Survey Says: Driving Weekend Getaways Picking Up Speed, Change Of Wheels Often Accompanies Change Of Scenery

ST. LOUIS--May 1, 20040, 2004--A new national survey reveals that weekend getaways on wheels are alive and thriving. American motorists are likely to take more getaways than they have in the recent past and more likely to rent the right vehicle to get to their favorite destinations, the survey shows.

According to the just-released American Weekend Getaway Poll(1), 93 percent of weekend getaway travelers say they are likely to take more driving weekend getaways in the next year, and 20 percent are more likely to consider renting a vehicle for those weekend trips.

The survey, commissioned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, also reveals:

-- Three in five (60 percent) U.S. motorists - or more than 100 million Americans(2) - have taken a driving weekend getaway in the past year and are averaging seven such trips annually.

-- Four in five (80 percent) U.S. motorists take driving weekend getaways so they can enjoy several shorter vacations, rather than fewer extended vacations.

-- Millions of U.S. motorists aren't satisfied with the vehicles they drive most often for weekend getaways, with gas mileage (42 percent) being the leading factor, followed by projecting the image they want (30 percent), offering adequate seating capacity (22 percent) and trunk/cargo space (21 percent).

"Driving weekend getaways offer Americans mini-vacations of sorts, which can be much more affordable than extended vacations. It's a trend that continues to grow," said nationally recognized travel expert Laura Powell. "And for the first time, we also see that a significant number of people are choosing their vehicles carefully to meet specific needs for their trips, especially if they're choosing vehicles that may be better suited for the getaway than their own."

Indeed, the American Weekend Getaway Poll indicates that many Americans enjoy a change of wheels, as well as a change of scenery, when they take weekend getaways. More motorists are parking their own vehicles and choosing to rent for weekend getaways:

-- One out of six - or some 17 million American weekend getaway travelers(2) - has rented a vehicle for a weekend getaway in the past 12 months.

-- Americans are renting a wide variety of weekend getaway vehicles. SUVs, minivans and mid-size sedans are the most popular choices.

-- Nearly seven in 10 motorists prefer weekend getaways to extended vacations because they are more economical.

Where are people going on these trips? According to the survey, the beach, the mountains, national or state parks, and lake or river resorts are preferred destinations.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the largest car rental company in North America, reports its rental business for leisure purposes, which includes weekend getaways, totals more than $1 billion annually and is growing at a double-digit rate compared to last year, said Steve Short, vice president of consumer development.

"We know consumers are renting vehicles because they don't want to run up the mileage on their automobiles, and they enjoy the comforts of a driving a new or different vehicle to suit the needs of their weekend getaway," Short said. "The survey indicates that those taking weekend driving trips average seven a year and drive approximately 210 miles on each trip, which adds up to a lot of mileage and wear and tear on your personal vehicle."

(1) The American Weekend Getaway Poll, commissioned by Enterprise Rent- A-Car, surveyed 500 weekend travelers, all drivers 21 years of age and older, to determine how often they get away, why they like to get away, what they do and what they drive on these trips. The sampling error associated with the research is no more than plus or minus four percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

(2) According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are approximately 181 million licensed drivers 21 years of age and older in the United States.

About Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the largest rental car company in North America. It operates more than 600,000 Rental and Fleet Services vehicles worldwide and has annual revenues of more than $6.9 billion. Last year, Enterprise opened more than 300 new locations, increasing its total locations to more than 5,500. Enterprise is currently number 16 on the Forbes "500 Largest Private Companies in America" list. For more information about Enterprise visit www.enterprise.com.