Gone are the days when a business traveller would wrap up the last meeting of the day on a Friday evening, grab a cab to the airport and fly home, often arriving – if it was. a long-haul trip – in the early hours of the following morning, long after the children had been put to bed.
One or two days at home and then it was back to the airport for the next business trip.
Cue 2025, and changes in work practices (many as the result of the pandemic shutdown) are seeing a sharp rise in blended travel — the ability to mix business travel with downtime with family or friends.
A new survey commissioned by Crowne Plaza has revealed just how quickly work habits are changing in the business world with more than one-third of global responders to a YouGov questionnaire citing being able to spend quality time with family and friends around their work as a reason to combine business and leisure travel.
With much of life lived online, travellers place greater value on in-person connections with colleagues, loved ones and new acquaintances, the survey noted.
So much so, 41% of business travellers in Singapore said being able to work remotely and combining it with a leisure trip is a priority when choosing an employer – more important than receiving higher than average annual leave days or working a four-day week.
The consumer research was conducted by YouGov with a sample of 12,184 adults in the US, UK, Australia, Germany, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the UAE.
The survey also identified another revealing trend: More than one in five (21%) have extended or would extend a work trip for personal leisure without informing their employers. In comparison, 18% have invited or would invite a family member or friend to join them on a work trip without disclosing it to their employer.
“Flexibility in where and when people work is now an expectation for today’s professional,” said Vivek Bhalla, managing director, Southeast Asia & Korea, IHG Hotels & Resorts.
“Crowne Plaza tracked the evolution of work-leisure integration for years – blended travel has now shifted from a trend to a permanent way of life. It could be extending a business trip, working remotely from a dream destination or just finding inspiration on the go.
“As this shift continues to evolve, we’re reimagining Crowne Plaza hotel designs with curated social spaces and purpose-driven experiences that will allow our guests to experience a more dynamic, fulfilling way of travelling,” Bhalla added.
Other points from the YouGov survey for Crowne Plaza:
Blended travel is now key to both personal and professional growth, with travellers linking their journeys to self-improvement, skill development and creative exploration.
Blended travel offers a powerful catalyst for creativity by exposing individuals to new environments that inspire fresh ideas.
Unlike traditional travel, which focuses on rest and recharging, today’s travellers see time away as an active pursuit that fuels creativity and enhances well-being.