Vacation deprivation is at a ten-year high, Expedia says

Expedia has released its latest “Vacation Deprivation" report, which finds that global vacation deprivation levels have reached a 10-year high as working adults navigate inflation, labour shortages and busy schedules.

Despite these obstacles, a 81 per cent of travellers worldwide plan to take as many—if not more—trips in 2023, pledging to travel "no matter what.”

The 2023 report polled more than 14,500 people across 16 countries.

Key findings

Key findings on vacation deprivation in Canada include:

• 57% of Canadian working adults report that they are vacation deprived, up from last year (55%), and the second highest rate seen in the past 10 years (behind 63% in 2021 when restrictions brought a halt to travel). Gen Z reported the highest levels of vacation deprivation (74%) with Baby Boomers reporting the lowest levels (37%).
• Globally, more than half of respondents (56%) say their workplace or industry is battling labour shortages, and 54% of Canadians say that staffing infrastructure prevents them from taking time off work. 68% of Canadians wish their companies would change their time-off policies, with 64% agreeing that they would consider changing jobs for the opportunity to have more vacation days.
• Despite 72% feeling impacted by inflation, Canadians continue to prioritize travel. The majority (72%) also reported that the stress from the economy makes them feel the need for a vacation even more.
• Despite Canadians seeking less crowded destinations (79%), the non-negotiable trip that Canadians were unwilling to give up is peak summer vacation (41%). In alignment, Expedia flight data shows searches for summer getaways are up 25% year-on-year.

New Expedia tools including Price Tracking help vacation-deprived Canadians reclaim their time off, as 61% of Canadians say that they find booking travel stressful in their search to find the best deal.

"Vacation Deprivation is feeling like you don't have enough vacation time but it's a sneakier, more complex syndrome than that," stated Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group brands public relations. "Vacation deprivation is also not taking all the vacation time you're entitled to because planning feels overwhelming. Expedia is really focused on making it easier for travellers to go, whether that's through flexible rates, price tracking for flights or member savings."

Expedia first commissioned its Vacation Deprivation investigation in 2000 to examine the work-life balance of people worldwide.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.