As the travel industry adapts to a post-pandemic world, the trend of “bleisure” travel continues to grow. Combining business and leisure travel, this innovative concept is gaining traction among South Africans and remote workers worldwide.

According to a recent study, 89% of global business travellers expressed a desire to add a private holiday to their work trips, highlighting the appeal of this trend.

Bleisure travel offers an economical way to maximise travel experiences by extending business trips to include leisure activities, thus allowing individuals to save on travel costs while enjoying the best of both worlds.

In parallel, the rise of digital nomads has contributed to the growth of this trend. These individuals enjoy the flexibility to work from anywhere, making them a significant and fast-growing travel market segment.

About 32% of individuals are planning business trips, with a remarkable 62% being remote workers, according to Expedia Group's Traveller Value Index 2023. Moreover, 85% of business travellers express excitement about traveling for work, with millennials (45%) and Gen Zs (40%) leading the way in work-related travel.

This indicates that remote work is no longer exclusive to digital nomads. The pandemic's impact has prompted many companies worldwide to embrace remote work, a trend expected to persist.

Sean Maher, Market Vice President: South Africa, Marriott International, said: "The popularity of working while vacationing is great news because many of our properties offer the perfect setting to flip open the laptop right on the beach or on a secluded mountain, and in many other areas of interest within South Africa.

Maher added that, with the rise of “bleisure” travel, the hospitality industry is witnessing a paradigm shift towards a holistic travel experience. “Providing tailor-made experiences for corporate travellers and embracing this growing trend will help the industry secure greater customer loyalty and encourage higher spending," he said.