The rise of bleisure travel - UK business travel trends to keep an eye out for
Global business travel spending is expected to hit $1.64 trillion in 2025, up from $1.48 trillion in 2024 - a clear sign the sector is back in motion. In the UK, companies are increasing travel budgets to support more in-person meetings, events, and long-term relationship building.
So what are some of the business travel trends to look out for over the coming year?
Bleisure travel stats
Bleisure travel is nothing new. In fact, 42% of surveyed business travellers in the UK added leisure stays to their business trips in 2023.
But blended leisure and business travel is set to become more popular in the coming years, with Euromonitor forecasting that global spend by travellers combining business and leisure will more than double by 2027 compared with 2021.
And as flexible and hybrid working trends continue to grow, hospitality chains are monopolising on the increasing availability of people able to flex their work and leisure time. Just under half of employed travellers are interested in booking accommodations with a co-working space, and so the likes of Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Staybridge Suites have put a focus on flexible meeting and working spaces, and extended stay experiences.
A focus on sustainability
Sustainability has long been a focus for many businesses across the UK. Some companies are increasingly prioritising sustainability in their travel policies, with some reducing air travel to cut emissions.
A notable 87% of UK small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have implemented formal targets to reduce carbon emissions from business travel, a substantial increase from 52% in 2024.
Some businesses are prioritising the use of hybrid or low-emission vehicles, and encouraging the use of public transportation like trains and coaches. Thankfully at Coach Hire Comparison, we know a lot about that. 46% of corporate travel programs prioritised sustainability in 2024, with 44% actively integrating green initiatives into their policies.
Bleisure travel is something which supports the focus on sustainability too. By adding leisure time onto a work trip, travellers avoid booking additional transport - cutting down on carbon emissions from air and road transport.
AI travel agents
As business travel becomes more complex, companies are leaning on AI tools to streamline planning and make smarter, greener choices. In the UK alone, 36% of travellers have utilised AI for travel planning, and 55% are likely to use AI tools for future trips.
AI tools can generate end-to-end business travel itineraries based on meeting schedules, traveller preferences, and company policies, saving costs and reducing the admin burden.
Platforms like Navan and Concur Travel use AI to recommend flights, hotels, and transport options that optimise time, cost, and convenience.
AI tools can even track and report on carbon emissions per trip - recommending greener transport options, or helping companies to offset emissions.
As we look ahead to 2026, it's clear that business travel is evolving - driven by a desire for flexibility, responsibility, and smarter planning. From AI-powered itineraries to sustainable transport and the rise of bleisure, the way we travel for work is becoming more efficient and considered.
At Coach Hire Comparison, we're proud to support businesses navigating this shift - offering greener group transport options that make it easy to move people, not just miles.
Sources:
- https://amadeus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/business-travel-trends-2025-amadeus-cytric-globetrender
- https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4115805.html
- https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/how-uk-smbs-are-driving-sustainable-business-travel-growth-in-2025/
- https://www.derbysoft.com/resources/blog/business-travel-in-2025-embracing-optimism-and-transformation/
- https://www.cint.com/blog/cintsnap-survey-uncovers-2024-holiday-travel-trends-and-the-use-of-ai-in-travel-planning/