GETTING TO KNOW THE ‘BLEISURE’ TRAVELLER
What’s this type of traveller like?
According to an Expedia survey, 26% of ‘bleisure’ travellers work in the technology sector, 17% work in the health sector and 5 to 7% work in public administration and education. The main reasons for their trips are conferences/conventions (43%); client meetings or presentations (34%) and team buil
ding exercises (24%). 87% of them travel within their own country, and 13% go abroad.
How often do they travel?
38% travel every two months, and 32% travel once or twice a month.
Where do they stay, and for how long?
Typically, ‘bleisure’ travellers spend two (47%) or three (29%) nights in their destination. 42% of them spend more days on business than on leisure activi
ties; 37% balance their time evenly and 21% spend more days holidaying than working. 84% stay in the same city and hotel.
What are they looking for?
They mainly want to be close to sightseeing spots (85%). Other draws include beaches (63%), food and restaurants (57%), museums and the art scene
(49%) and sports teams/venues (48%).
urban locations, but with its new positioning in response to changing consumer behaviour, it has evolved and transcended the concept of “bleisure”. It’s no longer just about complementing business trips with leisure—we’re also seeing the reverse. Because of that, this year ’s big news is that the brand will have both beach and city locations.’ Eleven strategic openings are planned for 2019 alone: in Mallorca, Paris, Milan, Prague and Zaragoza, strengthening the brand’s presence in Europe; in Halong Bay, Saigon and Kuala Lumpur, continuing its expansion across Asia; and in Lima’s famous Miraflores neighbourhood, which is the brand’s first location in South America.
A PLACE TO ROAM AND EXPLORE
‘The Innside brand is a pioneer when it comes to thinking beyond the hotel room, with art, modern and inviting spaces and restaurants to match any of Palma’s top spots, as well as many other activities that go far beyond what’s expected of a traditional hotel’, explains Escarrer.
With the hashtag #staycurious, Innside hotels invite their customers to roam and explore, or just relax. Their common areas have been converted into multifunctional, flexible spaces that break the boundaries between work, play and social life, adapting to the needs of their new guests: urban professionals, adventurous families, social butterflies, the curious, the young and the young at heart. ‘We’ve re-invented our lobby, turning it into the heart of the hotel. We call it the Open Living Lounge. Here our guests can eat breakfast, lunch or dinner, socialise, hold meetings, enjoy an after-work drink at the end of a long day or have a cocktail with a friend or partner. We work
hard to create a cosy and inviting atmosphere with events like brunch, vermouth parties, DJ sessions, live music and more’, says Muntaner.
FOOTPRINT-FREE TRAVEL
Sustainability is another core value for the Innside brand. It’s just as important to the company—which has already taken certain measures to address it—as it is to travellers who are concerned about carbon footprints and environmental conservation. ‘We’ve eliminated all singleuse plastic and paper, and we’re going to implement vertical gardens. We’ve also created a type of guest room that’s equipped with sustainable cotton sheets and towels, sustainable amenities, wooden “do not disturb” signs, fabric labels and washing bags, a cork yoga mat and more’, explains Muntaner. The company is working on several projects that aim to involve the guests themselves, such as this year ’s commitment to stop using straws and promote the eradication of plastic products. The most creative manifestation of this undertaking is #TheArtofECO. As part of this project, an installation was constructed from plastic bags, bottles and bottle caps that were collected at Innside hotels in Palma de Mallorca throughout December and January. It was created by Jorge Penadés, an artist and designer from Malaga, Spain and winner of the 2017 AD Nuevo Talento Campari Award. Through initiatives like this one, Innside by Meliá is ‘exploring the possibility of collaborating with artists who work with sustainable materials and exhibiting their work in our hotels. With them, we can make sustainability one of the central elements of our strategy, generating value and a sense of responsibility’.