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France-based hospitality company Accor operates more than 5,000 properties—including Fairmont, Sofitel, Mondrian, SLS, M Galleria and other hotel brands—in more than 110 countries around the world. So, it only makes sense that executives at Accor, including chief sales and distribution officer Markus Keller, would have their fingers on the hospitality industry in a unique way, including trends in travel and business tourism.
Markus Keller, Acor’s Head of Sales and Distribution.Photo: Courtesy of Acor
One thing BizBash knows for sure is that “bleisure” travel is on the rise (we even heard about it at the Accor Global Summit in San Francisco in July). The relatively new concept combines the concepts of business and leisure travel, professionals want to participate in a conference, but also want to bring their loved ones on the trip with the flexibility to relax, explore and spend time with family. Perhaps the growing popularity of affluence travel is due to the pandemic changing mindsets about the workforce or because it’s cost-effective for travelers.
We turned to professional keller to get the lowdown on the travel trend. He has been with Accor since 2004 and has held frontline, senior management and corporate positions in Sydney, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and now Paris.
Read on to find out what it means for the hospitality, travel, meetings and events industries, and what companies promoting MICE travel can do about it…
What does the word “crash” mean to you?
Bleisure is a mix of business and leisure travel. People now travel in a different way – they leave home on Wednesday night and come back on Tuesday morning, which gives them the full ability to enjoy the weekend from the hotel or co-working space on Thursday, Friday and Monday. .
Why do you think joyrides have grown in popularity recently?
Guest expectations have changed dramatically in recent years, with the need for alternatives to the traditional workplace being accelerated by Covid. This has created a strong desire for more authentic, personalized and sustainable experiences that can be experienced not only away from home, but also in local communities close to nature and where individuals live and work.
Domestic leisure travel has increased, especially as changing work cultures and new production methods have given people more flexibility and opportunities to work in different settings. This trend sees people now experiencing new cities and areas as locals, often traveling a few hours away from home. [with new] Cultures, environments and food as part of the work week. All of this should be facilitated and managed by hospitality providers who encourage guests to be confident and try new ways of working. 
Accor’s is bucking the trend by launching an “all-inclusive suite” that includes dining experiences, leisure programs and sports activities.Photo: Courtesy of Acor
Another key driver of prosperity is the overall growing demand for sustainable lifestyles. Many, if not most, people care about the environment and want to travel in a more sustainable and responsible way. According to the WTTC 2021 report, 69 percent of travelers expect the tourism industry to offer more sustainable travel options, creating new hope for the industry.
Here the “increased accommodation” can have an important effect. Even before the pandemic, Accor made the most of the hotel’s convenient location to cater to the needs of nomadic travelers who want to work from anywhere, offering a variety of leisure and business offerings.
Workplace solutions contribute to environmentally friendly workplaces with less traffic congestion, fuel consumption and associated emissions.
What does the pleasure traveler want that the traditional business traveler doesn’t?
Career choices have evolved around the world, as the pandemic has brought about focus-work-life balance, key skill attributes and hybrid work models. It’s become clear that people around the world are looking for organizations that care deeply about their individual needs.
Now, hotels are looking at what they can do for them outside of the hotel room. For example, access to museums, festivals and restaurants. We need to tell them what they can do outside of the concierge service through digital tools.
[To accommodate those needs,] Accor’s “Augmented Hospitality” concept provides customers with “live, work and play” experiences and services during travel and in their daily lives.
Covid may have accelerated the transition to a hybrid office model, but Accor was already a pioneer in this space, launching powerful initiatives like our hybrid meeting solution ALL Connect, partnering with Microsoft Teams and partnering with WOJO Workplaces. .
Keller notes that the rise of affluent travel has “created a greater demand for more authentic, personalized and sustainable experiences.” (Photo: Sofitel Mexico City Reforma)Photo: Courtesy of Acor
With all this said, are the days of traditional business travel gone?
After two years of pandemic restrictions and uncertainty, the value of human interaction and the need for reassurance and communication have strengthened. So, to that extent, traditional business travel will still continue, but a share of the pie will go to hybrid travel modes or hybrid events.
Hospitality based on human values We place people-to-people relationships at the heart of our activities and are naturally committed to reconnecting, reassuring, changing the rules of travel and offering flexibility to our customers and partners to meet their needs.
[As far as business travel statistics,] September will be key for the Northern Hemisphere, where bookings will shift from leisure to business classes. Current trends are positive, and we are approaching 2019. [travel figures]. We know the corporate segment probably won’t be back to 2019 levels because of Microsoft Teams, Webex and similar tools, but the recovery has been strong, and there are big business events planned in the coming weeks.
[Into 2023,] There may be some headwinds and uncertainty related to the economy, inflation, and other costs—all of which are impacting companies that need to control certain costs. However, it’s clear that in-person meetings are better for building and sealing company culture, customer relationships, and agreements. You beat virtual communication down. Therefore, the need to travel for business will always exist, and frustration will continue to improve as individuals and companies find the right balance for themselves.
How do companies incentivize employees to travel again?
For the most part, few employees need motivation to travel again—it’s in our nature to want to meet colleagues and business partners face-to-face. What we’re noticing, however, is encouraging companies to think differently about travel, especially by combining travel objectives. Perhaps for economic and environmental reasons, they are often less frequent and longer journeys. This gives travelers the opportunity to stay and work remotely in environments tailored to their changing needs, which feels more like home. 
Keller told BizBash that affluent travelers are “looking for what hotels can do for them outside of the hotel room.” And it’s moved beyond hybrid work solutions that can “access museums, festivals and restaurants.” (Image: Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles)Photo: Courtesy of Acor
Where does Accor see the most affluent travelers these days?
The booming trend is mostly seen in a number of key cities in the US and Europe, where we’ve seen an increase in weekend stays to include weekdays on both sides.
The usual suspects of London, Paris and New York are particularly popular, but other major urban centers in Europe and the US are busy and showing healthy future bookings. This is why it is important to meet again in person. Companies that rescheduled meetings last year or so have in some cases been rescheduled twice and are now able to resume as travel restrictions have been lifted across Europe, the US, the Middle East and Latin America. There are very few restrictions on the size of physical meetings that remain today.
How does Accor cater to the bleisure traveller?
Accor is expanding into the multi-brand market with the launch of the multi-brand “Universal Collection”. It’s an attractive offering that sees the team. [Accor] Double down on this fast-growing segment by building on the success of the Ricks brand, a leading player in the luxury all-inclusive segment. The platform incorporates the key strengths of the Accor brands and leverages the group’s leading market position in the luxury and premium segments.
Carefully curated leisure programs play a central role and build on Rixos’ expertise in kids’ clubs, fitness, water sports, as well as outdoor activities and rodents. Guests can enjoy spectacular shows and a range of sporting activities at the resort, accompanied by world-class spa and wellness facilities.
This exceptional quality is complemented by a wide range of restaurant, bar, beach club and nightlife concepts, creating unforgettable guest experiences.
Accor also recently launched this website to showcase the group’s extensive resort portfolio around the world, allowing customers to choose the perfect resort for a family trip and also for themes such as mountains, beaches, spas or golf.
This interview has been edited and completed.
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