Crowne Plaza by IHG – one of the world’s largest premium hotel brands and a thought-leader in the blended travel space – has released its second white paper: Leading the Charge in Blended Travel.
The report unveils a major shift since its 2022 report, driven by a new breed of companies and individuals seeking far-reaching flexibility that extends beyond traditional work-life balance and into a holistic approach focused on personal growth, mind-body equity, and connection when travelling.
To gauge the global reach of this trend, Crowne Plaza commissioned a YouGov survey of over 12,000 people across Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., the U.S., U.K., Germany, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and India.
The findings revealed 70 per cent of respondents in the U.A.E. and 65 per cent in KSA agree they see greater benefits and flexibility in blended travel compared to five years ago, confirming travellers are more eager than ever before to use their time away to achieve broader personal goal, especially in the GCC region. In the UAE, 30 per cent of respondents to the YouGov survey said they had previously experienced blended travel, increasing to 32 per cent of respondents from KSA.
Flexibility in where and when people work is now an expectation for today’s professional. Crowne Plaza has tracked the evolution of work-leisure integration for years. Blended travel has shifted from a trend to a permanent way of life—whether it’s extending a business trip, working remotely from a dream destination, or finding inspiration on the go. As this shift evolves and becomes more sophisticated, we’re not just responding to it—we’re actively shaping the future of it by reimagining Crowne Plaza hotel designs, creating curated social spaces, and rolling out purpose-driven experiences that support a more dynamic, fulfilling way of traveling. Ginger Taggart, Vice President of Brand Management – Global Premium Brands, IHG Hotels & Resorts
The Evolution of Blended Travel
The Leading the Charge in Blended Travel white paper reveals four emerging trends driving the shift:
- Improve and Grow: Blended travel is now key to both personal and professional growth, with travellers linking their journeys to self-improvement, skill development, and creative exploration. Unlike traditional travel, which focused on rest and recharging, today’s travellers see time away as an active pursuit that fuels creativity and enhances well-being. Blended travel offers a powerful catalyst for creativity by exposing individuals to new environments that inspire fresh ideas. And to experience more, tourists across the Middle East and Africa are now extending their trips by an average of three days compared to pre-pandemic levels. The YouGov survey findings further back this trend, revealing the top motivator globally for combining work and leisure travel is to explore destinations they otherwise would not have visited (40 per cent). The desire to be stimulated by new surroundings has always been part of why we travel, and Crowne Plaza meets this need with a variety of inspiring meeting and events spaces. Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina boasts state-of-the-art meeting facilities including the Marina’s first ballroom with natural light and also features a new approach to lobby design which can be used for meetings, co-working or relaxing and the hotel
- Mind-Body Equity: Wellness is now woven into every aspect of life, and travel is no exception. This is a shift from self-care to self-awareness, with travellers demanding environments that inspire opportunity for better mental and physical well-being. Thirty-five per cent of YouGov survey respondents globally said blended travel helps them establish healthier routines and reduce stress, increasing to 41 per cent of U.A.E respondents. Stress is more common among employees in the Middle East and North Africa region than any other, with the white paper revealing 52 per cent of workers reported feeling “a lot of stress” the day before they were surveyed (compared to 41 per cent worldwide). Crowne Plaza addressed this human need through its new Modern design style, where biophilic design ensures guests feel closer to nature. At Crowne Plaza Muscat, a double-deck infinity pool allows guests to immerse themselves in natural vistas, while squash and tennis courts offer stunning views of the surrounding greenery.
- The New Personal Travel Economy: New traveller demands are all about getting the most value from our time and money. Every moment, dollar, and ounce of energy spent is expected to feel meaningful. In regions like the Middle East, travellers are turning to technology for assistance, with opportunities for AI and other tech solutions to make the travel planning process more seamless and enjoyable. According to the white paper, this can’t come fast enough for one in three UAE consumers and nearly one in five KSA consumers (39 per cent), who say they’d like to have an AI clone of themselves to take care of shopping, admin, and communications tasks on their behalf in the future. The YouGov survey also reveals that extending trips at a lower personal cost is a top benefit of blended travel. Seventy per cent of respondents globally said affordable deals or amenities that cater to both business and leisure would encourage them to pursue blended travel experiences. Through the IHG One Rewards programme, members staying at a Crowne Plaza hotel can earn and redeem points for free nights, unlock access to exclusive experiences and events, and enjoy Milestone Reward benefits such as bonus points, Food & Beverage Rewards, Confirmable Suite Upgrades, and much more.
- Intentional Togetherness: With much of life lived online, travellers are placing greater value on in-person connection with colleagues, loved ones and new acquaintances. The white paper revealed that family relationships are a central theme in today’s travel landscape. In fact, 65 per cent of people in MENA travel with family. Spontaneous trips with family or significant others are becoming increasingly popular, with 41 per cent of travellers planning spontaneous trips with family, and 35 per cent with a significant other, compared to 27 per cent who plan to travel alone. Crowne Plaza’s Meetings & Events Concierge program caters to this, offering personalised itineraries that enable all guests to explore the locality and enjoy meaningful connections.
Crowne Plaza Unveils Global Refresh to Meet Needs of Modern Travellers
Since launching the first business-class hotel in 1983, Crowne Plaza has remained a bold, inventive leader in the hospitality industry. Crowne Plaza is never standing still – always looking to the future – passionate about meeting the evolving needs of travellers on a global scale. From enhanced guest room zoning to reimagined Meetings & Events, Crowne Plaza’s continues to stay ahead of consumer expectations with a new modern design and guest experience. This includes Crowne Plaza Jeddah Al Salam, which is dedicated to providing seamless business and event services in the region.
Currently, more than 60 per cent of properties across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific will have seen a renovation by the end of 2026, and in the Americas, 70 per cent of Crowne Plaza properties in the Americas are new to the system or have undergone a renovation. This global revitalisation positions Crowne Plaza to accelerate IHG’s growth in the global blended travel market, which is projected to grow from USD$315 billion in 2022 to more than USD$731 billion by 2032.
With more than 400 properties across 67 countries, and steady demand from owners and guests, the brand’s accelerated growth plan includes the addition of 140* properties in the pipeline – expanding its current system size by more than 35 per cent.
To learn more or to book a stay, visit https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/reservation or download the IHG One Rewards mobile app.
*System and pipeline data as of Q3 2024 unless noted otherwise.
Methodology
The consumer research was conducted by YouGov between 17th December 2024 – 13th January 2025 with a sample of 12,184 adults in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the U.A.E. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults (aged 18+), respective of their countries.
The Crowne Plaza white paper includes a survey of 296 IHG business and leisure travelers from the U.S. and U.K. conducted with Material via the IHG One Rewards online community between August 28 and September 5, 2024.
Travel trends were identified by Stylus, the expert source of trend and insights, using its proprietary six stage qualitative trend methodology, consolidating new, emerging consumer and traveller trends from its global tracking of consumer lifestyle, product, service and engagement signals.
About IHG®
IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline.
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