Brisbane named country’s ‘bleisure’ capital as corporate travellers extend work trips in the river city

Corporate travel bookings have revealed the city where workers are most likely to tack on extra time to a domestic business trip.

Corporate travel bookings have revealed workers heading to Brisbane are more likely to tack extra time on to a business trip, making it Australia’s “bleisure capital”.

Data for the period from October 2023 to March 2024, showed the average work trip booked with Flight Centre’s Corporate Traveller to Brisbane averaged 5.2 days, ahead of Sydney of 4.1 days and 4.6 days spent in Melbourne.

Not even the Gold or Sunshine Coast could keep business travellers entertained for longer than Brisbane, with work trips to the holiday destinations averaging 4.5 and 4.6 days respectively.

Global managing director for Corporate Traveller, Tom Walley said the data suggested small and medium enterprise business owners and employees heading to Brisbane for work were extending trips beyond Monday to Friday, in an encouraging sign for the city.

“Brisbane has become one of the nation’s most thriving cities over the past couple of years and that’s partially thanks to mass migration from southerners craving sunshine and a more relaxed lifestyle during the pandemic, and partly thanks to the allure of the upcoming 2032 Brisbane Games,” said Mr Walley.

“Add the city’s extraordinary infrastructure injection into tourist hot spots such as Queens Wharf and its burgeoning restaurant scene, and it’s easy to see how the once ‘big country town’ of Australian capitals has overtaken its bigger southern counterparts to become the ‘bleisure’ epicentre.”

Brisbane is the bleisure capital of Australia according to bookings with Corporate Traveller.

Another motivation for extending work trips was the desire to stretch travel budgets further, with some hotels offering reward programs and better rates for longer stays.

“By making informed choices, our clients are saving thousands on corporate travel,” said Mr Walley.

There was evidence Brisbane’s popularity as a business destination had helped lift domestic travel numbers to pre-pandemic levels, while other eastern capitals continued to lag 2019 figures.

Brisbane Airport spokesman Peter Doherty said in May, domestic passengers matched pre-Covid-19 numbers.

In contrast, Melbourne Airport’s domestic traffic was at 94 per cent of 2019 levels, and Sydney Airport was at 91.9 per cent in the first quarter.

“Travellers are coming to Brisbane for business and staying for pleasure,” said Mr Doherty.

“The city’s stunning riverfront, lively arts and cultural scene, world-class dining, and subtropical climate provide plenty of reasons to extend a business trip. We expect the staged opening of Queens Wharf from August to provide even more compelling reasons for business travellers to linger longer.”

Brisbane Economic Development Agency CEO Anthony Ryan said Brisbane was riding a wave of success, with visitors spending a record-breaking $10.1bn in the region last year.

With interstate migration still surging and the working age population the fastest growing in the country, Mr Ryan said Brisbane’s economy was forecast to grow 68 per cent by 2041.

“The brand of Brisbane is fast becoming the hero of Australia’s visitor economy,” said Mr Ryan.

“It’s no surprise that people, visiting the city for business or conferences, want to stay longer and soak up everything we have to offer.”

He said some of the accolades received by local businesses and landmarks in the past year, included Australia’s number one restaurant for Agnes and number one hotel for The Calile.

Tourism and Events Queensland chief executive Patricia O’Callaghan said Brisbane was “alive with new accommodation and dining options and a plethora of cultural experiences”.

“There are so many inner-city experiences as well as so much on the city’s doorstep, from the marine life and islands of Moreton Bay, the arts and produce of the Scenic Rim and of course the Gold and Sunshine Coasts just an hour away,” said Ms O’Callaghan.

“Brisbane really is the ultimate place to do both business and pleasure.”

Originally published as Brisbane named country’s ‘bleisure’ capital as corporate travellers extend work trips in the river city