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What is Bleisure?
Meaning, Origin, Popular Use, and Synonyms

Bleisure - osam tour

What is Bleisure?

Bleisure, a portmanteau combining ‘business’ and ‘leisure,’ describes a growing trend among business travelers who extend their work trips for personal downtime and exploration. It encapsulates the practice of combining professional responsibilities with personal relaxation or vacation activities, often in the same trip.

Origins of the term Bleisure

The term “bleisure” emerged in the early 21st century as the working landscape began to shift, enabled by advancements in communication and travel technology. More precisely, it was around 2009 when this term started gaining traction, adapting to the evolving scene of global business travel. This shift primarily involved blending traditional professional assignments with the enjoyment of local leisure activities.

Where is the term Bleisure commonly used?

Primarily, the term “bleisure” is utilized in corporate and travel industries, often employed by travel agencies, hotels, airlines, and corporate organizations to capture this particular market segment. Countries with considerable international business travel like the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and Australia, frequently use this term. The term has also become increasingly prevalent in online travel media and professional blogs focusing on work-life balance and travel trends.

Synonyms of the term Bleisure

Though “bleisure” is rather unique in its encapsulation of the blending of business and leisure travel, there are a few related terms that capture the similar essence. These include “bizcation” (business+vacation), “flexcation” (flexible+vacation) and “workation” (work+vacation).

How to say Bleisure in other languages?

Translation - osam tour

The term “bleisure” is largely understood in the context of English-speaking and western business culture, but it doesn’t directly translate into many other languages. Here is how one could convey the concept in several languages:

  • Spanish: Viaje de negocios y placer
  • Italian: Viaggio di affari e piacere
  • French: Voyage d’affaires et de plaisir
  • German: Geschäfts- und Urlaubsreise
  • Chinese: 工作休闲之旅 (Gōngzuò xiūxián zhī lǚ)
  • Hindi: कारोबार और आनंद यात्रा (Karobar aur anand yatra)
  • Japanese: ビジネスとレジャーの旅行 (Bijinesu to reja no ryoko)
  • Arabic: السفر للعمل والترفيه (alsafar lil’amal wal tarfiah)
  • Russian: Деловая и отдыха поездка (Delovaya i otdyha poezdka)
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