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The era of 'bleisure' travel: Remote and hybrid work trends inspire a fusion of business and leisure on work trips

The landscape of work has undergone a significant transformation with the rise of remote and hybrid models, causing a ripple effect across various industries. Remote and hybrid work has affected many industries, from commercial real estate to downtown restaurants. And it has impacted how many workers, unfettered by office attendance requirements, plan their travels. Some call it “ bleisure travel,” “laptop lugging,” “workations” or simply “blended travel.” The gist is the same: Remote and hybrid employees extend work trips to include leisure activities or work during their leisure trips. Whatever it’s called, it could upend the traditional divide between leisure and business travel. The travel lodging industry is already seeing the trend’s impact. Because bleisure travelers’ needs differ from those of traditional vacationers or work trippers, existing lodging options — particularly hotels — can fall short. This has created an opportunity and appears to be fueling a boom among short-term vacation rentals such as Airbnb. Quarterly demand growth for short-term rentals has outpaced that for hotels since the first quarter of 2022, when travel began to fully rebound from the pandemic, according to a 2023 report from AirDNA and STR/CoStar, hospitality industry analytic services. This shift reflects changing traveler preferences and the ability of short-term rental hosts to react swiftly to these changes. “We saw more and more people looking to convert their homes to short-term rentals,” says Jamie Lane, chief economist at AirDNA. “So supply could be added in an instant. It takes 10 minutes to create a listing, while building a hotel can take years.” Indeed, the year-over-year growth in supply of short-term rentals has exceeded 15% in every quarter from the first quarter of 2022 through the second quarter of 2023, compared with below 5% growth for hotels, according to the report. More short-term rentals are available and more travelers are choosing them. How does “bleisure” travel factor in? A NEW KIND OF TRAVEL — AND TRAVELER Vacations used to be something that employees squeezed between long periods of work. That’s no longer the paradigm for many office workers with more flexible schedules. Far from being a pandemic-only trend, the popularity of bleisure travel is increasing. For instance, more than a third of workers plan to do some work on holiday season trips this year (up from 26% during the 2022 holiday season), according to a fall 2023 survey by consulting firm Deloitte. Importantly, remote employees who planned to work during their holiday trips expected to extend their trips by nine days due to increased schedule flexibility. That is, bleisure travelers are taking much longer trips than they would have if they had to rush back to the office. This has profound implications for the lodging industry.

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China and Thailand to waive visa requirements permanently; know what it means for India

As per the latest development, Thailand and China have announced a landmark agreement to boost tourism. Both the countries have decided to permanently waive visa requirements for each other's citizens, which will be effective from March. Referring to this, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin revealed this significant development, and addressed the mutual benefits that it would bring to both the nations. Reports add that this move comes after Thailand had already taken steps to boost its tourism industry by waiving visas for Chinese nationals in September. The initial visa waiver for Chinese citizens proved to be a great success, particularly at a time when Thailand was facing a decline with regard to the footfall of Chinese tourists. However, within just the first two days of the waiver, more than 22,000 Chinese visitors entered Thailand, which indicated positive impact of the initiative. Prime Minister Srettha expressed his enthusiasm for welcoming tourists from both countries, highlighting the readiness of Thailand to open its doors and ensure the well-being of visitors. Describing the visa waiver as an ‘upgrade’ to the relations between Thailand and China, Prime Minister Srettha also stressed upon the positive impact on the significance of Thai passports. Currently, Chinese tourists represent the second-largest group of foreign visitors to Thailand, following Malaysians. Despite the optimistic outlook, the tourism landscape in Thailand has faced challenges, including a shortage of low-cost flights post-COVID-19 and a slowing Chinese economy. Safety concerns have also been raised, fueled by rumors of tourists being kidnapped and sent to work in scam centers in neighboring countries. The Tourism Authority of Thailand set a target of attracting up to 3.5 million Chinese visitors in 2023, which fell short of its 4 million-target. However, this projection represents a significant improvement from the meager 270,000 Chinese tourists received in 2022. Looking ahead, the tourism authority has ambitiously set a target of 8.2 million Chinese tourists for the year 2024. Notably, China has also been actively waiving visa requirements to attract tourists. In November, the country announced a visa-free trial for visitors from several European countries and Malaysia, aiming to encourage international travel. This program, which began in December, is slated to continue until the end of November this year. The reciprocal visa waivers between Thailand and China reflect a broader trend of nations leveraging such measures to stimulate tourism and enhance diplomatic ties.

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From road trips to international vacations: How credit cards help you save on travel during this holiday season

A travel credit card can help users earn air miles, free flights, get considerable discount on hotel stays, along with several other travel benefits like complimentary airport lounge access and membership to hotel loyalty programs. But, with numerous options available, choosing the best travel card for you could be tricky. However, if you know what you are specifically looking for, then you can find the right card that suits your travel preferences and gives maximum value. Choose between Co-branded or General Travel Cards A number of travel credit cards are offered in collaboration with airlines, hotel chains or travel portals, which provides complimentary memberships to get priority check-in, class upgrade, free stays, etc. However, rewards earned on such cards can usually be redeemed only with the associated brand. Despite limited redemption options, co-branded travel cards are possibly the smartest way to save on your trips, especially if you have brand preferences. For example, if you prefer flying with Vistara and are a high-spender, you could get up to 5 complimentary Vistara Premium Economy Tickets with Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card. Similarly, if Marriott Group of Hotels is the preferred choice for your stays, getting Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Credit Card could help you save a substantial amount. General travel credit cards, on the other hand, give you more flexibility to offset travel costs like flight tickets or hotel stays, without limiting to a brand. Axis Atlas Credit Card, for instance, lets you earn accelerated EDGE Miles for travel spends which can be transferred to multiple airlines and hotel loyalty programs. High-spenders should aim for High Rewards and Milestones Benefits Most travel credit cards would offer value-back as reward points or air miles, which is different for each card. Consumers who put high spends on their credit cards should look for a travel card with high reward rate, as they would be able to maximize the returns. Generally, good travel cards would offer a reward rate anywhere between 2 per cent and 5 per cent, though it can vary across cards. Axis Vistara Signature Credit Card gives a 2 per cent value back as Club Vistara (CV) Points whereas Intermiles HDFC Signature Credit Card gives 8 per cent value-back as Intermiles. When evaluating rewards, consider how you earn rewards and how you can redeem them. In the above example, CV Points and Intermiles may not offer an equivalent monetary value but could fetch you free flights or reduced airfare when you book via Club Vistara or Intermiles Platform. In addition to the general reward rate, high spenders should also consider milestone benefits where reaching a spend threshold can provide good value. For example, with Axis Vistara Signature, you can get up to 4 premium economy tickets on spending up to Rs. 9 Lakh in a year. Some cards may also offer bonus reward points on reaching spend milestones. Sign-up bonus rewards or a one-time discount on airfare as welcome benefit could also give you a good start but should not be the sole reason to opt for a card. Take Travel Perks into Consideration Travel credit cards also offer additional benefits like complimentary airport lounge access, low foreign exchange mark-up fee, travel insurance covering loss of documents, check-in luggage, etc. Before selecting a travel credit card, you must take these additional perks into consideration and choose the one that offers the right combination of rewards and additional benefits. For example, if you often travel overseas, benefits like a low forex mark-up and international lounge access could add convenience to your travel experience. Similarly, if free hotel stays are offered as a part of a membership, cardholders should check whether it applies to hotels chains in other countries as well. If you cannot find what you are looking for in a single card, you can also consider getting two different travel credit cards with one focused on rewards and the other on the additional perks. All-rounder cards like SBI Card ELITE and Axis SELECT also provide lounge access or complimentary memberships. Make Road Trips Cheaper with the Right Fuel Credit Card Since travel cards are mostly synonymous with airline cards, they rarely have anything for those who prefer road trips and weekend getaways. Such travellers could get a substantial value out of a fuel credit card. Mostly offered in collaboration with fuel brands like Indian Oil or Bharat Petroleum, fuel cards offer reward points that can be redeemed for free fuel at the eligible fuel stations. Indian Oil Axis Bank Credit Card provides 4 per cent value-back at Indian Oil fuel stations and BPCL SBI Card Octane gives 6.25 per cent value-back at BPCL petrol pumps. It is also important to check the redemption value of earned reward points. Since value-back is given as reward points, the right fuel card would be the one that not only offer accelerated earning on fuel purchase but also reward you generously for spends other than fuel. The BPCL SBI Card Octane, for instance, offers higher earning on everyday categories like dining, departmental store and grocery spends which would add to the user’s reward balance, later used to offset fuel costs. Keeping a combination of a travel credit card and a fuel credit card could fetch maximum value for such users. For example, you can save up to Rs. 5,000 per month on domestic hotels with Standard Chartered EaseMyTrip Credit Card and get 4 per cent value back on fuel with Indian Oil Axis Bank Credit Card. Combining the benefits on these two cards to cover the cost of your road trip and hotel stays could give good value. At the end of the day, the decision as to which travel card would be the right one depends on your travel habits and the kind of benefits you are looking for in a travel card. Compare the options and choose the one that suits your needs the best and gives maximum value back.

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Iran announces visa-free travel for Indian citizens

Iran has announced that it was lifting visa requirements for citizens of India as well as 32 other countries — being an addition to several other countries that have recently announced visa-free travel for Indian nationals. This move is aimed at boosting tourism with more visitors from across the world, said Ezzatollah Zarghami, Iranian minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. This decision aims at showcasing Iran’s commitment to global interaction, said Zarghami, adding, “Iran aims to counter negative perceptions and rumours with this move, while combating the phenomenon of ‘Iranophobia perpetuated by the global arrogance system’.” Thirty-two other countries in Iran’s visa-free travel list include Russia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Darussalam, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Belarus. Now, regular flights to Saudi Arabia for Umrah According to the latest statistics, the total number of tourists in Iran reached 4.4 million, during the first eight months of the current Iranian year (beginning March 21) — an increase of 48.5 per cent from the same period last year. Zarghami also said that his Ministry had proposed a visa-free travel for 60 countries, which was not approved completely. As per Iranian media reports, its citizens will be able to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah through “regular flights”, starting December 19. Due to this, Iranians would be able to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia for the first time in eight years — an improvement in relations between the two countries. India has rising market for outbound tourism Meanwhile, a recent McKinsey analysis showed that India has one of the fastest growing markets for outbound tourism — with 13 million such tourists in 2022. Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam have also recently waived visa requirements for the citizens of India. Earlier this month, Thailand — another neighbouring country whose economy relies heavily on tourism — had announced a visa exemption for Indian citizens, from November 10 to May 10 next year. The limited period exemption was already in effect for tourists from China and Kazakhstan. In October, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry lifted visa requirements for the citizens of seven countries including India, China, and Russia, under a pilot project — with the exemption to continue till March 31, 2024. According to a statement issued by the Sri Lankan government, the move was part of the crisis-hit country’s efforts to boost tourism and hit a target of 50,00,000 visitors by 2026. At present, 27 countries provide visa-free entry to the citizens of India. The latest additions include Kenya, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Other countries that allow entry to Indian citizens without a visa include Barbados, Bhutan, Dominica, Haiti, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago, among others. According to data provided by the Ministry of Tourism, the top five destinations for Indian citizens are the UAE, the USA, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Thailand; with a large number comprising diaspora tourists.

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Schengen visa holders can soon add Romania and Bulgaria to their Europe travel itinerary

From March, Schengen visa holders will be able to add two more countries on their travel itinerary to Europe. As per the latest news reports, the newest additions are Bulgaria and Romania This means individuals holding Schengen visas for European travel will now get the flexibility to include Bulgaria and Romania in their itineraries. The European Union recently reached an agreement that will allow these Balkan nations to apply Schengen system rules for entry into ports and airports. This development comes in the wake of Austria's partial withdrawal of its previous resistance to expanding the border-free area, opening doors to enhanced collaboration within the bloc. Bulgaria and Romania, having been EU members since 2007, faced opposition from certain member states regarding their efforts to combat corruption, organized crime, and secure their borders. Both nations historically faced challenges in corruption, but recent improvements have been acknowledged too. While the current approval primarily focuses on facilitating maritime and air travel, relaxation of rules for land borders may likely ensue shortly. Nevertheless, Austria remains cautious, expressing concerns about a potential surge in migrants. Vienna is steadfast in its commitment to fortifying land borders with additional EU funding and insists that Sofia and Bucharest share responsibilities in hosting migrants from Syria and Afghanistan. The potential easing of land controls holds substantial economic implications for Bulgaria and Romania, with expectations of streamlined commercial traffic and reduced wait times for trucks crossing the Danube River from Greece and Turkey. Bulgaria's Finance Minister Assen Vassilev discussed about the economic impact and elaborated that its full effect on the Bulgarian economy will be realized upon the opening of land borders. Bulgaria is resolute in its determination to persistently pursue this goal.

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Jammu and Kashmir: Tourism triumphs in 2023

God has poured a draught of beauty from his most favoured cup into the dusty ground of Jammu and Kashmir. The honey-dyed orchards, rippling lakes, and azure skies urge every soul to enjoy the myriad delights that the mountains blanketed in snow and valleys have to offer in all seasons. Besides being acclaimed for its scenic beauty and hospitality of people, tourism in J&K has received remarkable impetus for its distinctive features like diverse physical terrain, pleasant climate, exotic cuisine, distinct socio-cultural ethos, archaeological sites, magnificent lakes, ideal spots for adventure sports, and the region’s rich natural resources. Tourism is among the fastest-growing globally, and reflecting on Jammu and Kashmir's remarkable strides in the past year, the region saw unprecedented success in 2023, welcoming a record-breaking 2.02 crore tourists and over 50 thousand foreign visits. In 2023, Jammu and Kashmir became a global tourism hub, with a focus on various tourism offerings including MICE tourism. Hosting key events, including the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting and the Miss Universe press conference, showcased the region's international recognition. The launch of Mercedes Benz's electric vehicles in Gulmarg and the interest from international cricketers and golfing enthusiasts further emphasized J&K's appeal for both adventure and luxury seekers. A paradise for adventure enthusiasts Jammu and Kashmir is not just a destination for those seeking tranquillity; it is also a haven for adventure enthusiasts. The region's diverse physical terrain provides an ideal playground for a wide range of adventure sports. From skiing and Gondola rides down the snow-covered slopes in winter to exhilarating trekking expeditions in summer, there is no shortage of adrenaline-pumping activities to indulge. Drawing backpackers from around the world, Jammu and Kashmir became a hotspot for adventure seekers in 2023, to explore the region's diverse landscapes, which includes over 100 alpine lakes and trekking routes. The surge in visits for adventure activities elevated Jammu and Kashmir's profile as a sought-after destination for sports and adventure enthusiasts. Beyond the conventional tourist hotspots While the scenic landscapes and popular activities continue to captivate visitors, there has been a notable shift in tourist interests in Jammu and Kashmir. Travelers are now embracing the opportunity to explore off-beat destinations such as Gurez, Bangus, Basohli, Sanasar, and more places leading to an enhanced influx of tourists in these hidden gems. The art, culture, and culinary offerings, as part of the experiential tourism offering of the region, have also garnered increased interest, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the local traditions and flavors. Bollywood in Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir served as the filming location for over 72 films in the past year, attracting notable movie industries from across the country. The stunning landscapes and vibrant culture of the region have once again captured the imagination of filmmakers, reviving the cinematic magic that Jammu and Kashmir is known for. Niche tourism experiences Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a surge in niche tourism offerings, catering to the varied interests of travelers. Golf tourism has seen a new stride, attracting enthusiasts to experience the world-class golf courses including Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and the Royal Springs Golf Course in Srinagar, Sidhra Golf Course in Jammu, and more. Additionally, rural and border tourism have gained prominence, with homestay facilities providing an authentic and immersive experience. Border tourism has gained impetus in Jammu and Kashmir, with visitors expressing a preference for exploring beautiful regions such as Keran, Teetwal, Suchetgarh, Dawar, and more places that lie on the border. Familiarization tours in areas like Keran have not only diversified the tourist experience but also contributed to the economic development of these lesser-explored areas. Also, Jammu and Kashmir gained impetus in 2023 as a premier wedding destination, providing an ideal backdrop for perfect wedding shoots and offering upscale hospitality and luxury accommodations. People from across the globe seeking a dreamy celebration of their big day chose J&K as the ideal setting. J&K is currently experiencing a revival in the tourism industry, marked by a commitment to safety and sustainability in meeting the travel requirements of the visitors and providing a gateway into experiences to be cherished for a lifetime.

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