Leisure as Marketing: The Nature and Experience of “Business Leisure”

Abstract

Presenting the results of a qualitative investigation, this article introduces the concept of “business leisure” and proposes a framework that illuminates it. Building on the idea that nonbusiness interactions can have significant business effects, and in an effort to reveal the nature of experiences that commingle business goals and leisure pursuits, this framework: identifies the conditions that shape the use of business leisure; acknowledges that business leisure can vary across contexts, and is not fixed in character as work or play; and, recognizes a range of outcomes, benefits, and drawbacks. The framework is intended to assist marketers in providing opportunities for fruitful business leisure experiences, and to aid researchers in further studying the intersection between work and play.

Keywords:

• Business and leisure relationships
• work and play
• corporate hospitality