Americans Need a Vacation
If you’re an American, when was the last time you took a good, long vacation? Odds are, it’s been a while. According to Expedia’s annual Vacation Deprivation Study, it’s probably been a while.
American Vacation Habits
The study surveyed nearly 8,000 working people across 24 different countries. The findings showed Americans on average take 14 of 15 vacation days offered to them. This is actually better than last year, when they took 12 of 14 offered vacation days. Many people say their work schedule doesn’t allow for it, or they can’t afford it.
Even with only 2 weeks out of 52 spent relaxing, barley over half of Americans feel deprived.
In Comparison
Europeans top the list, being offered and taking the most vacation days per year. Denmark, France, Germany and Spain residents boast taking 30 of their 30 offered vacation days each year. The United Arab Emirates also take 30 out of 30.
Workers in Thailand were offered fewest vacation days at only 11 per year, and they took only 10. In Japan and Malaysia, workers also only took 10, despite being offered more. South Koreans took the fewest days off for vacation: only 7 days per year on average, even though they’re offered 15 days.
People in America and Asia are more likely to see vacation time as a guilty pleasure rather than an entitlement. Those countries in which people felt most entitled to a vacation were where workers took the most.
One More Day
Most people would do almost anything for one more vacation day. More vacation time would be worth switching jobs to more than half the workers world-wide. Many people would be willing to give up things like junk food, alcohol or even social media for a week if it meant just one more vacation day.
Fifty-six percent of answerers agreed: “Regular vacations are important for general health and wellbeing.” Health studies actually back this up, so grab your vacation days—you need them.
Photo: Pexels
