Happy National Plan for Vacation Day!
National Plan for Vacation Day (NPVD), celebrated on the last Tuesday in January, is a day to encourage Americans to plan their vacation days for the whole year at the start of the year— and inspire them to use those days to travel to and within the United States. Since 2015, when the travel industry and partners began tracking American vacation usage, survey findings have continuously shown that vacation days are not being used, negatively affecting mental health, personal relationships and job performance. National Plan for Vacation Day helps highlight the importance of taking time off to travel—both for our personal health and wellbeing and for the overall economic prosperity of our nation. This year’s National Plan for Vacation Day is on January 25, 2022. Together, using #PlanForVacation, we are reminding Americans to commit—and take—their days off. How will you celebrate National Plan for Vacation Day 2022?
After two years of living through the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are feeling burned out and ready for a change of scenery. However, COVID-19 related health and safety concerns and increased workloads have prevented many American workers from using their hard earned time off. Americans are STILL not using all of their vacation days.
American workers left an average of more than four days or 29% of their paid time off on the table last year, but the majority of Americans (64%) say they desperately need a vacation.
Planning Vacations Reduces Burnout
- More than two-thirds (68%) of American workers feel at least moderately burned out and 13% are extremely burned out
- More than half (53%) of remote workers are working MORE hours now than they were in the office and 61% now find it more difficult to unplug from work
- COVID-19 related concerns followed by work related barriers such as heavy workloads and lack of coverage are top reasons preventing Americans from using their paid time off
- Just one-quarter of Americans used ALL of their earned time off in 2021
- Nearly eight in 10 (79%) believe vacations are important to their overall health and well-being
- Avoiding burnout was the top-rated motivator to book a trip in the next six months—ranked even higher than travel discounts/deals
Travel Remains a Top Priority
- More than nine in 10 (91%) Americans say it is important to use their paid time off to travel
- Nearly eight in 10 (79%) believe vacations are important to their overall health and well-being
- Nearly six in 10 (59%) agree that travel is more important than ever and 61% plan to make travel a top budget priority in 2022
Vacation Planning WORKS!
- The three-quarters of Americans who planned out their paid time off for the year were more likely to use their paid time off to travel in 2021
- 53% of planners anticipate traveling more in 2022 versus 27% of non-planners
- More than nine in ten (91%) Americans say it is important to use their paid time off to travel
- Close to eight in ten (79%) of Americans believe vacations are important to their overall health and well-being
The Impact of Planning
- Americans who plan out their time off take more time off to travel—but one-quarter (24%) of American households don’t do this simple step. As a result, they lose or have to forfeit these days
- Planners prioritize traveling with their paid time off, a trend that is expected to continue to rise in 2022 where 53% of planners anticipate traveling more than previous years versus 27% of non-planners
- And planners actually do travel more than non-planners. More than half (56%) of Americans who typically planned their time off took an overnight vacation in 2021 compared to 33% of non-planners
- Anticipating and planning travel makes Americans happy. Close to three-quarters (74%) of planners reported being extremely or very happy anticipating and planning vacations in the next year versus just four in 10 of non-planners
- Avoiding burnout is an even greater motivator to book a trip for non-planners than planners—62% of non-planners rated avoiding burnout as a top motivator compared to 53% of planners
Planning: A Key to Happiness
Those who plan for vacations are happier in general—with everything from their personal relationships to their work/life balance, health and well-being and even their job.
Extremely or Very Happy | Planners | Non-Planners |
On Vacation | 86% | 67% |
Personal Relationships with Family and Friends | 80% | 58% |
Work/Life Balance | 72% | 54% |
Job Flexibility | 72% | 53% |
Anticipating and Planning Vacations | 74% | 40% |
Physical Health and Well-Being | 72% | 46% |
Company Where You Work | 68% | 53% |
Job | 68% | 50% |
Ready to start planning your next vacation? Here are a few ideas to help get you started…
Walt Disney World Resort
It’s always a magical time to plan a visit to the most magical place on earth, but 2022 is extra special with the 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. We recently shared 22 reasons why you should plan to visit Disney World in 2022! Plus, you may be able to take advantage of a special offer for additional savings when you travel March 6- July 7, 2022.
Universal Orlando Resort
There’s never been a better time to start planning your epic trip to Universal Orlando Resort. Universal Orlando Resort features incredible theme park adventures that allow you to let go and live in the moment with those you care about most. There’s plenty to explore at Universal Orlando Resort – home to three theme parks featuring more than 60 world-class attractions combined, eight magnificently-themed resort hotels, destination-wide entertainment and Universal CityWalk.
We have customizable vacation package options perfect for any visitor. Learn more about Universal Orlando Resort’s new offer for 2 days free or the Exclusive Wizarding World of Harry Potter vacation package.
Perfect Day at CocoCay with Royal Caribbean
This isn’t vacation days spent. This is bragging rights earned. You can conquer the tallest waterslide in North America and snap a shot from 450 feet up in a helium balloon. Grab a drink at the swim-up bar and soak up the scene in the largest freshwater pool in the Bahamas. Or get a taste of Bora Bora with their own floating cabana. This is Perfect Day at CocoCay — only on Royal Caribbean®
You can learn more about why your family will love a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation or 10 reasons to spend a perfect day at CocoCay.
All Inclusive Resorts
Ready to just unplug and recharge? Don’t want to have to worry about cooking or anything while you’re on vacation? Maybe an all inclusive getaway is the best fit for you. There are resorts available for for couples and families. You can find some of our favorite all inclusive resorts for families here.
Special thanks to the U.S. Travel Association for sharing these statistics with us!