Business Travelers Quietly Having Fun

Image: PHOTO: Business travelers work hard but they secretly love to have fun too. (photo via Pixabay (Pixabay)
Image: PHOTO: Business travelers work hard but they secretly love to have fun too. (photo via Pixabay (Pixabay)
Eric Bowman
by Eric Bowman
Last updated: 11:00 PM ET, Wed February 21, 2018

It may be a work trip but that isn't letting business travelers stop them from having fun.

However, the first survey from National Car Rental-part of Enterprise Holdings Inc.-on the state of business travel reveals that many of these travelers aren't telling anyone about their personal explorations.

Conducted at the end of 2017 among 1,000 frequent business travelers in the United States, the survey breaks down into some interesting numbers:

-80 percent feel they deserve to take a break from work while traveling

-38 percent say telling their bosses about their fun is a "no-go"

-40 percent aren't telling their co-workers

-31 percent avoid telling their spouses or significant others.

-25 percent even avoid posting on social media about their fun

Despite this, the survey shows that 92 percent of bosses and supervisors actually support the idea of employees taking personal time to have fun during business trips.

So, don't feel too bad for enjoying yourself and your surroundings next time you're on a work trip. Just make sure you're fully prepared for your travels in the best way possible, otherwise the chances of having fun decreases.

"Business travel may seem glamorous to some, but the reality of navigating airports, managing hectic meeting schedules and sleeping in unfamiliar places can become tiresome and stressful over time," Rob Connors, vice president of brand marketing for National said in a release.

"We're in the business of helping frequent travelers mitigate some of that stress by providing them with an expedited, efficient rental process. So, we were pleasantly surprised to see our survey results showed not only are frequent business travelers finding ways to balance both business expectations and personal interests on the road but that their bosses support them in doing so."

Additional information from the survey shows that 83 percent of business travelers consider themselves to be "business travel pros" and 90 percent plan to travel the same if not more in 2018.

More business travelers out and about is excellent news for the travel industry as a whole.

Other interesting results from the survey are that Baby Boomers are more satisfied with the amount of business travel they do compared to Millennials and Generation X, and business travelers are taking advantage of loyalty programs at a high rate.

Smartphones play a vital role for business travelers when it comes to loyalty programs and it's not hard to see why. Technology has advanced significantly in the last decade alone, making life much easier for those on the road.

Check out the fact sheet for more information on National Car Rental's State of Business Travel Survey.


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Eric Bowman

Eric Bowman

Editor-in-Chief

Eric Bowman is the Editor-in-Chief of TravelPulse. A graduate of The University of Georgia, Eric has been working in online media, radio and TV for over a decade. He currently lives in Georgia with his wife, daughter, and son. 

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