Travel Trends Every Company Should Know

Here are five trends to monitor for your upcoming team trips.

Related: Is Airbnb Stock a Smart Buy as We Head into the Summer Travel Season?

“Bleisure” travel is getting bigger

Over the last few years, more employees have mixed business and leisure in a kind of globe-hopping known as “bleisure.” Over half of international travelers plan to extend their work trips to take advantage of their destination.

As the workforce gets younger, demand for this flexibility will only increase, with 90% of millennials already incorporating leisure into their travels pre-pandemic.

Two-day business trips of the past could become a one-month sightseeing venture, complete with weekend getaways. Bleisure enthusiasts take these jaunts once every two to three months. They look for a “home” environment, workspaces with strong internet connections and local flavor.

Of note: A new survey conducted by Visit Anaheim, ahead of National Travel and Tourism Week, found that 44% of 2,000 polled bleisure travelers claimed they turned down a work trip because they wouldn’t have had time for leisure activities while at their destination.

Travel as a time to connect

In a recent Deloitte study, managers said they are “seeking events with a powerful mix of networking and content.” Flying for business as usual, which can now be conducted remotely, is being replaced by travel for bonding and training.

This can facilitate networking, skills development, and recruitment. For remote teams, purposeful in-person interaction can be a game-changer for morale.

Related: Five Key Trends Shaping The Future Of The Hospitality Industry

Unconventional accommodations versus hotel chains

Companies that used to only sign contracts with large hotel chains are now giving their increasingly GenZ and Millennial workforces greater flexibility in choosing their preferred accommodations. Over 70% of millennial corporate travelers had stayed in a vacation rental during work trips.

Instead of feeling like a hotel guest, the business traveler feels closer to local experiences in a vacation rental, like a hole-in-the-wall taco joint or mid-week salsa classes. Staying further afield from city centers is also becoming more popular as travelers prioritize comfort and proximity to leisure activities.

Self-booking and flexible corporate travel policies

With an increasing demand for unconventional accommodation, business travelers need more flexible policies and the option to self-book. For this reason, 68% of employees are booking their trips outside of employer-approved channels.

Some companies are providing tools to help employees resolve issues, falling back on agents only when self-service tools fail. Companies offering a variety of travel options see higher adoption rates for their corporate travel programs. Allowing workers to make decisions based on their needs creates a culture of transparency and trust between employers and employees.