Bleisure travel is no longer just a Gen Z trend; it’s booming across age groups, including among Canadians in the Gen X age bracket. New data from Corporate Traveller Canada, based on a national survey conducted by YouGov reveals that 24% of Canadian business travellers ages 45 to 60 are mixing work with pleasure all or most of the time – just slightly less than their Gen Z counterparts (28%).
And it’s not limited to business travellers. A companion survey by Flight Centre, also conducted by YouGov, shows that 63% of Canadian workers who intend to travel in 2025 would consider combining business and leisure on a future trip – with 32% already having done so.
“Bleisure travel – the blend of business and leisure – has gone mainstream, and it’s resonating with Canadian travellers across the age spectrum as a tool for work-life balance,” says Chris Lynes, Managing Director for Flight Centre Travel Group. “Nearly all Canadians – 96% – say travel plays a vital role in their mental health.”
Demand for business travel is back: Nearly three in 10 SME employees (29%) say travel demand at their company is already higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Work-life balance is better than before: 91% of SME employees say their work-life balance on business trips is the same or better than in 2019. Young Canadians lead the way:
- Gen Z: 50% say it’s better
- Millennials: 43% agree
- Gen X: Only 21% agree, but 68% say it’s about the same
Bleisure Is cross-generational: Nearly seven in 10 (68%) SME employees add leisure to business travel at least sometimes.
- Gen Z: 28% do it “all or most of the time”
- Millennials: 33% do the same
- Gen X: 24% do, too
Older travellers get more flexibility: While 30% of SMEs offer little or no flexibility for personal extensions, the older the employee, the more wiggle room they get:
- 18 to 24: 38% report minimal flexibility
- 25 to 34: 31% report the same
- 35 to 49: 30%
- 50 to 64: 28%
- 65+: 14%
“Business leaders need to understand that bleisure is a strategic retention tool, not a perk,” says Lynes. “Happy, balanced employees are more engaged and more loyal. It’s not about escaping work – it’s about expanding life.”
Further insight and access to survey findings available upon request. For more information, visit corptraveller.com.
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