Will the Weekend Getaway Be King in 2016?

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As the new year finds many of us mapping out our vacation plans and how we aim to unplug and recharge in the coming months, new research from Enterprise Rent-A-Car indicates that 2016's preferred vacation format may well be the weekend getaway.

In particular, more than 8 out of 10 respondents in a recent Enterprise survey said they plan to take at least one weekend getaway this year. And that increases to nearly 9 out of 10 for those who are married or have children under the age of 18.

And unplugging during shorter weekend getaways may be easier than many would think. Nearly 7 out of 10 survey respondents indicated that they find it easy to unplug right away – during the first day or two of their vacation, and 3 out of 4 agree that they are mentally refreshed after just a weekend away.

"We all know the benefits of taking vacations – everything from reduced stress, improved health and increased productivity when we return to our routines. What's interesting to us is that many individuals don't need an extended period of time to unplug," said Steve Short, vice president at Enterprise. "Weekend getaways are a terrific option for those looking to really shift gears and relax in a short amount of time, and Enterprise makes them easy to achieve with the $9.99 weekend special offered by many of our locations throughout North America."

The Enterprise survey further explored the benefits of weekend getaways, as well as how individuals unplug during their time away from home. Other noteworthy survey findings include:

Exploring new places close to home, affordability and a relatively short return trip seen as top benefits of weekend getaways:

• Nearly 80 percent of survey respondents said that a top benefit of a weekend getaway is that they "can explore new places closer to my home."
• Additionally, 70 percent of survey respondents said that a top benefit of a weekend getaway is that they are "less expensive."
• Respondents also like the fact that they're typically able to "return home more quickly if needed;" 71 percent said this is a top benefit of a weekend getaway.

Women differ from men on the top benefits of weekend getaways:

• Women, more so than men, believe that a key benefit of weekend getaways is that they are typically less expensive (73% vs. 66%).
• Women, more so than men, believe that a key benefit is "less guilt for being away from home for too long" (46% vs. 39%).

Leaving work and schedules behind:

• Nearly a quarter of respondents said the most significant factor that hurts their ability to unplug while on vacation is "having to take care of a current work-related issue."
• Nearly a third of respondents said that the most significant factor that helps them unplug while on vacation is "having no schedule to follow."

Men and women differ when it comes to unplugging while on vacation:

• Women are more likely than men to say "traveling with extended family members" hurts their ability to unplug (22% vs. 17%); however, women are also more likely than men to say "having lots of activities on vacation" (49% vs. 43%) and "traveling with friends" (58% vs. 50%) helps their ability to unplug.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car's $9.99 weekend special remains available to customers through May 18. Customers can enjoy weekend rates of $9.99 per day on economy and compact cars when renting Friday through Monday. The rate includes 300 free miles per weekend. 

For more information about Enterprise, visit www.enterprise.com.

*The Enterprise Weekend Getaway Survey was conducted online among a national sample of 1,000 U.S. adults (balanced by gender and age to reflect census data). Survey respondents were 25 years of age or older. The survey was fielded between the dates of December 3 through 10, 2015, and was conducted by Research Now.

About Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Founded in 1957 and known for an extensive network of convenient locations, affordable rates and outstanding customer service, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an internationally recognized brand that is the highest-ranked car rental brand in the J.D. Power 2014 North American Rental Car Satisfaction Study^SM and was ranked on BusinessWeek magazine's annual list of "Customer Service Champs" for four years in a row. With more than 5,600 fully staffed offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, Enterprise operates not only as a key provider for insurance replacement, weekend getaways and special occasions, but also as a local transportation alternative.

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SOURCE Enterprise Rent-A-Car