Meet one of the newest categories of hotel guests – the “bleisure” traveler. Already well-known throughout Asia and Latin America, the bleisure traveler is becoming more prevalent in North America. Get to know their traits and learn what your hotel can do to target and attract the business of this “hybrid” customer segment.
Who is the bleisure traveler? The bleisure traveler may be categorized as one who tacks leisure time onto business trips. This traveler takes “bizcations,” where business trips extend into short vacations that may include time with family and friends. They are a growing segment! A recent Orbitz poll showed that 72% of American business travelers take extended business trips that have a leisure component, with 43% inviting a significant other to accompany them on trips. In essence, this category of traveler stays and spends longer, presenting multiple opportunities for hotels.
Habits of the bleisure traveler. In order to target the bleisure traveler, hotels need to identify and understand their habits. They are a “connected” bunch, who consume social media and rely on their mobile devices while at home and on-the-road. The majority of bleisure travelers opt to extend their stay in the city where their conference or meeting took place, remaining in the same hotel rooms booked for business. Meeting and convention travelers often have family members (or a significant other) join them following their events. True hybrid bleisure travelers also blur the lines, combing work and play throughout their stay. For example, they bring their laptop down to the pool or book a spa treatment in between meetings. These habits all translate into the potential for increased dollars spent while staying at your property.
Targeting the bleisure traveler. You’ve gotten to know them. Now, how can you proactively draw them to your brand? The key is to find opportunities to target business travelers and convert them into leisure guests. Start by targeting meeting attendees and finding ways to motivate them to extend their stay. Consider offering perks for an extended stay, such as credits toward amenities that cater to couples or families. Utilize social media to promote appealing aspects of your property that extend beyond conference space, such as the fitness center, pool area, kids club, lobby happy hour, great dining options, local culture, etc.
Bleisure travel is clearly on the rise! Hoteliers can reap the rewards of this positive trend by marketing aspects of their offering that cater to both work and play.
