Family-friendly business events – an impossible ménage?

Purpose The demand for family-friendly business events is continually increasing, reflecting the significance of work-life balance in contemporary society. The main objective is to investigate the family-friendly aspects of business events based on insights from professional event organizers. Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with 20 event organizers and venue representatives in Hungary. Findings Based on interviews, the research identified four levels of family-related business events: (1) bleisure tourism, (2) familiar corporate events, (3) traditional business events made open to family members and (4) corporate family days. When organizing family-friendly business events, several key factors must be considered. These include the location and comfort of the venue, budgetary constraints and the timing of the event to accommodate family schedules. Practical implications The research highlights that the demand side plays a catalytic role in developing the niche market of family-friendly business events. In practical terms, this underscores the critical importance of systematically collecting and disseminating best practices, maintaining continuous communication with stakeholders and fostering a paradigm shift in the mindset of organizers. Originality/value The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on work-life balance and the role of family-friendly practices in the business events industry. Theoretically, it expands the literature on family-friendly events and suggests a clear definition.