Business travel is no longer confined to boardrooms, airport lounges and rushed room-service dinners. A new generation of professionals is rewriting the rules, and they are doing it with bare feet on sandy beaches and restaurant bookings that stretch well beyond the conference schedule.
Fresh research released by The Hague & Partners at IBTM World in Barcelona confirms what many in the tourism sector have sensed for some time: “bleisure”, the blending of business and leisure, is no fleeting fad. It is fast becoming an expectation, particularly among professionals aged 26 to 35.
The study shows that when travellers are gifted extra time on a business trip, their first instinct is to immerse themselves in local culture. Men most commonly gravitate toward gastronomy and dining experiences, while women place greater value on nature-based activities and relaxation. When it comes to extending trips, younger professionals typically choose to travel alone, while older age groups tend to bring partners or family.
The findings point to a growing shift in how work and personal well-being intersect, and destinations are being put on notice.
Bas Schot, Head of The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau, believes his city is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the trend.
“The Hague offers an ideal balance for professionals looking to combine productivity with relaxation. As the only major Dutch city by the sea, we give visitors the chance to step straight from a conference into the dunes or enjoy a quiet moment on the beach. It’s a city that understands the rhythm of work and the need for wellbeing.”
It is a compelling proposition and one increasingly aligned with how modern professionals want to travel. The research confirms that flexibility, authenticity and personal enrichment now rank as highly as convenience and efficiency once did.
The data was gathered through an online mixed-methods questionnaire distributed across professional networks and mailing lists. A total of 125 professionals participated, with 77 completing the full survey. The findings underscore that bleisure is no longer a novelty; it is a structural shift in business travel behaviour.
The full report is available at: https://www.thehague.com/bleisure.
For destinations and tourism operators, the message is unmistakable: bleisure is no longer an add-on. It is the new front line of competitive business tourism, and those who design for both productivity and pleasure will shape the next decade of global travel.
by Karuna Johnson – (c) 2025
Read Time: 3 minutes.
About the Writer
Karuna Johnson has one of those rare careers that could only belong to someone who genuinely loves travel. A Thai national with dual citizenship, she’s as comfortable swapping stories over street food in Bangkok as she is discussing strategy in a Sydney boardroom.
Educated in Thailand and Australia, Karuna speaks several languages fluently, a skill that’s served her well throughout a career spanning the inner workings of three Destination Management Companies and a string of hotels. She’s done everything from sales to admin, always with the kind of quiet competence that keeps things moving while everyone else still finds the coffee.
Her travels have taken her far and wide across Asia, Europe, and the United States, yet she still finds joy in the details: the people, the culture, and the stories behind every journey.
She’s worldly, poised, and precisely the kind of voice Global Travel Media was made for.
