This text is part of the special Business Tourism section
Propelled by the pandemic, access to teleworking has accelerated a fundamental trend in the world of business tourism: the hybridization of work and vacation. Decoding of the main variants.
“It’s a phenomenon that we were already seeing; We have been talking about digital nomads since the 2010s. These are the workers (for example in the technology fields) who can work remotely,” explains Amélie Racine, analyst at the Transat Chair of Tourism at the UQAM School of Management Sciences. The Chair, which documents major travel trends, surveys Quebecers on several questions, including hybrid travel.
Although this way of working has been documented for several years, we are witnessing a sort of democratization of it. “We had never had such a large critical mass of people before the pandemic,” remarks Amélie Racine. Multiple possibilities then open up, straddling work and pleasure.
From “bleisure” to “workation”
Work and vacation combine in many ways. The followers of bleisure (a combination of “ business ” and of ” leisure “) take advantage of a business trip (such as a conference) to extend it and add a few days of vacation, which is sometimes joined by a member of their family.
Combining the words “ work ” And ” holiday “, THE workation (or “tracances” in French, a term which has not yet established itself), means the extension of vacation to telework. Teleworkers who plan a stay to specifically work remotely, “like those who rent a chalet in the Laurentians to work, for example,” suggests M
Wind of freshness
For the hospitality industry, damaged by the pandemic, this kind of trend brings a breath of fresh air. Additional nights, activities, additional meals, bleisure offers “great economic benefits for the region”, says Mme Root.
The worker also benefits from this combination. “We are talking more and more about mental health and well-being. For these travelers – we know how much stress certain trips cause – staying longer to do some good helps to reduce stress and have better balance,” believes Amélie Racine. In a difficult economic context, why not take advantage of the fact that part of the expenses are already covered? “If the trip is paid, that removes an expense,” recalls the analyst. Spouse and family can also benefit from a few days of accommodation covered by the employer (obviously, depending on agreements with the employer).
Adapt to demand
Faced with this clientele who has new needs, the industry has no other choice but to adapt. Even the Société des establishments de plein air du Québec (SEPAQ) targets teleworkers, by offering them teleworking packages, promoting connected national parks. “That’s the main issue. Employers are taking the gamble on teleworking, assuming that their employee is as efficient and available as in the office. If the Internet connection is not fast and reliable, it does not work,” emphasizes Mme Root.
Arrangement of work spaces, review of room layout to provide a distinctive office space, partnership with other organizations and third-party locations, offering more comprehensive services (laundry, meals, services to meet the needs of travelers who support teleworkers): establishments are innovating in different ways to attract this clientele.
Obviously, the popularization of teleworking has opened the door to a real change in lifestyles and work. It remains to be seen whether this trend is here for good, nuance Amélie Racine: “Will people really want to continue working this way? This is what we want to observe. »
Hybrid travel in figures
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.