If you thought your job kept you away from those picturesque vacations you see splashed across advertisements and some social media profiles, you are not alone. A recent survey has found that India is officially the fourth most vacation-deprived nation globally, with only 65 per cent of its population availing the leaves they are rightfully entitled to.
"After Spain (68 per cent), UAE (68 per cent), Malaysia (67 per cent) and South Korea (64 per cent), India is ranked as the fourth most vacation deprived country globally," Expedia’s 'Vacation Deprivation” report 2016 said.
The report revealed that 40 per cent Indians don't use all vacation days as work schedule does not allow for vacation or don't have enough staff to cover and 32 per cent are not able to take vacation days due to personal schedule.
"Vacations play a critical role in creating work-life balance as it re-energises people to be more focused at work (95 per cent of Indians agree in the survey)," Expedia, India, Marketing Head Manmeet Ahluwalia said.
The report was conducted on behalf of Expedia by Northstar, a globally integrated strategic insights consulting firm online from September 12-29, 2016, across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia Pacific.
It was conducted among 9,424 employed adults aged 18 years of age and older across 28 countries.
The report also found that 27 per cent Indians did not take vacations as they found it difficult to coordinate time with their spouse or family and 32 per cent felt personal schedule did not allow them.
About 21 per cent Indians also felt that important work decisions will be made when they are on vacations and 21 per cent said it will be perceived positively on their
employers as the reasons for not taking any leave.
Ahluwalia said, 47 per cent of Indians are ready to give up social media and television while 30 per cent would give up Internet and 27 per cent can give up contact with
their besties for a week, all for one additional day of vacation.
Most Indians are evolving, from a tourist to a traveller as 77 per cent said they find happiness by exploring somewhere new, 55 per cent said they eat what they want, meeting new people (54 per cent) and getting a lot of likes or comments on social media posts, it said.
Indians mostly prefer travelling with one or two others (77 per cent) and their favourite travel buddies are spouse (73 per cent), children (59 per cent) and friends (53 per cent), said the report.
About 41 per cent Indians would like to mix one long holiday and several short vacations in a year and 86 per cent would take a vacation during the holiday season that was not tied to family obligations, it added.
(With PTI inputs)
