Ask Skift: What Are Key Trends in Blended Travel?

September 25th, 2024 at 11:01 AM EDT

Skift Take

Travelers combining business and leisure trips are still hitting the road in large numbers, but blended travel is evolving as it continues its post-pandemic boom.

The number of travelers combining business and leisure trips has increased in recent years in large part due to the rise in remote work, and the boom in blended travel is expected to continue. The market could potentially be worth $731.4 billion globally by 2032.

So what are trends in blended travel?

We posed the question to Ask Skift 2.0, our recently upgraded answer engine. Ask Skift now reads complete articles for deeper understanding and delivers more detailed answers. The AI chatbot used information appearing in our past news coverage, and we also did additional reporting.

What Ask Skift said:

Blended travel, which combines business and leisure trips, continues to evolve as a significant trend in the travel industry.

Here are some key trends shaping blended travel in 2024:

Health and Well-being Priority: Business travelers are increasingly prioritizing their health and well-being. This shift is leading to more deliberate travel planning, with travelers opting for more comfortable and less stressful travel arrangements. Companies and hotels are adapting by offering amenities that support wellness, such as ergonomic workspaces, fitness equipment like Peloton machines, and services aimed at reducing jet lag and stress.

Extended Stays: There is a notable increase in demand for extended-stay accommodations, driven by long-term projects in infrastructure and tech. Hotels are expanding their offerings to cater to this segment, with brands like Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Wyndham launching new extended-stay hotel brands. These accommodations often include amenities like full kitchens to better serve long-term guests.

Hybrid Work Influence: The rise of hybrid work models is fueling the trend of blended travel. Many business travelers are extending their trips to include leisure time, taking advantage of the flexibility offered by remote work arrangements. This trend is particularly strong during traditional shoulder nights, contributing to increased room night demand.

Seasonal Blended Travel: While the prevalence of blended travel has decreased somewhat from its peak in 2022, it remains a seasonal phenomenon. Families are more likely to blend business trips with leisure travel during school holidays and summer vacations.

Technological Integration: New software and dashboards are being used by travel professionals to monitor the well-being and productivity of business travelers. These tools help identify stressors and optimize travel plans to ensure travelers remain effective and healthy during their trips.

Safety and Security: Safety continues to be a significant concern for business travelers. Many have had to change accommodations due to safety issues, highlighting the need for companies to consider the safety of travel destinations when planning trips.

What Ask Skift said

Booking Data: Roughly 60% of business travelers have taken a blended trip in the past year, according to the Global Business Travel Association, while a survey from Skift and Navan revealed that 68% of business travelers were planning to add personal travel days to a work trip in 2024.

A survey by Capterra revealed that 93% of business travelers add personal vacation time to their corporate trips: 31% of blended travelers visit historical sights, 30% catch up with friends and family, and 25% attend cultural events during their off time.

Navan’s booking data revealed the five most popular destinations for blended travelers in 2023 were New York, San Francisco, London, Chicago and Las Vegas.

Surge in Younger Blended Travelers: Blended travel is becoming popular with younger travelers. Skift Research found in a 2023 survey that 68% of U.S. millennials and Gen Z members extended their most recent business trips for leisure. It was even higher elsewhere: 72% in the U.K. and 84% in Germany .

In addition, Allianz Global Assistance’s Vacation Confidence Study revealed that 47% of young Canadian professionals — defined in an Allianz press release as those between the ages 18 of 34 — were planning to work remotely while traveling in 2024.  

Hotels Aim to Cash In: The hotel industry has looked to make inroads in the growing segment in recent years as 82% of blended travelers prefer to stay at the same property for both portions of the trip. Skift reported in April 2023 that hotel designers are increasingly taking into account the needs of blended travelers, including “Zoom-friendly lighting.”

Prominent hotel brands have designed products to appeal to blended travelers. Marriott launched an extended-stay brand called Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy in response to the boom for home-like amenities and experiences. Accor expanded its co-working brand Wojo during the height of the pandemic while Ennismore added workspaces to its full portfolio.

Source: Skift.com