Two out of every three business travelers are destination-based tourists

67% of business travelers take advantage of free time on their trips to go sightseeing in the destinations they visit, according to a study by the Instituto de Empresa and Mastercard. bleisure, i.e., the combination of leisure and business, is a trend that is spreading strongly.

The report Key drivers behind high-value city travel was conducted using data from 1,500 interviews in the U.S., U.K., Russia, Latin America and Spain. Another key finding is that 58% of corporate travelers frequently add one or more days to their stay to visit the destination on their own.

The term bleisure  comes from the union of the concepts business and leisure, in English, and according to n explains the head of the study, consultant Jörn Gieschen, "isá more widespread than expected”, to the point that the results of the survey have surprised the authors themselves.

The IE and MasterCard Premium Market and Prestige Products Observatory also notes that urban tourism has grown by 60% over the last five years worldwide, well above sun and beach tourism.

The growth of urban tourism represents a great opportunity. Madrid and Barcelona can improve their competitive advantages particularly for higher value-added travelers, 

María Eugenia Girón, director of this entity, points out.

Among other aspects, the study also highlights the importance of shopping when it comes to enjoying urban tourism. In fact, shopping in the city is more appreciated than shopping in airport stores, according to survey participants.

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