Singaporeans love to travel, so much so that unlike workers in many
other parts of the world, they are keen to take up their full holiday
entitlements.
According to Expedia's annual Vacation Deprivation Report, Singaporeans only forgo one day of their 20-day holiday entitlements.
Expedia has been analysing time-off trends around the world for 24
years, and while American vacation deprivation (defined as the feeling
of not having enough time off) has now hit an 11-year high, rates are
down in many other parts of the world.
Roughly half of Americans don't plan on using all their time off this
year (53%), despite receiving just 12 days off annually — the fewest of
any country surveyed.
Japanese workers receive 19 days annual leave but don’t take seven of
those days. Despite this, Japan boasts the lowest vacation deprivation
levels in the world. Based on the survey, Expedia says this could be
attributed to Japanese workers taking more frequent, short vacations and
prioritising relaxation during their getaways.
Contrast that with workers in Hong Kong who don’t leave any of their
annual 26 vacation days behind. In fact, Hong Kong was the only market
surveyed where respondents didn't leave vacation days unused but took
more time off on average than they were allocated, and 15% vow to do it
again in 2024 — the highest globally.
But no one vacations quite like the French, taking the most days off
in the world (29). There’s an emphasis culturally on the fundamental
right to rest as French workers view vacations as a basic right, Expedia
noted.
“We may not be able to control how many days off we get, but the
research begs the question: What can we learn from other countries that
will help Americans break this horrible habit of not using the time off
we do have?” said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group brands public
relations.
"In Japan, people take time off every month instead of just twice a
year. For the French, not even a full month of vacation feels like
enough time.
“Clearly there's a lot for the US to borrow from, whether it's
spreading your PTO throughout the year or prioritising rest on your next
vacation.”