The Great Outdoors Retains Its Corporate Travel Momentum

25.08.2023 - 14:12 / skift.com / Matthew Parsons

The great outdoors called during Covid, and corporations answered.

Activities like forest bathing, outdoor tubs and fire pits won’t be going away anytime soon as operators report continued interest from businesses looking for corporate retreats.

Plenty of travel companies focusing on nature and wellbeing profited from global Covid travel restrictions, and managed to capture new corporate business, hosting retreats for employees or catering to remote workers.

While the pandemic tourism boost to less-crowded locations is slowing down, corporate momentum remains.

Cabin rental startup Getaway said the high demand it experienced throughout 2020 and 2021 continued into 2022, as travelers look to spend more time in nature.

The company opened 10 new outposts in the U.S. last year, including Orlando, Detroit and Milwaukee, with locations offering amenities like outdoor tubs and robes for forest bathing.

Guests also booked longer stays than in previous years, and it plans on launching its corporate retreats and “wellness nights” for companies to tap into this year.

Businesses can “buy out”  sites, while it allow a company to buy 50 “wellness nights” upfront and award them to employees throughout the year.

“Both programs are in the early stages, but Getaway has seen positive momentum for both,” a spokesperson said.

Raus, meanwhile, launched during the pandemic with a focus on remote and flexible work, alongside ecotourism and the prioritization of mental health. Expensive hotels are driving business too.

“We are seeing a continuously growing demand from corporates seeking breaks from the daily grind,” said co-founder Julian Trautwein. “Inflation and the rising costs of travel have recently pushed more companies to consider nearby destinations for retreats.”

And even though Raus is primarily a leisure hospitality concept, he said the company is almost fully booked across its locations during weekdays.

This week, Starwood Capital revealed a new hotel brand focused on the outdoor sector, with properties offering parking lots with electric generators for recreational vehicles.

“Quirky” pursuits like Forest bathing are growing in popularity, according to Expedia.

“This is what travelers are looking for, something that is very different,” said Hari Nair, global senior vice president and general manager of lodging marketplace, speaking at Skift Megatrends in January.

Digital open-air marketplace Campsited, which has 270,000 accommodation sites, is also now looking to attract more remote workers, incentivizing companies and freelance workers to book. Its bookings increased by 80 percent in 2022.

“While the final balance between fully remote, full-time, and hybrid working models is still being played out, we see the