January 16, 2019

National Plan for Vacation Day: DonÕt Say "Maybe Next Year" to Time Off

National Plan for Vacation Day on January 29 encourages Americans to commit early to their time off for the year.

Now that the holidays are over and the doldrums of winter are upon us, you may find yourself longing for a getaway. Whether youÕre dreaming of a sunny Florida beach or the ski slopes of Colorado, itÕs time to take action and actually plan that getaway.

Too many Americans never take that first stepÑplanningÑand end up wasting millions of their hard-earned vacation daysÑ705 million in 2017 alone!

National Plan for Vacation Day, taking place on January 29 this the year, was developed in response to the vacation deprivation thatÕs taken hold of Americans.

U.S. Travel has provided the travel industry and others with resources that can help encourage Americans to plan their time offÑand to travel while theyÕre at itÑincluding expert advice from TV host and travel expert Samantha Brown.

Why is it so important that Americans use their time off?

In addition to missing out on memories with family and friends, there are a number of other benefitsÑincluding increased job performance, stronger personal relationships, and improved mental and physical well-beingÑthat Americans cede when they say Òmaybe next yearÓ to using their time off.

The best way to bring that dream vacation to reality is to plan. Research shows that avid vacation planners use more of their time, take longer trips and are generally happier.

A staggering 86 percent of Americans say they have not seen enough of their own country. Planning vacation is also an opportunity to see the U.S. and explore places you havenÕt been before. Just two years ago, the average employee took 17.2 days of vacation, and less than half of that time was used for travel. And just like taking time off, traveling benefits us, too.

So, what should you do?

For starters: plan your vacation days. On January 29, commit your time off for the rest of the year at the start of the year. And while youÕre at it, consider exploring our great country.

Copyright 2019 U.S. Travel Association. All rights reserved. From https://www.ustravel.org.
By Sarah Shields, Director, Industry Communications, U.S. Travel Association.

To view all articles, check out the Internet Travel Monitor Archive