Business and pleasure: Combining work and vacation is a growing trend among travelers.

• Author: Blake, Kathy
• Position: SPONSORED SECTION: DESTINATIONS

From 3,500 feet above sea level, guests of Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock have the opportunity to take in fly fishing, indoor swimming, hiking trails and snow skiing. An 800-square-foot interactive play area occupies children, while massage and spa services cater to adults. With Wi-Fi and cloud-based computing, staying in touch with the world below this Blue Ridge Mountain perch is easy.

The scene could be a relaxing, getaway vacation. Or a business trip. Or it could be both. Chetola is among several North Carolina resorts catering to "bleisure"--business groups that combine work-related meetings with leisure time. Travel packages, rates and incentives lure corporate clients who venture to the mountains, beaches and Piedmont to work and team-build.

However, some business travelers want to take advantage of amenities and attractions that hotels and resorts offer, so they choose to tack on a couple of days after the work trip for a mini-vacation.

"Potential guests that are looking to stay for multiple days are typically looking at what a property offers in regards to amenities and services beyond meeting facilities, and what is in walking distance or nearby that they can experience that would provide a local experience versus being in a meeting room the entire time," says Mark Sherburne, area general manager of Englewood, Colo.-based Destination Hotels' The Carolina Inn and Rizzo Center in Chapel Hill along with Aloft Charlotte Uptown. "They would like to get a flavor of the community and experience a sense of place.

"Millennials and beyond are searching for creative food and beverage offerings, programs and events that play a big deciding factor in decision-making. If your area is known for small-batch beers or fresh seafood or barbecue, the guest is going to feel they missed out on an exciting opportunity if they leave before having a chance to enjoy some of the local flavor. All ages are looking for experiences that capture the essence of the area."

The economic benefits for resort cities exist in added tourist-type spending. A Forbes magazine article states that 74% of frequent business travelers favor a travel policy with a budget for extracurricular and personal entertainment.

"From my chair, I see corporate travel remaining strong, but it needs to be relevant. Business needs to get done, objectives need to be met and goals need to be set for the group to have success," says Bryan Moore, Chetola's director of marketing, meetings and events. "We feel that we can help make sure that success happens. As a business partner to the groups we work with, we want them to come back again and again."

He cites three incentives. "The first way is when a company has a corporate retreat, training session or leadership outing, we always offer the group a discounted rate for the business rooms and for the...