As business becomes ever more global and the world more interconnected, for many people going on business trips is a fact of life – and not necessarily a very pleasant one. Hotels and holiday accommodation designed with business travellers in mind often sacrifices comfort and aesthetics in favour of functionality, meaning that people fight shoddy Wi-Fi and jet-lag in less than inspiring surroundings. Furthermore, those travelling for business could also find themselves flying halfway around the world, only to find themselves back on a plane barely 36 hours later.
All this makes a pretty grim picture, and for business travellers much of the joy of travelling could be lost. But this has began to change with the emergence of “bleisure” travel, a mixture of business and leisure which turns work into an opportunity to relax and see somewhere new. If you find yourself regularly going on business trips, and think they are more of a drain than a perk of the job, here’s how to have a “bleisure” holiday.
Choose The Right Place to Stay.
Business travel brings in huge amounts of money to the travel industry, and services are increasingly making catering to business travellers a priority. This means that you don’t have to settle for a boxy room in a hotel that’s in sight of the airport and has a terrible restaurant. Many hotels now have everything a business traveller could need, from fast Wi-Fi to meeting rooms, as well as the advantage of swimming pools, delicious food and interesting decor. There’s also options such as renting a luxury city apartment in a central location – which offers both practical perks and beautiful surroundings.
An example of this is Virgin Hotels in Chicago designing a headboard perfect for working in bed – hinting at the convenience and luxury that business travellers want to enjoy. A pleasant and attractive place to stay can make all the difference when it comes to business travel, turning a routine trip into something a little more enjoyable. It may be that your company has already decided on accommodation, but if you find somewhere nicer for the same price or cheaper, there’s no reason why you can’t suggest it.
Book Holiday Days To Extend Your Trip.
Rushing from a plane, to your hotel, to meetings and then back to a plane can be stressful and exhausting. If you’re going somewhere you would like to explore more, then tagging a couple of days of holiday time onto a business trip can give you the time to actually get to know the area you’re visiting. This also gives you the advantage of flights that your employers have paid for, and means you’ll be refreshed when you return to work back home rather than washed out.
Some business travellers, for example, will go a couple of days early in order to immerse themselves in the culture, facilitating more understanding and better communication when it comes to working with overseas colleagues. Others will research where they’re visiting and save a day to go and visit a nearby attraction, or explore the local history. When you’ve done nothing but work or stay in your hotel, it can feel like you haven’t been away at all, but even extending your business trip by a day can give you the chance to experience something more interesting.
Bring Your Family or Friends With You.
With a few extra days to spend how to please, there’s no reason not to bring your family or even a friend along on your business trip. One of the disadvantages of frequently travelling for work is that it can make people feel as though they are spending too much time away from their loved ones. By organising a bleisure holiday, you can make sure that at least some of your trips involve the people you care about most.
Follow itravelnet.com