Sundance Vacations Encourages you to #PlanForVacation

January 30, 2018 is National Plan for Vacation Day, a national movement from Project Time Off to help Americans shift the culture so that taking time off is understood as essential to personal well-being, professional success, business performance, and economic expansion​!

Every year more than half of Americans (54%) fail to use all their time off, creating a stock pile of 662 million unused vacation days. In Pennsylvania, it’s 45% of employees leaving time unused and 23,264,258 days unused. In New Jersey, it’s 49% of employees leaving time unused and 15,199,681 days unused!

The most effective remedy for American workers who want to use more vacation days is better planning. Yet just over half (54%) of households set aside time to plan the use of their vacation time each year. National Plan for Vacation Day, launched by Project: Time Off, is a call-to-action for Americans to stop making excuses and start making vacation plans.

“Sundance Vacations have been providing affordable travel options for over 25 years,” said Co-owner Tina Dowd. “We understand the importance and impact of vacations, and know that by planning, we can all reap the benefits of taking a break,” she continued. “We encourage our employees to participate in Plan for Vacation Day.”

Research shows that planners have a distinct advantage over non-planners. Project: Time Off’s The State of American Vacation 2017 report found that planners use more of their time, take longer vacations, and are happier.

• 52 percent of planners took all of their vacation time vs. 40 percent of non-planners.
• 75 percent of planners were more likely to take a full week of vacation time or more at a time. Non-planners take significantly fewer days—zero to three—than planners at once (42% to 18%).
• More planners report they are “very” or “extremely” happy with their relationships (83% vs. 70%), health and well-being (57% vs. 48%), company (57% vs. 51%), and job (59% vs. 50%) compared to non-planners.

America’s unused vacation represents a missed economic opportunity. Americans 662 million unused vacation days presents a $236 billion economic opportunity—a $3.8 billion boost for the Pennsylvania’s economy and 4.3 billion in New Jersey’s.

“America’s vacation deprivation shortchanges the time we invest in our personal relationships, undermines our performance at work, and threatens our economic well-being,” said Katie Denis, Chief of Research & Strategy for Project: Time Off. “In 2018, Americans need to plan for their bucket list, instead of the to-do list.”

In the workplace, many people come up with a reason or excuses on why they can’t take a vacation, but never recognize the economic, personal, or career benefits that can occur.

WHY DON’T AMERICANS TAKE TIME OFF?

• Top barriers to taking time off include:
• Return to a mountain of work, 43%
• No one else can do the job, 34%
• Taking time off is harder as you grow in the company, 33%
• I cannot financially afford a vacation, 32%
• Want to show complete dedication, 26%
• Nearly two-thirds (66%) of employees report that they hear nothing, mixed messages, or discouraging messages about taking time off.
• 76 percent of employees said if they felt fully supported and encouraged by their boss, they would be likely to take more time off.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF VACATION?

• Taking time off is associated with higher productivity, performance; more positive attitude toward work; increased happiness; improved mental and physical health; better relationships and social life.
• Employees who take their vacation time are more likely than forfeiters to have been promoted within the last year (27% to 23%) and to have received a raise or bonus in the last three years (84% to 78% ).

About National Plan for Vacation Day

National Plan for Vacation Day, celebrated on January 30, is a day to encourage Americans to plan their vacation days for the rest of the year at the start of the year.  Launched by the U.S. Travel Association’s Project: Time Off initiative in 2017, National Plan for Vacation Day provides an opportunity to come together at a single moment to rally around the importance of planning for vacation. In its inaugural year, more than 600 organizations, representing all 50 states came together to encourage Americans to plan for vacation. Learn more at ProjectTimeOff.com/Plan and join the conversation online with #PlanForVacation.

Check out why you should plan your vacation ahead of time. (sundancevacationsblog.com/plan-for-vacation)

With destinations across the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean, we’re sure to have a vacation that fits you!

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