More Resorts Catering to ‘Bleisure’ Travelers

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Hectic work or school schedules oftentimes prevent families or couples from taking a vacation. So it should come as no surprise that a growing number of people are combining business and leisure travel by bringing their spouse or their entire family on a business trip and making it into a sort of mini vacation.

In fact, mixing business and leisure travel is popular enough that it has its own term – “bleisure.”

Some hotels and resorts are hoping to capitalize on the growing trend by offering services and amenities that cater to bleisure travelers.

According to Skift, resorts like the Great Wolf Lodge, a chain of 14 resorts in the United States and Canada, are trying to cater to guests who want to mix business and family fun. The resort offers 500-square-foot suites that are great for families alongside conference centers that meet the needs of its business clientele.

“After the Recession, the growing trend with everyone was that you had to do more with less,” Great Wolf spokesperson Rhonda Khabir told Skift. “If you have to work, it’s a bonus if you can bring your family along with you to a place that takes care of kids’ needs and lets them have a great time in ways that wouldn’t be possible at a traditional hotel.”

Club Med has accommodated bleisure travelers for years.

“When you introduce a family into a meeting setting it is very important to create the right environment,” Jacqueline Manuel, a spokesperson for Club Med, told Skift. “At Club Med we have our kids programs and activities but also our staff are trained to engage and assist the family and business participant to enjoy all aspects of the resort both with and without one another.”

Several websites, like HospitalityTechnology.com, offer tips on how hotels can boost their bleisure business.

Considering that more than half of business travelers take family members along on their trips, according to a 2014 BridgeStreet Global Hospitality study, catering to that growing group of travelers seems like a good business move.

What do you think of the bleisure trend? Do you mix business and leisure travel? Share your thoughts below or on our Facebook page.

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