Erasmus | This is how Estela is enjoying her experience in Finland
24 September, 2025
In recent years, the tourism sector has witnessed an emerging trend that is transforming the way travelers combine work and leisure. This concept, known as ‘bleisure,’ is a blend of the words business and leisure, and refers to professionals who travel for work but use their free time to explore the city or destination they’re visiting.
This type of tourism is gaining popularity and represents a challenge for the hospitality industry, which must adapt to the unique needs of this customer profile. Bleisure travelers seek to balance their work responsibilities with the opportunity to enjoy cultural, gastronomic, or recreational experiences during their free time.
Who is the Bleisure Traveler?
The profile of this new type of tourist is fairly well defined. They are usually frequent travelers on business trips, whether to attend business meetings, conferences, fairs, or congresses. These professionals typically come from industries such as technology, finance, health, education, or marketing, among others. After completing their work commitments, they often decide to extend their stay to better explore the city or even bring along family or friends.
The bleisure traveler tends to be young, with a work schedule flexible enough to allow them to manage their time, and in many cases, they have the experience and autonomy to make the most of their free time while still meeting their work obligations.
How to Adapt Services for Bleisure Travelers?
The hospitality sector must be able to meet the specific needs of this type of traveler. Below are some key points to consider in order to provide a complete experience for bleisure travelers:
High-Quality WiFi Connectivity
The bleisure traveler continues to work while enjoying their trip, so having good WiFi is essential. Whether it’s for video calls, attending virtual conferences, or simply managing their schedule, connectivity must be fast and reliable throughout the hotel.
Proximity to Tourist Attractions and Efficient Transport
Since bleisure travelers take advantage of their free time to explore the city, they appreciate being close to major tourist attractions. Additionally, it’s important to provide information about local transportation, such as maps, public transport schedules, and even route recommendations to explore the city efficiently.
Functional Workspaces
Having comfortable and well-equipped workspaces within the accommodation is another key factor. Whether it’s a coworking area or a quiet zone with desks and ergonomic chairs, bleisure travelers value being able to do their professional tasks in an appropriate environment without interrupting their leisure time.
Loyalty of Bleisure Travelers
By offering these specialized services, establishments can build a loyal customer base who will choose to return on future trips due to the experience tailored to their needs. Business travelers who frequently visit the same city tend to prefer accommodations that offer both high-quality work services and options for relaxation and entertainment in their free time.
Sports and Wellness Facilities
Health and wellness are a priority for frequent travelers. Many of them seek to stay active even during their work trips. Having sports facilities, a well-equipped gym, or even relaxation activities like spas can be a major draw for this type of customer.
The rise of bleisure tourism represents a significant opportunity for both the tourism and hospitality sectors. Firstly, it helps reduce seasonality, as these types of trips are mainly taken during the off-season, coinciding with periods of work activity and outside conventional vacation times. This allows for more consistent occupancy throughout the year. Additionally, this customer profile places high value on personalized services and a balance between work and leisure, which increases satisfaction and long-term loyalty. Finally, for hotels and urban destinations, bleisure represents a constant source of demand with high spending potential, especially in cities with strong business activity that also offer tourist attractions.
A Promising Future for Bleisure Tourism
In conclusion, bleisure tourism represents a natural evolution of business travel and an exciting challenge for the tourism sector. By adapting to this type of traveler, businesses can not only build a loyal customer base but also diversify their revenue streams and offer a complete experience that blends work and leisure.
Bleisure travelers are here to stay, and companies that can meet their needs effectively will be at the forefront of the industry, creating an environment conducive to both business and tourism.