Global Bleisure Travel Statistics: The Data Behind the Business-Leisure Boom

Gone are the days when flying to a conference meant only setting foot in a convention center. Bleisure travel, a portmanteau of business and leisure travel, is a rising travel trend where people extend work-related trips into mini-vacations. To understand this evolving trend and its implications for businesses, Navan dove into the latest industry reports, travel surveys, and our own trove of data. What we found demonstrates the remarkable growth of bleisure travel and uncovers why companies need to take note of this transformative travel industry shift. Get ready for a data-driven journey as we explore bleisure travel by the numbers.

Today's Global Bleisure Market

*Explosive growth is expected over the next decade.*

Adding leisure time onto business trips isn't a new phenomenon, but the practice's popularity has exploded in recent years — and is expected to grow significantly.

Fortune Business Insights estimates the global bleisure market was valued at $762.01 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $2.21 trillion by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.69%.[1] That's a dramatic acceleration from earlier projections, reflecting both pent-up demand and the permanent shift toward flexible work.

Several factors are fueling this growth:

• 1\. A rise in demand for work-life balance
• 2\. Hybrid and remote work models that make it easier to work from any location
• 3\. An increase in the number of affordable hospitality services

Additionally, businesses are adopting more flexible travel policies and encouraging employees to extend their trips for leisure purposes. According to the GBTA 2025 Business Travel Index Outlook, 68% of corporate travelers now extend at least one trip per year, with an average extension of 2.3 nights.[2] This shift in corporate culture supports bleisure travel and contributes to its growth.

What Business Travelers Want

*They're seizing opportunities to explore (and get some well-deserved R&R).*

Today's business travelers want to maximize their travel experiences beyond business commitments by turning them into meaningful and enriching trips.

In The State of Corporate Travel and Expense 2025, Navan + Skift found that 55% of business travelers took at least two trips that blended business and leisure in 2024. The blended mindset between work and play is reshaping how travelers spend their downtime. Over half of business travelers take the opportunity to explore local areas, while nearly 40% dedicate time to pursuing their personal hobbies. This shift signals a move away from the traditional "time is money" approach, as today's road warriors embrace more balance and enrichment during their journeys.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association found that 84% of travelers wanted to include some vacation time on their next corporate trip.[3] And a survey by Banyan found that more than three-quarters (76%) of business travelers have already tacked leisure travel onto a business trip at least once in their career.

Employees value having time for sightseeing and recreational activities when traveling for work — and many opt not to leave home unless they can build in leisure time. According to Visit Anaheim, 44% of bleisure travelers have turned down work trips due to a lack of leisure time at the destination.

Business Travelers Focus on Work-Life Balance

*We're entering a new era of work-life harmony.*

The data shows that business travelers increasingly value work-life balance and recognize the importance of rejuvenation during their trips. By extending their stays for leisure activities, travelers prioritize their personal physical and mental well-being, which leads to higher job satisfaction and overall productivity.

Fifty-five percent of employees view bleisure as a way to maintain a better work-life balance. Unsurprisingly, these opportunities also make employees feel that business trips are worth taking. Seventy-eight percent of business travelers said that leisure time adds value to their job assignments.

Additionally, 73% of business travelers think bleisure opportunities benefit them as employees. Among the benefits of adding leisure time to a business trip are lower stress levels, an increase in happiness, and a boost in productivity upon returning home.

The most tangible benefit of a bleisure trip for an employee is cost savings. Since the employer covers airfare, the business traveler typically only needs to pay for lodging and personal expenses incurred during the leisure portion of the trip.

Why Companies Should Take Note

*Turning a job duty into a work perk.*

As the numbers clearly demonstrate, companies should pay close attention to the bleisure phenomenon. Organizations can foster employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall well-being by accommodating and embracing this trend. And embracing bleisure travel could also be a tool for talent recruitment and retention.

When employees are encouraged to add leisure time, they'll likely be more willing to go on business trips and feel more engaged with their work. About 73% of employees view the opportunity to add leisure time as a corporate perk, with 59% of Gen Z and 65% of millennial respondents specifically choosing to work for companies that provide this level of flexibility and blended travel opportunities. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) found that millennials are the age group most likely to take bleisure trips.

As the business landscape continues to evolve, bleisure travel is a testament to the importance of taking time off, in order to enjoy a fulfilling professional experience. According to The State of Corporate Travel and Expense 2026, 90% of business travelers now consider travel an essential investment — up 8 percentage points from the prior year. Companies are also embracing bleisure travel as an employee benefit.

Pro Tip: Allow Employees to Combine Work and Play

Increasingly, companies are allowing employees to extend their business trips for leisure purposes — a trend that has surprising benefits for companies. Read more about how to incorporate a leisure travel policy into your travel program.

!Blog CTA: Free Travel Policy Template

How the Travel Industry Is Changing

*Operators are adjusting to the paradigm shift that's underway.*

Undoubtedly, the travel and hospitality industries are adapting to bleisure travel's growing popularity.

Navan data indicates that the No. 1 reason for business trips has shifted from individual road warrior journeys to team travel outings, which include company meetings, events, and offsites. And while sales teams continue to claim a plurality of the share of business travel, engineering, product, and marketing teams have increased their share of travel when compared to the pre-pandemic era.

This shift in the type of travelers means that employees who have rarely or never traveled for work are now on the road. For these travelers, the allure of exploring a new destination is strong. Big players in the travel industry are paying attention to the rise of bleisure travel:

• Marriott International said business travelers stay 20% longer than they did in the past.
• American Airlines recently stated that bleisure travelers are the fastest-growing segment of its business.
• United Airlines referenced bleisure as a trend that will continue to drive air travel demand.

Airlines and hoteliers are capitalizing on the trend by adapting spaces, loyalty programs, and marketing to bleisure travelers.

Top 10 Bleisure Travel Destinations

*Here are the most popular spots for adding mini-vacations to business trips.*

Where are people most likely to extend their business trips? Navan crunched the numbers to discover the top 10 bleisure destinations:

• New York
• London
• San Francisco
• Paris
• Las Vegas
• Chicago
• Tokyo
• Austin
• Dublin
• Seattle

These cities are ripe for the combination of work and play. All of these destinations are business hubs that offer a variety of cultural, culinary, and entertainment opportunities. This dynamic blend of activities makes these destinations the perfect backdrop for bleisure travel.

*Methodology: Navan analyzed concurrent business and leisure accommodation bookings made by individual travelers on the Navan platform with a booking window of Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2025.*

Shifts in Corporate Travel Programs

Corporate travel programs need to adjust to shifting travel behaviors. As more business travelers look to add leisure extensions to work trips, there are several risks for companies:

• Rogue spending: Delineating expenses between the business and leisure aspects of the trip becomes complicated, especially if a company doesn't have a leisure travel policy.
• Platform adoption: Frequent travelers may be incentivized to book outside of the company's travel management software so they can earn and burn travel rewards from their favorite providers.
• Privacy: Employees may not want their employers to know that they're adding a leisure extension.

Navan is an all-in-one travel, corporate card, and expense management platform that solves each of these challenges:

• Built-in policies: Companies pre-program travel policies so they're enforced at the point of purchase. For example, if an employee attempts to charge a coffee on a non-business travel day, it will be automatically denied.
• Loyalty integration: Whether traveling for business or leisure, Navan users can collect loyalty points from third-party providers directly in the app.
• Privacy: All personal bookings made with Navan are kept confidential from employers, and payments are completely separate.

With Navan, companies can establish clear boundaries for personal trip expenses and employees can tap into corporate travel benefits, including exclusive access to corporate hotel discounts for the leisure portion of their trips.

Combine Business and Leisure Travel with Navan

Travelers around the world book business, personal, and bleisure travel with Navan for a trusted, quality experience. Schedule a demo or get up and running with Navan in just 5 minutes.

More Bleisure Travel Resources

• How to Plan Your First Bleisure (Business + Leisure) Trip
• Why Bleisure Travel is the New Employee Benefits Trend
• It's Time for Companies to Embrace Leisure Travel Extensions