It’s no secret that Americans leave a lot of vacation days on the table each year and it seems every year the number of days not used gets worse. In fact, according to a new Expedia survey, vacation deprivation is currently at a five-year high.
The survey finds that 58% off Americans feel very or somewhat vacation deprived, which is up from 53% last year. And just like last year, Millennials are suffering the most, with 68% saying they are vacation deprived and most of them receiving two less days on average than any other generation (12).
As for why folks aren’t taking their vacations, finances are the biggest factor, with 54% of people saying they can’t afford to take a trip, up 11% from last year. Other top reasons include the desire to bank vacation days (23%) and inability to get time off work (17%). Things are so bad that for 63% of Americans it’s been six months or more since they’ve gone on vacation, with 28% going a year or more.
But there’s no doubt vacations are a necessary thing. The survey finds whether a vacation is long (a week or more) or short (two to three days), most people liked themselves more when they got back. They also felt more confident in their ability to solve problems and more hopeful and outgoing. Vacation can also be good for your mental health, with 81% of people saying their primary goal for a vacation is “mental wellness,” with 91% saying vacations are the best chance to “hit the reset button” on anxiety and stress.