over another.
3. Show guests a good time.
After days of demanding work, bleisure travelers want to let loose and relax. One way to signal that they’re off the clock is cocktail hour in the lobby. The Bartesian Professional Cocktail Machine makes it almost effortless to serve high-quality drinks, with no training or special expertise required. Just select the desired drink and strength, insert a flavor capsule, and set the indicated glass in place. Bartesian Professional combines all-natural flavoring, spirits and water to make premium cocktails in 30 seconds. Best of all, it's a revenue boost: Bartesian enables businesses to capture an 85%+ margin per drink, based on average costs.
4. Look after bleisure travelers’ health.
Jet lag. Irregular sleep schedules. Unhealthy food. Stress. Business travel takes a toll on health, and so hotels should help travelers take care of themselves and feel better. Can your property offer personalized fitness options, such as arranging for workout equipment to be placed in guestrooms upon request? Or provide fresh and nutritious meal options, such as fresh smoothies in the lobby café? (All you need is a high-performance blender.)
5. Upgrade in-room appliances.
The number-one hotel feature that influences bleisure travelers’ decisions? The guestrooms, the GBTA Foundation study found. Do your guestrooms have everything these travelers need and expect? Must-haves include:
- An in-room refrigerator for cold drinks and refrigerating leftover meals. Ours is durable and Energy Star-rated, with two sizes and no defrosting.
- An in-room coffee maker that actually makes good coffee. Our HDC200B and Deluxe HDC200S models maximize coffee extraction for a strong, flavorful brew. The Single-Serve Coffee Maker is compatible with K-CUP® and other coffee packs.
- A hospitality-rated tea kettle that’s durable, attractive, and includes safety features like auto shutoff and boil-dry protection.
- A hotel hairdryer that’s sleek, powerful, and quiet.
6. Elevate your breakfast offerings
Virtually as important as the guestroom are food options, according to the GBTA. Bleisure travelers want it all: hearty snacks, grab-and-go lunches, memorable dinners and, most importantly, a really excellent free breakfast. Did you know that “complimentary breakfast” is the #1 search filter on Hilton’s website?
Hamilton Beach Commercial has a wide range of convenient solutions to serve a breakfast that’s fresh, delicious, creative and visually appealing. From gleaming coffee urns to durable commercial toasters to precision rice cookers and warmers, explore our full line of breakfast bar equipment for hotels.
Hamilton Beach Commercial supports hospitality operators with innovative foodservice equipment and guestroom appliances. Discover our full range of products for hospitality.
