Understanding the New Business Traveler

Slowly but surely, Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are passing the baton to Millennials and Gen Z. Slowly but surely, Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are passing the baton to Millennials and Gen Z. In fact, in 2023 independent research* conducted on behalf of Enterprise Mobility^TM, over one-third of senior-level business travelers are Millennials. These younger employees are reshaping the way businesses approach their travel policies.

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and Gen Zers (born between 1997 and 2012) have very different expectations from past generations. Gen Zers and Millennials prefer a more tailored travel experience, with 73% of those surveyed saying personalized experiences are important to them, compared with 67% of Gen Xer and Baby Boomer respondents. Having fully embraced the “work from anywhere” mentality, these Millennials and Gen Zers also blur the lines between business and leisure travel more frequently than previous generations, often extending business trips to include personal time, a trend known as "bleisure.”

"Millennial and Gen Z travel trends are redefining business travel, most notably the rising demand for personalization and flexibility," says Don Moore, Senior Vice President of Global Business Sales at Enterprise Mobility. "Companies may need to evaluate their policies and make modifications to help fulfill these expectations."

The Shift Towards Sustainability

Sustainability is another essential factor for younger business travelers. According to the same research, 71% of both Millennials and Gen Z employee travelers care about eco-friendly transportation, like carbon neutral flights or electric vehicles. Programs such as carbon offset initiatives and car-sharing options align well with these values among younger travelers. This generational transition towards sustainability is not a trend; it represents a lasting change in how business travel is perceived and managed.

By thinking beyond the “traditional” business trip, employers can integrate a broader range of more sustainable transportation offerings into their travel programs. Options like Enterprise Car Club, CarShare® and Commute with Enterprise® can help save employees money and reduce their environmental impact.

Meeting the Demand for Convenience and Flexibility

Today’s younger generations are used to convenience in every aspect of their lives, from meal delivery services to online shopping. Their busy schedules require solutions that save time and effort. This need for convenience applies to business travel as well.

Our network is built to meet the needs of this new breed of business traveler. There is an Enterprise Rent-A-Car® location within 15 miles of 90% of the U.S. population and within 20km of 94% of the U.K. population, so customers can pick up a rental car close to home and drive to their destination with minimal extra effort. Globally, our footprint encompasses thousands of locations, not just at airports but at train stations and neighborhoods, as well, across more than 90 countries and territories. Given the size and diversity of our fleet – over 1.5 million rental vehicles, with a mix of 300 makes and models – choice is never an issue.

"The right vehicle for the occasion, always at the ready, that’s key for today’s business travelers," says Moore. "We’re constantly evaluating and adjusting our fleet to ensure we can meet our customers’ desire for options."

Always Learning, Always Evolving

As this new generation of business travelers is evolving, Enterprise and National are too. We continuously review customer feedback surveys to identify areas of improvement and opportunities to deliver the kinds of intuitive and personalized experiences customers crave. Our goal is to keep aligning our offerings with the expectations of modern business travelers. We take pride in the fact that Enterprise Rent-A-Car® and National Car Rental® consistently outperform other rental brands in the annual Business Travel News car rental survey. Enterprise was also named BTN Europe’s 2023 Mobility Provider Partner of the Year.

Want to learn more about how we can help you meet and exceed the expectations of Millennial and Gen Z employees? Let’s talk! Contact a Business Rental expert today.

^{*Research was conducted by global market research firm Ipsos on behalf of Enterprise Mobility in July 2023. N=3,016 business travelers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany (approximately n=1000 per country). N=600 decision makers for B2B travel/mobility (working in HR, Business travel management, Procurement, Finance), n=200 per country. For the business decision maker sample, no weights were applied to this study, and the findings reflect the opinion of these respondents only.}