Venues in Somerset County, N.J. Cater to “Bleisure” Visitor, Following Trend in Business Travel
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (PRWEB) May 30, 2018 -- At the annual Somerset County Salute to Tourism awards in January, keynote speaker and hospitality expert, Glenn Haussman talked about the “bleisure” trend, combining business travel with leisure activities. He encouraged attendees to connect business travelers with leisure options in the wider community to create more memorable guest experiences and greater economic impact. This trend was first outlined in a 2014 report published on Skift.com that shared statistics and behaviors of business travelers who extend their stays to incorporate leisure into their trips.
• Several Somerset County Tourism venues have developed valuable strategic partnerships that broaden visitors’ experiences beyond the conference room—and provide opportunities for fun for family members who are in tow.
• The county is home to many office parks and corporate headquarters of major brands, drawing business travelers from around the country.
• In fact, 70 percent of visitors who stay in Somerset County are there on business. By sharing what’s available in the wider community, those visitors can also enjoy Somerset County’s abundant recreational, cultural and leisure amenities during their visit.
Cross-marketing a better guest experience
The Hampton Inn & Suites in Bridgewater, which hosts many corporate meetings and events, is also a popular lodging choice for visiting sports teams it is now the preferred hotel for Branchburg Sports Complex in Branchburg (BSC), a multi-faceted sports center. Many traveling teams play baseball, softball and soccer at BSC and the two venues are cross-marketing to players and coaches, and connecting visitors to other area establishments.
The hotel distributes a welcome packet to team coaches with a list of special events in the area, coupons to county attractions and restaurant menus, and markets Branchburg Sports Complex as a place to not only play their own sport but to also try its laser tag arena and other offerings.
“With only one game a day to play, the athletes have a lot of down time; their families who traveled here to attend the games are also looking for something to do in our area,” said Jill Cerchio, director of sales at the Hampton Inn & Suites. “We also publicize baseball games at Patriots Stadium and the county’s big seasonal events at our front desk for our visitors.”
Likewise, BSC markets the Hampton Inn on its website and the fact sheet it gives to its corporate and team clientele. The sports complex also shares information about its preferred restaurant, urgent care and other local businesses to teams that use the facility. Branchburg Sports Complex is home to the largest laser tag arena on the East Coast; the four-level, interactive area measures 9,000 square feet and is the only multi-level laser tag arena in the country. BSC also hosts many corporate teambuilding and other events.
“We can accommodate up to 80 people per laser tag mission so it’s great for corporate events or private parties,” said Lisa Sepulveda, marketing manager. “With 78,000 square feet of activity space, we are a true family entertainment center, so families who accompany business travelers will find plenty to do here, and corporate guests can unwind with co-workers.”
In addition to laser tag and numerous sports activities, BSC’s private meeting facilities are ideal for businesses that want to combine a company meeting with an extensive team-building curriculum in one location. Sepulveda noted that the “Quest for Success” Laser Tag program is a corporate favorite.
The Hampton Inn’s Cerchio added that for its business clients, the hotel works with local restaurants and caterers to deliver food to corporate meetings and conferences; it has a list of preferred caterers and has a preferred seating arrangement for its corporate guests at Redstone American Grill in Bridgewater, which does not ordinarily take reservations.
“Partnering with local businesses helps us deliver a better guest experience by making it easy for guests to sample more of what Somerset County has to offer,” said Cerchio, winner of this year’s Somerset County Tourism Service Excellence award. “We’re now working on something with the local breweries, to stock their bottled beers at our bar, have them conduct a beer tasting event during a conference at our site or host a brewery tour for our corporate guests.”
Adding leisure to luxury stays
The Bernard’s Inn in Bernardsville offers guests various outdoor adventure packages meant to enhance its guests’ luxury stays with activities that showcase Somerset County’s many recreational and cultural sites. The Bernard’s Inn is a destination for social occasions, private getaways and business travelers attending meetings in the area. The packages combine the inn’s fine dining and amenities with opportunities to:
• Go! Golf – Tour the United States Golf Association Museum, access the USGA Pyne’s Putting Course and play for a day on an exclusive private championship golf course.
• Go! Fly – Enjoy a romantic 30-minute sunset helicopter ride with champagne for two, overlooking beautiful area landscapes.
• Go! Bike – Explore the area on bicycle; the inn provides bikes, preferred routes and an amenity bag to take on the trail.
“These strategic partnerships show how these venues enhance their guests’ stays by turning a trip to Somerset County into something more,” said Jacqueline Morales, director of Somerset County Tourism. “We encourage all our partners to discover ways to combine business—or athletics in some cases—with a broader leisure stay, and help visitors discover all that we offer in the heart of New Jersey.”
More information about Somerset County’s many “work, play, stay” options is at visitsomersetnj.org.
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About Somerset County Tourism
Somerset County Tourism, a 501(c)3 organization, is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Somerset County, N.J. a and a Division of the Somerset County Business Partnership. Its mission is to advance the local economy by sustainably promoting the area’s outstanding travel products and experiences, and to offer a variety of useful services to residents, business travelers and leisure visitors. Somerset County Tourism is an active member of New Jersey Destination Marketing Organizations and the New Jersey Tourism industry Association. For more information visit http://www.visitsomersetnj.org or call 908-218-4300, ext. 28.
Caryn Starr-Gates, StarrGates Business Communications, http://www.starrgates.com, +1 201-791-4694, [email protected]
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