Expedia's 23rd-annual Vacation Deprivation report reveals that Singaporeans are feeling the impact of inflation, with 82% feeling impacted by rising costs.

However, despite this, vacation deprivation levels in Singapore have dropped more than 10% – the largest in recent years – indicating that Singapore's working adults are finding ways to navigate travel barriers in their personal lives and workplace.

The report polled more than 14,500 people across 16 countries, with 500 respondents from Singapore.

Lesser vacation deprivation

According to the report, 58% of Singaporean adults report feeling vacation deprived, down from 69% in 2021. This substantial drop is a result of Singaporeans being more resilient in the face of rising costs, with 37% planning to take just as many vacations as they usually do and 47% planning to take more vacations. Additionally, 20% of Singaporean travelers pledged to travel "no matter what" in 2023.

Moreover, 96% of Singaporeans believe they deserve to take time off work, and vacations are a basic right. Vacations are more beneficial to their happiness (93%) than other luxuries such as fine-dining or shopping, and vacations are essential for general health and well-being (96%).

When it comes to travel booking, 72% of Singaporean travelers noted feeling stressed as they were unsure whether they were getting a good deal.

Singaporeans looking for flexibility

The report also reveals that Singaporean workers are looking for flexibility in the workplace for their well-being. On average, Singaporeans received 17 days of annual leave in 2022, the least among workers in the region. Singaporeans also took fewer days off than most other markets, using only 14.5 vacation days on average.

Furthermore, 58% of Singaporeans admitted being too busy at work to use all their vacation days each year, while 62% found it hard to "unplug" from work.

While 47% of Singapore workers acknowledged the usefulness of a vacation on improving their mental health, only 33% said their employers allowed or supported paid mental health days.

In general, Asia Pacific employers are less likely to allow or support paid mental health days (45%), except for those in Hong Kong (71%). However, the inclusion of paid mental health days encourages Singaporeans to take a much-needed break, with 42% reporting taking at least one day off to focus on their mental health in 2023.

A vast majority (84%) of Singaporeans would like their companies to alter their time-off policies. Lastly, 83% of Singaporeans would like their workplace to adopt a four-day workweek, with 54% looking to use that extra time for personal appointments and projects and 29% hoping to have more time for travel.