As more professionals seek to enrich their work journeys with personal exploration, Taiwan is using its growing status as a business hub to boost international tourism.

In an era of remote and hybrid work, bleisure travel – the practice of extending business trips for relaxation – is flourishing. This trend, already on the rise pre-pandemic, saw a significant surge as travel restrictions eased and is now poised to eclipse traditional business travel.

In the tourism sector, promoting a blend of business and leisure is particularly relevant for those targeting the American market. Research by air charter agent Stratos Jets shows that among the 405 million long-haul business trips per year undertaken by U.S. business travelers, employees add vacation time to approximately 60%.

Around 57% of U.S. companies have explicit policies governing the blending of business trips with personal vacations, Forbes reported last year. Many companies have realized that this approach not only aids in understanding local cultures – thereby benefiting business interactions – but also promotes workplace efficiency and a healthier work-life balance. A study by the University of East London found that over 75% of business travelers felt that bleisure trips helped them return to work rejuvenated, with more than 60% reporting increased productivity.

Jeff Moomaw, vice president of Asia Pacific for Delta Air Lines, notes that the carrier has experienced strong demand for both corporate and leisure travel between the United States and Taipei. This trend prompted Delta to open a Taipei-Seattle route in June with a schedule that accommodates business travelers.

“Bleisure travel is another trend that we’ve seen really emerge strong after Covid, and Taipei is a very good example of this,” Moomaw says. “We’ve seen a lot of corporate travelers decide to extend their trips and bring along family, or just stay on their own, to add a leisure component to those trips. We see a lot of demand for that sort of travel, not just for customers coming into Taipei, but for those who want to extend their stay in the U.S. or other countries.”

For Taiwan-based event organizer GIS Group, bleisure has always been an integral part of its business model. Still, the emphasis on leisure has recently grown in prominence for GIS.

“More and more corporate event agendas include some time for the attendees to attend a cultural program to do something that is not exactly a meeting,” says Adam Milczarek, senior business manager at GIS. “We’ve definitely seen a change of mindset recently. Meetings that used to be a three-day conference or training are now extended to two days of meetings and three days of cultural programs.”

Milczarek attributes the rise of bleisure travel to the influence of Millennial and Gen Z employees, who tend to value enriching non-work-related experiences. Companies competing for talent are accommodating these preferences and turning their attention to building strong corporate cultures.

“Companies have learned that you can’t build a team that doesn’t want to be built,” says Milczarek. “We’re very social creatures who love to bond over relaxing experiences. Giving your employees the opportunity to connect in a positive environment is very beneficial to the company.”
GIS reports that companies are increasingly requesting relaxing activities, such as morning yoga, and empty time slots for independent exploration to be added to program schedules. Other popular requests include walking meditation, kayaking, and activities designed to help participants bond and relax.

“We used to get requests for team-building exercises with clear goals and KPIs measuring achievements,” says Milczarek. “But the focus has now shifted to team-building activities that are more relaxed and inclusive. The main goal is just for people to have fun.”

The growing emphasis on leisure has in many cases led to heightened positive feedback from conference and corporate event participants. “Traditional training conferences or regional meetings are actually often dreaded by attendees because they typically involve spending three days in a hotel or at a convention center, with a program packed with meetings,” says Milczarek. “And as soon as the conference ends, you just go back home.”

Milczarek notes that another pitch for weaving leisure activities into corporate trips is the positive effects on learning. “People have limited attention spans, and there’s only so much information you can absorb in a given time,” he says. “Breaking up a program with leisure elements will help people focus better and give them something to look forward to.”

Amenities and offerings

Traditional business travelers follow predictable weekly booking patterns, typically staying in one location during weekdays. Bleisure travelers disrupt this norm by extending their stays into weekends. This shift requires hospitality services to cater to a varied clientele throughout the week, offering personalized services and recommendations every day – a challenging but appreciated offer.

At The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei, bleisure travel has had a noticeable impact on booking patterns. Sales Manager Jussi Pietarinen notes that American and European travelers in particular are more often adding vacation days, at times also bringing family members on their business trips.

“We have a multitude of corporate accounts,” says Pietarinen. “They can actually use the preferred corporate rates for their family member as well. And we do have bigger rooms, which can accommodate four people. Our peak season is around March and April, when Taipei hosts a lot of trade shows. Beyond that, the peak season is from September through December.”

Those with adequate vacation time are best off allocating at least two days for personal travel to fully relax and explore without rushing. Leisure time can be arranged either before the business segment of the trip or after all professional commitments are met. Even without extra days, effective planning can allow for enjoyable activities such as dining at renowned local restaurants or simply utilizing hotel amenities to unwind after a day’s work.

Many bleisure travelers choose to stay at the same venue for both work and leisure, presenting an opportunity for traditionally business-oriented hotels to promote their leisure amenities, enhance guest experiences, and build loyalty. Hotels work to attract business travelers with packages that include tours, itineraries, and amenities for accompanying family members.

“But usually, travelers from Europe or the U.S. are very independent,” says Pietarinen. “They don’t really arrange any guided tours and tend to look up information by themselves. An important requirement is flexibility, though. For example, if you bring family members you might need to split up the breakfast charges. Then later on they might want to move to a smaller room when they’re staying alone to lower the cost.”

Since many bleisure travelers continue to work remotely during their trips, they may also need appropriate spaces to work. Consequently, a growing number of hotels are adapting by offering flexible workspaces and meeting rooms.

“For the summer season, we have a swimming pool that kids can be in, and at the poolside we have a connecting bar,” says Pietarinen. “So, if you need to work during your trip, you can bring your laptop there while the family enjoys the amenities.”

Realizing the potential of bleisure, Taiwan’s Tourism Administration has partnered up with the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Bureau of Foreign Trade in a “side-trip tourism” partnership. This initiative targets international business travelers from the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions) sector and overseas corporations.

The partnership “encourages foreign business visitors to extend their stay for leisure travel while attending international conferences and exhibitions in Taiwan, boosting local tourism and consumption,” the Tourism Administration told TOPICS in emailed notes.

In 2024, subsidies of up to NT$2,000 per person and trip and up to NT$500,000 per business case will be provided to promote bleisure travel. Additionally, various industries are encouraged to host international professional exhibitions and bid for hosting large international annual meetings in Taiwan.

“To promote Taiwan’s MICE tourism, the Tourism Administration collaborates annually with the Bureau of Foreign Trade, local governments, airlines, the convention and exhibition industry, travel agencies, and the hospitality industry,” a Tourism Administration spokesperson says. By jointly hosting seminars and promotional activities, the government aims to foster interaction and networking among buyers to enhance Taiwan’s image and create new business opportunities.

Such initiatives to capitalize on stronger trade ties and people-to-people exchanges in the business world could be a viable way to boost tourism at large. While Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Bangkok often make the lists of the world’s top tourism destinations, Taipei is seldom ranked. Tourists who lack knowledge of Taiwan’s offerings therefore often overlook the island as a potential destination.

Backing this thesis, GIS’s Milczarek notes that most of his clients are international visitors who typically wouldn’t consider Taiwan for a holiday.

“There’s not a lot of people who know much about Taiwan and what it has to offer,” he says. “And when they come here for work, they are often pleasantly surprised. They see the nature, the culture, and the welcoming people, and they return home as ambassadors for Taiwan. I think we will see more and more people who first came here for business talking about Taiwan and looking to return.”