Travellers are taking the opportunity to extend business travel wherever possible to save money
In a recent survey of 1,000 adults who travel for work revealed that two-thirds enjoy turning overseas meetings into a holiday, capitalising on the free travel.
Half of those surveyed have even maximised their savings by bringing their family along to explore a new area before or after work.
Business travellers claim to save nearly £2,500 annually by extending their work trips into holidays. They estimate a saving of £791 each trip, doing this three times a year.
According to the survey, the best places for making the most free business travel included the USA and Australia, mainly for their long distances and high costs.
Jack Cook, head of Bolt Business for the UK, which commissioned the survey, said: “It’s becoming increasingly popular for people to turn work trips into holidays, saving both money and annual leave.
“It’s not a surprise to see that people are also bringing their families along, balancing meetings with lounging by the hotel pool.”
The study also found that 78% of those surveyed enjoy travelling for work and consider it a ‘bonus’ in their role. Moreover, 74% would volunteer for a meeting in a new location just to have the opportunity to visit.
The most popular cities employees would like to combine a work and holiday trip were New York (27%), Paris (20%) and Tokyo (15%). And although 54% would typically opt for a city trip, plenty more would enjoy visiting a beach town or mountainous retreat.
Interestingly, over two thirds of respondents regret not spending more time in destinations they’ve visited due to work commitments. As 61% of business travellers actually found exploring a new place to be an excellent way to unwind, according to the OnePoll data.
Jack added: “Blending business with leisure isn’t just a trend it’s a lifestyle shift that allows travellers to find balance.”
He added: “We find that by exploring local attractions or enjoying downtime during a work trip, professionals can recharge and return to their tasks with fresh perspectives.”
“Business travel can be demanding, but when you integrate a bit of leisure into the schedule, it transforms the experience.”