19 Oct 2017 Know the market: Who are the Bleisure Travelers?

Any travel industry experts know that there are major differences between business travelers and leisure travelers. Business travelers are looking for efficient and affordable options that allow them to take care of the task at hand in a professional manner. Leisure travelers are usually looking for fun and exciting experiences that enhance their overall trip abroad.

So what happens when you combine the two? Recently, the bleisure traveler has emerged as a target market segment.

Who are the Bleisure Travelers?

Bleisure travelers are defined as those who book a trip for work purposes, but stay a few extra days in the destination in order to explore on their own. Most bleisure travelers:

• Are part of the technology industry.
• Go on business trips at least every 3 months.
• Stay in a particular destination for at least 2 nights.

The majority of bleisure travelers book domestic trips, with only 13 percent booking international trips. However, of all the business trips booked, about 43 percent are now considered bleisure trips. This means that this is an emerging travel market that will continue to play a more prominent role in the travel industry in the years to come.

How Can Your Tour Company Appeal to this Unique Group?

As a tour and activity company, you can easily appeal to bleisure travelers. Considering the fact that their employer is covering the cost of travel, many bleisure travelers are looking for luxury when it comes to their leisure activities that they select. In fact, about 66 percent of bleisure travelers reported that they will spend more on leisure activities because they don’t have to pay for transportation or accommodations on their trip.

This means that you can significantly increase your revenue if you can attract this powerful market. Here’s a few ways to grab the attention of bleisure travelers:

• Offer mobile booking for your tours. Bleisure travelers are often a tech-savvy bunch, and they love the convenience of their mobile devices. If you afford them access to a mobile-friendly site with mobile booking capability, you are far more likely to get bookings from bleisure travelers.
• Create promotions for last-minute bookings. Many bleisure travelers take advantage of leisure activities when they have a few moments of free time, which means they typically do not book their tours in advance. Offering last-minute booking promotions not only appeals to bleisure travelers, but it allows you to fill those last few spots on an upcoming tour. Ultimately, it simply boosts your revenue generated per tour.
• Promote major events happening in your area. Many bleisure travelers are in your destination because of a large event, such as a conference. By making yourself a resource about this event, you also might attract the attention of bleisure travelers.

Attracting bleisure travelers requires you to have access to distribution partners who know this market segment well. Developing an effective distribution strategy will give you a diverse network of agents who can help you increase your bookings with this powerful market. For more information, download the Rezdy online distribution ebook now.

Topics bleisure, distribution, marketing, tour operator