Officials from the AAA say every year Half of Floridians fail to use all their time off, creating a stockpile of 33 million unused vacation days. A study by the AAA, in collaboration with Project: Time Off, says the most effective remedy for American workers who want to use more vacation days is better planning. Yet only 54 percent of American households set aside time to plan the use of their vacation time each year. That is why January 30th has been deemed “National Plan for Vacation Day”.
The Survey Says
According to the study, Tampa is one of the top three cities in the nation whose workers leave time on the table – 62 percent of the city’s workers have unused vacation time which amounts to more than five million days. Forty-two percent of Tampa workers pointed to cost as a barrier, compared to the 32 percent national average. Conversely, Orlando is among the top five cities whose workers use the most vacation time. Only 45 percent of Orlando workers leave vacation time on the table. Thirty-nine percent agree their company culture encourages taking time off, compared to 33 percent nationally.
The State of America Vacation research shows that planners have a distinct advantage over non-planners. Project: In fact, planners use more of their time, take longer vacations, and are happier.
By the Numbers
- 52 percent of planners took all of their vacation time vs. 40 percent of non-planners.
- 75 percent of planners were more likely to take a full week of vacation time or more at a time. Non-planners take significantly fewer days—zero to three—than planners at once (42 vs. 18 percent).
- More planners report they are “very” or “extremely” happy with their relationships (83 vs. 70 percent), health and well-being (57 vs. 48 percent), company (57 vs. 51 percent), and job (59 vs. 50 percent) compared to non-planners.
AAA suggests the following tips to make your vacation planning a reality:
- Create a tentative budget and schedule so your trip planning can be accomplished in a realistic manner.
- Research and understand the pros and cons of traveling to a destination during your preferred timeframe. Identify attractions or activities you are most interested in and determine if they will be available
- Plan ahead. Research your destination for the fun places you would like to go. Make certain of the hours of operation of stores or attractions. Check blogs and other resources for helpful hints and make certain you take everything you need – including your fun.
