Bleisure travel is simple, and there’s a good chance you’ve already done it! All it means is enhancing necessary business travel by adding days either before or after meetings or conferences, allowing you to spend time at your destination enjoying the sights. This is an increasingly popular way to see diverse locations while fulfilling business travel expectations.
Bleisure statistics* indicate that an increasing number of Canadian business travellers are extending their trips on average by one to two days, and even longer when travelling to international destinations.
The bleisure trend is particularly popular with millennials travelling for work, as they tend to have more flexibility. Another big draw for bleisure millennials is lengthening business trips to attend a sports event. Not only do they get to enjoy the electric atmosphere, it is often an opportunity to network with developing business connections. For small-business owners, making the most of required business travel is a smart option, too, and there are plenty of travel sites that specialise in bleisure packages.
One of the benefits of mixing business travel with leisure is the ability to bring along family members who can enjoy the hotel amenities and explore the locale while their ‘host’ is working, cutting down on accommodation costs. And, hotels are often trying to entice business travellers to extend their stay over weekend nights: prices for both hotel rooms and flights reflect that. Also, if you are travelling for work to an exotic or unknown area make sure to have a plan to keep your valuables safe. And be conscientious about cyber security—keep your corporate laptop or mobile secure while you’re out sightseeing.
As with all travel it is important to have travel insurance to adequately protect you and your family if they’ve joined you. While there may be company-based travel insurance that applies when on work days, this coverage may not extend beyond the individual employee, or to days when you’re taking personal time. A family multi-trip annual package is a potential solution that extends coverage to those travelling with you who are named on the policy, like a family member and caregivers too.
Little did you know that the extra two days you added to catch a Leafs game in Boston had a name, or that Eurostar to Paris after your London conference made you a trendy traveller. Bleisure travel is on the rise and it is one of the most enjoyable ways to merge business with leisure. Just be sure you’ve got adequate travel insurance coverage to keep your trip worry free!
Travel insurance is underwritten by CUMIS General Insurance Company, a member of The Co-operators Group of Companies, administered by Allianz Global Assistance, which is a registered business name of AZGA Service Canada Inc.
*How millennials are redefining business trips, December 2017, Allianz Partners proprietary research.
