Chapter 3: Measuring the Suitability of India as a Bleisure Travel Destination: Understanding the Macroeconomic and Bleisure Traveller Experience Factors

It is impossible to overlook the importance of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) travel as a catalyst when the travel industry is shifting towards bleisure. MICE tourism is a powerful tool for international cooperation and cross-cultural exchange. India has the potential to become the MICE tourism hub, with a large chunk of the country becoming a top vacation destination. There is a paucity of research on India as a destination for bleisure travel, despite the literature delving deeper into many facets of bleisure tourism. This chapter evaluates India's potential as a top bleisure travel destination, including macroeconomic and tourist experience concerns. The economic parameters highlight the supply-side improvements, while the second sub-study reveals the demand side of the nexus. The study incorporates primary data collection from 450 respondents (supply side) and 350 respondents (demand side) using a questionnaire-based method. The study applies multiple regression model analysis and uses R software to arrive at results. Macroeconomic elements, including safety and security, government laws and regulations, and travel and tourist links, make India a good bleisure destination. India is ideal for bleisure travellers due to its education, culture, travel suggestions, and relaxation options. The study shows how to attract and accommodate bleisure tourists, increasing tourism earnings. Understanding bleisure travellers’ habits can help airlines and travel companies improve their marketing. Future research could explore through time series analysis and comparative trends, the comparison of India's standing with other bleisure travel destinations.