Leisure travel and business travel: a comparative analysis

‘‘Leisure travel’ and ‘business travel’ are expressions referring to broad categories of a form of human activity. Many persons would be aware of the broad difference between the categories but unaware of specifics in that difference. The question seems to have been ignored in the research literature. Ten dimensions of difference can be identified, but only six are generic, the others are circumstantial. An alternative analysis, using a matrix with play and arbeid on one axis and free choice and obligation on the other, identifies four types of travel (or tourism). Together, the two sets of analysis provide a deeper level of understanding of business travel compared to leisure travel (or, in some persons’ terms, business tourism and leisure tourism).