Bleisure Travel and the Opportunity It Presents to Wellness Tourism

Business or pleasure? Why not combine both! A new buzz in the business travel world has emerged: -- Bleisure. The term was coined during the post-pandemic era which simply means a combination of business and leisure. It encourages travelers to look after their well-being even while in the middle of a business trip.

The concept of bleisure is not essentially new, but it became more prevalent during the pandemic when employees were forced to blend their business and personal lives. Work-life balance has become more fluid, thus the birth of bleisure travel.

Expedia Group Media Solutions says that bleisure will be on the rise in 2023. 76% of business travelers are planning to take a bleisure trip in the next 12 months, as per Expedia’s 2023 Traveler Value Index. The concept is more popular among millennials and Gen Zs, with 43% of millenials and 38% of Gen Zs planning a bleisure trip in the next year.

The concept of fusion of work and play is what makes bleisure travel popular. When traveling for a business trip, you don’t have to stress out with all the work. Bleisure travel allows you to explore new places, try new cuisines, or participate in local activities. This also helps you reduce stress and burnout by offering a chance to relax and rejuvenate.

With more people working remotely or running their own businesses, the line between work and leisure time has become blurred. Bleisure travel is an attractive option for digital nomads and freelancers, as it provides them with an opportunity to combine work and leisure activities.

Bleisure travel is also helpful in boosting tourism. Business travelers who extend their trip are more likely to spend more money on accommodations, food, and other leisure activities, which contribute to the local economy.

Wellness tourism, which promotes health and well-being, is a growing part of the travel industry. Bleisure offers an exciting opportunity for the wellness tourism industry to expand and grow. Look at some ways that bleisure can benefit the wellness tourism sector:

Bleisure travelers are looking to spend most of their trip exploring the area. Wellness tourism businesses can capitalize on this trend to offer a variety of wellness activities. This results in an increased demand for fitness classes, meditation, yoga, and spa treatments.

The concept of bleisure allows business travelers to stay longer in a certain area. This naturally makes travelers spend more money on food, accommodations, and activities. Jumping on this bandwagon opens doors of opportunity for wellness tourism destinations, which leads to more investment in wellness infrastructure and facilities.

The market for bleisure travelers is made up of well-educated, high-income earners and decision-makers, making them an ideal audience for wellness tourism businesses. Offering unique wellness experiences and promoting them through various digital marketing channels helps wellness tourism destinations increase their brand awareness and attract more bleisure travelers.

Engaging in leisure activities not only reduces stress and burnout but also leads to better job performance. Encouraging bleisure travelers to experience wellness activities can help them feel refreshed and rejuvenated. These positive feelings will later lead to the boosting of the wellness tourism industry.

Bleisure travel presents an exciting opportunity for the wellness tourism industry to bloom. Know more about how to capitalize on this growing trend by joining the first and only wellness tourism event in Japan, the Int’l Wellness Tourism Expo (iWT).

iWT brings together different businesses in the wellness tourism sector that offer activities, healthy foods, and more. Promote your tourism contents, meet your target market, and conduct meetings with potential business partners. Plus, explore facilities and activities at the special Bleisure Zone of iWT.

Join us on May 10-12, 2023 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan!