UK SMEs are embracing the rise of ‘bleisure’ travel, with more employees than ever extending business trips for leisure time, signaling a shift in how companies are approaching travel and employee well-being.
New research from Travel Counsellors for Business, based on a survey of 1,000 UK SMEs, shows that 76% of respondents now typically extend overseas business trips for leisure or personal time – a sharp increase from 48% in 2024. This trend reflects a growing appetite for balance and well-being alongside business productivity.
The survey also revealed that 57% of SMEs extend their trips by 1-2 days and 32% by 3-4 days, indicating a desire for a more holistic approach to business travel. Additionally, 58% of SME travelers now say they would bring a partner or family member on an overseas business trip, compared to 42% last year. This reflects a shift towards a more people-focused approach to business travel that prioritizes personal time.
The survey also found that 96% of SME travelers enjoy traveling overseas for business, with only 4% saying they never enjoy it. This suggests that business travel is increasingly seen as a valued and rewarding experience rather than a professional burden.
Interestingly, the survey also revealed that 20% of SMEs now actively encourage employees to extend business trips for leisure purposes. Other measures taken to support employee well-being include reducing indirect flights (20%) and minimizing travel outside working hours (18%). Together, these initiatives point to a broader shift towards more sustainable and people-focused business travel policies.
Melanie Quinn, Director of Travel Counsellors for Business, commented on the survey results, saying, “The move to actively build leisure time into business trips reflects a fundamental shift in how SMEs value corporate travel. Traveling for work is no longer just about productivity and profit, it’s also about people.” She added, “Businesses are increasingly recognizing that supporting employee well-being delivers long-term benefits for engagement, retention, and performance, far beyond the bottom line.”
At Travel Counsellors for Business, their “high-tech, high-touch” approach means they can tailor travel experiences that truly recognize that travelers are people with individual and personal preferences. From flexible itineraries to online support platforms that enable clients to show care for their travelers wherever they are in the world, and a human travel expert always on hand to support their trip, they empower people to make corporate travel both effective and enjoyable.
For media inquiries, please contact Hudson Sandler at travelcounsellors@hudsonsandler.com.
About Travel Counsellors
Vitruvian Partners-backed Travel Counsellors is the UK’s largest and fastest-growing technology platform for travel entrepreneurs that connects over 2,100 independent business owners, ultimately enabling them to deliver exceptional levels of customer service. In the six months ended 30th April 2025, sales on the platform reached £566m, up by 10% against the same period the previous year.
Travel Counsellors operates across six countries (UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, and the UAE) and employs 300 people in its UK headquarters and overseas offices. The company provides a high-touch, digitally enabled platform that enables and empowers travel counsellors, who are travel entrepreneurs and small business owners, to harness innovative and constantly evolving tools and technology to build their businesses in a way that suits them, with limitless potential and scale. This is underpinned by the knowledge and power of a global community and a strong people-first culture.
The company operates its own ATOL supported financial trust, which safeguards customers from any failure of a travel supplier involved in their booking.
Travel Counsellors is a multi-award-winning company and has a five-star, ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot. It was founded in 1994 and has been recognized as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025 for the third year in a row.
For more information about Travel Counsellors, please visit: https://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/our-story/
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.