Samuel Nassimov | Managing Director | Premier Hotels & Resorts | mail me |
Business travellers are adding a leisure component to their trips, as a way to have a holiday whilst working. It also presents a great opportunity for property managers to provide a memorable experience or encourage travellers to join their loyalty programmes, both of which will drive returning customers.
We have noted an increase in the combination of business and leisure travel – known as bleisure – amongst guests at its 24 properties across the country.
Because all work and no play can make for a dull time away, guests can take advantage of an array of activities and attractions both on and off-site. With offerings like these, bleisure guests arrive as business travellers but leave as holidaymakers.
Offering the best in both business and leisure
While the economic downturn may play a significant part in this, I believe that it is due to our ability to offer guests the best in both business and leisure.
The majority of properties provide business and conference centres, in-room work stations and free Wi-fi to ensure that corporate travellers can get their work done in comfort during their trips.
Recent surveys indicate that four out of five bleisure travellers spend up to five hours researching what they can do once their business trip is over, by exploring online or talking to co-workers, so hotels should try and take that planning pressure off already-overworked guests.
Activities aside, hoteliers should also take into account that bleisure travellers appreciate suites or one-bedroom accommodations so they can stay on task once their travel companions go to sleep.
Findings about bleisure travellers
A recent survey revealed that 81.8% of bleisure travellers choose to use their down time for relaxation. Visiting nearby bars and restaurants topped the survey’s list with 91.3% of bleisure travellers indulging in this activity.
For example, Cape Town is the country’s culinary capital, guests staying at Premier Hotel Cape Town, a sophisticated hotel at the base of Table Mountain, a mere 5km from the bustling city centre and minutes from the iconic V&A Waterfront are in for a treat.
One can select from 130 stylish, impeccably furnished, fully-equipped rooms most of which command spectacular views of a prime stretch of Cape coastline or the majestic Lions Head. In addition to the on-site Promenade Restaurant, its central location means that the city’s abundance of world-renowned eateries are practically on your doorstep. Plus, it is close to the CBD for those important business meetings.
Over 85% of bleisure travellers opt to explore the sights of the cities where they stay and bleisure travellers can have access to prominent business areas such as Midrand and Sandton – as well as must-see sights like the Apartheid Museum Maboneng Precinct and Constitution Hill – is quick and easy.
Furthermore, there is a newly-renovated Premier Hotel Quatermain, a sophisticated hotel that is an oasis in Sandton. This boutique hotel is perfectly located in Morningside and offers a tranquil escape away from the crowds but close enough to the buzz of Jozi. Check-in for some me-time, enjoy a quiet cocktail in the boutique bar lounge or the pool terrace, indulge with a hearty meal at the contemporary bistro or enjoy a breakaway in the landscaped gardens.
Boosting the tourism sector
Throughout 2020, while many hotel groups paused development, there were hotel chains that chose to boost the hospitality and tourism sectors to create more possibilities for guests.
We were a key player in boosting the tourism sector through an investment of a half a billion rand bolstering two new-builds and four refurbished properties across South Africa.
As part of our national expansion plans, we strategically chose to acquire land in KwaZulu-Natal, with our significant R365 million spend covering the construction and opening of two hotels on one precinct high up on Umhlanga Ridge.
In essence, travel suppliers have spent much of the past year adapting products and optimising messaging to account for new needs, and such efforts should continue. This pent-up demand comes with new needs, presenting new opportunities across the bleisure travel journey.
Travel in 2022 will be shaped in part by remote work, interest in private rentals, reticence to fly, and the expectation of flexibility. The durability of these shifts will vary, but none seem likely to disappear as quickly as they emerged.
So, in addition to adjusting to continuous health concerns, travel providers are also having to consider the ways the pandemic is reordering business travel.
