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OF THE TWO in five Americans going on business trips this year, 49 percent intend to turn it into a "bleisure" trip, according to a recent survey by Howdy.com. Bleisure is a blend of "business" and "leisure," differing from "workcations," where workers integrate vacation with work at a destination of their choice. While about a quarter of survey respondents opt for workcations to save paid time off, 60 percent of American business travelers prefer bleisure trips. Approximately 64 percent of American workers attribute the rise of bleisure to improved work-life balance as business travel rebounds post-COVID-19. Despite only about 30 percent of workers being familiar with the term bleisure, many are embracing the concept, said Howdy.com, a talent sourcing firm based in Austin, Texas. The Howdy.com survey of more than 1,000 full-time employees across the U.S., found that more than two-thirds of respondents would be attracted to jobs that encourage bleisure, while many suggest that companies should offer a "free day" on work trips to promote bleisure. The survey revealed that about 75 percent of respondents would be more inclined to collaborate with international teams if provided with increased bleisure travel opportunities.

TIMES ARE QUICKLY changing, but never so much as the ongoing advancements in telecommunications. The Federal Communications Commission is taking steps to force carriers to stop selling copper phone lines, or "plain old telephone service" (POTS), which means the legacy analog copper phone line is being phased out sooner rather than later. Networks are aging, parts are unavailable, and technicians are retiring. How does this affect the phone system in your hotel? Depending on what upgrades and advances you have made over the last five years, you may need to switch your PBX systems to a cloud communication platform sooner than later. Oftentimes, however, it is difficult to see the forest for the trees. Considering the recent upheaval in our industry, the challenges facing hoteliers can be overwhelming. The steady increase in travel as restrictions lift, the ongoing trend of "bleisure" travel as more and more offices shut down and employees are allowed to work from anywhere and the pent-up demand to meet in person are exacerbated by the ongoing staffing shortage. Hoteliers have a lot on their plates and replacing a phone system is likely at the bottom of their list.