Over half of business travelers (54%) say they’d take a trip just to get a break from their family or partner, according to Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report, “The Whycation: Travel’s New Starting Point.”
The survey of 14,000 travelers across 14 countries was conducted in partnership with Ipsos. It also involved insights from more than 5,000 Hilton employees and feedback from 1,000 Hilton Honors loyalty members. It concluded that “with calm, culture and connection rising to the top of travel priorities, it’s clear that today’s trips are starting somewhere new: with a why.”
Other findings included:
- 1 in 4 business travelers (27%) actively seek alone time during work trips to fuel up or re-energize.
- While some business travelers are embracing a “5-to-9” mindset — rising as early as 5 a.m. to focus on personal goals like exercise — others are focusing on their sleep, with 19% of travelers prioritizing rest over socializing with colleagues.
- Nearly 1 in 3 global business travelers admitted to enjoying a private late-night meal or snack at the hotel after group events (30%).
- 29% of business travelers have chosen to explore destinations with colleagues outside of any official planned activities. Data from Lyft also shows that business riders are twice as likely to go to a tourist destination as other riders, making the most of their time away from home.
