Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

National Survey Finds Uptick in Business, Leisure Travel

The survey found most business travelers (81%) engage in some form of "bleisure" travel, including incorporating leisure activities into business travel (61%), extending business travel into leisure trips (41%) and booking a vacation around a business trip (33%).

February 7, 2020
National Survey Finds Uptick in Business, Leisure Travel

 

Photo via Depositphotos.

3 min to read


National Car Rental’s third annual State of Business Travel survey shows that while 67% of respondents still try to draw a line between their work and personal lives, 65% believe it’s an unrealistic goal. Instead, more than half of respondents are now blending work life and personal life, rather than attempting to keep them separate.

What does this work-life blending look like? During an average week, respondents answered emails after working hours on 3.97 days, arrived early or stayed late on 3.72 days and took work calls after working hours on 3.00 days. But, while at work, they also answered personal emails on 2.94 days, took personal calls on 2.85 days and worked on personal projects on 1.63 days. This shift to blending is actually endorsed by senior and executive leaders, 65% of whom said they prefer to blend their personal and professional lives.

Ad Loading...

The data shows this trend is particularly prevalent among business travelers and is popularly referred to as “bleisure.” The survey found most business travelers (81%) engage in some form of bleisure travel, including incorporating leisure activities into business travel (61%), extending business travel into leisure trips (41%) and booking a vacation around a business trip (33%). Millennials (86%) are more likely to have done bleisure travel than Gen Xers (76%) and baby boomers (73%). In addition, senior/executive leaders are almost twice as likely to extend their business trip into leisure travel (50%) or book a vacation around their business trip (40%) than non-managers (28% and 27%, respectively).

When traveling for business, workers who engage in bleisure travel report higher overall satisfaction with their quality of life while on the road (91% vs. 79%) than non-bleisure travelers. They also report such additional benefits as following a healthy diet (41% vs. 32%), exercising (53% vs. 41%) and coming back feeling invigorated (54% vs. 35%).

Seventy-nine percent of bleisure travelers are more likely to volunteer for a business trip if they know they can extend their stay, up nine percent from last year’s survey, and fewer people felt the need to downplay their leisure activities to their boss (19% vs. 21%) or their coworkers (22% vs. 24%), compared with a year ago.

Importantly, the majority of bleisure travelers (86% vs. 69% of non-bleisure travelers) believe business travel contributes to their career success and helps them build key relationships they otherwise couldn’t without business travel (81% vs. 73%).

Ground transportation continues to be a key component of business travel. According to National’s survey, travelers rely on a mix of transportation options, depending on their needs. For example, rental cars are the top choice for getting around the city (78%) and going to business meetings (72%), while ridesharing is used to get to restaurants and bars (68%).Taxis and rideshares are used equally to get to and from the airport (70%).

Ad Loading...

Work-life blending and bleisure are both highly enabled by technology, which has a large role in determining which brands travelers seek out. The survey data shows 90% choose brands that offer them technology tools that improve the business travel experience. And 90% of bleisure travelers perceive connected cars as beneficial for business travel.

More Rental Operations

A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Photo of CEO Krešimir Dobrilović against a gray modernist crooked-tile mural display.

Carwiz Opens Car Rental Service In Panama

A Carwiz partner in Puerto Rico is taking on the Panama franchise with operations in the nation's largest airport.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A world map with Flexways logo and new locations headline.

Flexways Opens 10 Locations Among Franchise, Affiliate Rental Networks

The integrated business model combines each operator’s local expertise with international standards to boost sales.

Read More →
Photo of a suitcase, passport, and smartphone.

Traveler Customer Satisfaction Up This Year Data Study Shows

The study looks at customer analytics to size up performance in car rentals, rideshare, airlines, lodging, and OTAs.

Read More →
A rental car between two placards showing a symbolic revenue increase from $300 to $1600.

New Consulting Company Ready To Boost Point-of-Sale Revenue

Revcuity, an outgrowth of Frontline Performance Group, aims to help clients capture more revenue moments with face-to-face customers, including in the car rental space.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Martin Romjue stands at conference stage podium close to a dangling, glistening chandelier.
Rental Operationsby StaffApril 15, 2026

Meet The (Semi-New) ARN Editor

Martin Romjue has been editing and reporting for ARN since 2023 and fully transitioned to the role of chairman of the International Car Rental Show in 2026.

Read More →
Ad Loading...