The
rapidly growing travel trend of combining a business trip with some leisure
time has created a new category of traveler, the bleisure traveler. The trend
is one which is proving to be highly profitable for hoteliers. Expedia has
reported, in a study conducted in concert with Luth Research, that 43 percent
of all trips today are business and leisure combined. Furthermore, the online
travel agency has reported, more than 70 percent of business travelers have
added a leisure component to their business travel. This makes the bleisure
traveler an extremely important segment for the future revenue growth of
hotels.
Of
course, the location of the hotel and the surrounding area as a destination
plays a critical role in determining whether a business traveler will extend
their hotel stay. According to the study, 66 percent of those surveyed stated
as much. However, there are a number ways in which hotels can entice business
travelers to extend their trips to afford them some leisure time at, or near,
their business destinations. This is crucial for hoteliers in order to leverage
the maximum revenue from the bleisure traveler trend. The Expedia research
states that the average length of stay jumps up from two nights for the
business traveler to six nights for the bleisure traveler, highlighting the
importance of this segment.
Focus On The Destination
If
a business traveler has chosen to extend their trip they are most likely
interested in enjoying the surrounding area and destination where the hotel is
located. Make that enjoyment as pleasant and carefree as possible by shifting
focus from the needs of a business traveler to the leisure traveler. By
providing guests with helpful information links on the hotel website or app,
business travelers can make a smoother transition to leisure time and make the
most of what may be limited time for them.
The
helpful information can be as simple as a travel guide or sightseeing maps of
the area around the hotel. Tips and recommendations regarding local cuisine and
restaurants, attractions, entertainment, or sporting events in the region are
also valuable for guests. Taking it a step further, hoteliers could establish
mutually beneficial partnerships with these local businesses which tourists may
frequent in order to entice extended hotel stays from business travelers.
In
part three we will highlight several more ways in which hotels could convert
business travelers into bleisure guests.
No comments:
Post a Comment