Virginians use 64 percent of their vacation days to travel, the most of any state by a large margin and significantly higher than the American average (47%) according to a new research by Project: Time Off. Commonwealth residents spend 12.2 of the vacation days they take traveling, also much higher than the American average of eight days. Colorado (11.7 days) and New Jersey (11.1 days) round out the top three.
“It is thrilling to see that Virginia is for Lovers and for those who love to travel and take time off to recharge, relax and enjoy time with family and friends,” said Martha Mitchell Meade, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Hard work and dedication are important, but the proper balance between work and time off is essential to mental health. Virginians are getting this one right.”
Not all days off have equal benefit,” said Project: Time Off Vice President Katie Denis. “Our studies have shown that employees who use their vacation days for travel are significantly happier than the ones who spend their days off close to home, and that holds true at the state level too.
AAA’s Senior Travel Agent, Shawn Cordle (30 years in the travel industry) is not surprised by the report’s findings. “People love to travel and we stay busy all year helping them with vacations of every kind. In recent years, however, more and more people are choosing to take their dream vacation, now, as they are unsure of what their future holds. They don’t want to miss an opportunity to fulfill their travel must-see-and-do lists due to health concerns or general uncertainty about the years to come. There is definitely a rising tide for once-in-a-lifetime trips.”
In South Dakota, where employees use a national low of 4.3 of their vacation days traveling, just 20 percent of workers report being happy with their health and well-being. That number is almost 30 points below the national average of 49 percent. Missouri (5.2 days) and Iowa (5.4 days) round out the bottom three.
Last year, Americans used 17.2 vacation days, the most since 2010. Despite this marked improvement, 52 percent of employees reported leaving vacation days unused at the end of the year. The new report, Under-Vacationed America: A State-by-State Look at Time Off and Travel, provides a look at vacation behavior in all 50 states.
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