Supporting the end-to-end costs of today’s business traveller
THE LINE BETWEEN BUSINESS TRAVEL AND LEISURE – call it ‘bleisure’ – is blurring. More than 30 per cent of all travel is business-related, and eight out of ten business travellers spend additional time exploring their destinations, according to a recent survey by Bridgestreet Global Hospitality1
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After all, when in Rome (or New York, London or Hong Kong) travellers want to check out new cities and new sights. Allowing employees time to familiarise themselves with the local environment can benefit employers, too. This article discusses the corporate advantages of focusing on the end-to-end travel needs of today’s business traveller, ways to support it with the best payment tools, and suggestions for adjusting company policy to help maximise the professional and personal advantages of this growing trend.
Seeing the big picture Traditionally, companies handled the cost of airfare and hotel, leaving business travellers with the burden of handling
incidental costs on their own – but this is changing.
As employees opt to add leisure time to their business travel, companies are finding ways to change their travel policies to accommodate this trend. Some are even willing to pay for employees to arrive a day or two ahead so they are rested when it is time for work. They’re finding that customising company policies to suit employees’ needs provides a range of benefits. Extending trips for bleisure travel can actually increase cost savings. Companies save money
by taking advantage of lower weekend travel fares. And with many hotels offering weekend packages for business travellers, adding a few extra days can enhance a business trip and make it more cost-effective, even as it increases business traveller satisfaction. Employees may benefit, too: 78 per cent of travellers in the Bridgestreet survey say bleisure adds value to work assignments, while 73 per cent consider it a benefit of their employment.
End-to-end payment tools Companies are supporting bleisure travel with payment solutions that cover end-to-end travel costs. Two of the most frequently used solutions include individual plastic corporate travel and entertainment (T&E) cards, and lodge and virtual cards. Individual T&E cards offer greater flexibility, especially for frequent travellers, and can be used nearly anywhere in the world. Easily integrated into automated expense reporting
80% Source: BridgeStreet Global Hospitality: The Bleisure Report 2014
of business travelers explore their destinations
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