Breaking out of the ‘business travel bubble’ to find time for leisure on a work trip is good for well-being and productivity, according to new research.
Business travellers feel benefits when they combine business and pleasure while travelling for work – in what is being described as ‘bleisure’ travel.
The study published today (Tuesday) by the University of East London and commissioned by London City Airport found more than three quarters of people agreed that being able to take part in ‘bleisure’ travel increases their well-being when they return to work.
More than 60% said that ‘bleisure’ travel contributes to increased productivity.
Over a third (36%) of passengers have extended their business trip to engage in leisure activities – suggesting this could be an increasingly popular travel trend as modern working habits evolve.
The main leisure activities were food and drink, sightseeing, culture and history, and visiting friends and relatives.
Half of travellers were joined by family members or significant others during their ‘bleisure’ trip.
But 71% of survey respondents noted their employer does not actively promote leisure travel before or after business trips.
London City airport chief executive Robert Sinclair said: “We are seeing a generation of people for whom work and leisure are intertwined, and they’re applying that blend of business and pleasure when they travel.
“The reason? They think it’s good for their health and their wealth, which is backed by this research showing the majority of people feel ‘bleisure’ travel increases their wellbeing and their productivity.
“London City airport routes like Berlin, Lisbon, Antwerp and the recently-added Budapest are examples of destinations where those lines to continue to blur.”
Birte Schmitz, co-author of the report and lecturer in hospitality and tourism management at the University of East London, added:
“There’s a great opportunity here for urban business destinations and London City airport to promote leisure and tourism activities along passenger’s journeys, to help them unlock the benefits to well-being and productivity fellow passengers say they feel.”