Clock Out, Stay Longer: Why "Bleisure" Travel is Taking Over

PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, September 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Corporate travelers are increasingly extending their business trips to include personal leisure time. According to 2025 business travel data from Travel Counsellors, 76 percent of surveyed UK small and medium-sized businesses reported that employees typically extend overseas business trips for leisure or personal time, up from 48 percent in 2024. Among those extending their stays, 57 percent add one to two days and 32 percent add three to four days. The findings point to a broader shift in corporate travel, with business trips increasingly providing opportunities for employees to combine professional obligations with time to experience a destination.

This shift also creates opportunities for regional tourism economies across major metropolitan areas. Research from Travel Portland shows that annual visitor spending in the Portland region reached $5.5 billion in 2024, accounting for approximately 39 percent of Oregon's overall travel activity. Non-transportation visitor spending increased 4 percent during the year, highlighting the economic value of travelers spending on accommodations, dining, retail, recreation and other local experiences. For business travelers who extend their stays, those additional leisure days can provide more opportunities to explore and spend within the destination.

Travelers combining work and leisure often prioritize destinations that make it easy to transition between professional obligations and personal activities. Industry guidance from Prostay highlights the value of destinations that offer both business infrastructure and nearby leisure attractions, as well as accommodations that support productivity and relaxation. Centrally located hotels can give travelers convenient access to restaurants, shopping, entertainment and local attractions once meetings and work commitments are complete.

The Nines, located within the historic Meier & Frank building in downtown Portland, serves as an example of a hotel positioned for this evolving style of business travel. The property's central location places guests near downtown shopping, dining, arts and cultural attractions, allowing business travelers to transition from meetings to exploring Portland without changing accommodations. Guests can also experience dining directly at the hotel, including rooftop dining at Departure, creating additional opportunities to turn a traditional work trip into an extended Portland stay.

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About The Nines

The Nines is located within the historic Meier & Frank building in downtown Portland and features 331 guest rooms and suites with distinctive design elements, original artwork and modern amenities. Standard room entertainment includes 50-inch flat- screen televisions, while specialty accommodations include the approximately 1,768-square-foot Nines Suite, featuring a living room, dining room, den, butler's kitchen, wet bar, hardwood floors, infinity tub and fireplace, along with three 55-inch HDTVs. The seventh-floor fitness center is open 24 hours and features Precor treadmills and ellipticals, Peloton bikes, free weights and additional fitness equipment. The hotel also offers flexible meeting and event venues, including its approximately 7,176-square-foot Ballroom. On-site dining includes rooftop restaurant and lounge Departure, as well as Urban Farmer, providing business and leisure travelers with dining experiences without leaving the hotel.

Christina Thomas
The Nines
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