Often chided for their unique habits and opinions, millennials, people born between 1980 and 2000, aren’t often given full credit for shaping positive trends, but their impact on business travel is unmistakable. As a growing portion of the workforce, millennials are asking for more flexible travel schedules and the ability to add bleisure time to their trips. Bleisure is when business travel merges with leisure travel, and the growing trend is shown to increase productivity and employee satisfaction. New York based travel agent, BlueOrange specializes in bleisure bookings and has noticed the shifting trends and demographics.
The professional services network PwC estimates that by 2020, millennials will make up half of the global workforce. As employees, millennials don’t draw clear lines between their personal and professional lives, meaning their working hours or location aren’t as strictly defined as they have been for past generations. For these reasons, bleisure travel is especially appealing. Without strict travel timeframes and rules, these workers are free to try new things, explore new surroundings and tell all about it on social media. Combining business and pleasure appeals to their core ideals.
This shift in attitude also means a shift for companies that will hire this generation. Specific bleisure policies are becoming the norm across all industries, and policies that allow for this style of travel are being used to hire top talent. When higher salaries can’t be found in the budget, employees are being swayed by a generous bleisure policy that might allow for a return flight on a Sunday instead of Friday or allowances that make it easier for an employee to bring their partner on an extended work trip.
Another aspect of travel propelling millennials to bleisure travel is technology. Having grown up with access to the internet, this generation is comfortable with constantly shifting and growing technology. Smart phones, laptops, Wi-Fi all make it easier to work outside a traditional office, and comfort with technology makes millennial workers an asset. They are able to research travel options and destinations seamlessly through technology, but they still value face-to-face time with clients. This makes this generation perfectly qualified for the changing world.
In a sharing economy, millennials are eager to experience new things and places and then to tell their friends and family back home all about it. The thought of traveling to new places, even for work, excites them. In the same way, they look for feedback about what to see, where to eat, what to do in their free time. Bleisure travel fuels this by giving the traveler space and time to make their own decisions about what to see and do. Leisure time after work is finished makes millennial workers feel valued and allows employers to show that they value their staff. The symbiotic relationship benefits both sides.
The face of the business travel industry is increasingly millennial. By asking for what they want from their business travel plans, prioritizing technology and pushing bleisure travel as a priority, they are shifting the way the world travels for work. BlueOrange is at the forefront of this travel trend and is ready to plan your next bleisure adventure. Contact our New York office to get started.