Why Canadians Vacation Better Than Americans
Though some of the best companies to work for offer unlimited vacation time and encourage their employees to make use of their paid time off, Americans continue to rack up heaps of unused vacation days each year. Intrigued by global attitudes about unplugging (France requires employees to take a minimum of 30 days off each year!), we scoped some new data from Captivate by Office Pulse. The company conducted a survey stacking up summer travel trends in America and Canada, and found that Canadians are more likely to really relax. Read on for four key differences that distinguish our summer vacation plans from those of our northern neighbors.
1. Americans are addicted to email. A quarter of Americans say they’ll work for at least half an hour each day while on vacation, while 47 percent say they’ll at least monitor emails. Canadians, on the other hand, take their break more seriously, with 68 percent saying they won’t spend any time doing work during their getaway. Talk about #goals.
2. Canadians love a longer holiday. When it comes to the amount of time each nationality will take, 32 percent of Canadians told Office Pulse that they’ll treat themselves to 10 or more days, with a quarter of respondents confirming they’ll take off between 6-10 days. Most Americans say they’ll enjoy 6-10 days away at a time, which scientists suggest is actually an ideal vacation length. Sadly, admin pros plan to take much less time, with 35 percent citing just 3-5 planned days of downtime on their summer schedule. Seven percent of workers say they don’t have any time available for a break.
3. Americans are all about the Fourth of July. Office Pulse found that Americans’ travel plans center around Independence Day celebrations, with 55 percent of respondents saying they plan to travel in July. This isn’t a huge surprise, given the long weekend away from work and massive influx of visitors to quintessential summer destinations like the Hamptons, Cape Cod, and other breezy beach spots. More than 60 percent of Canadian vacationers will break during August instead, heading to lake-filled regions or abroad.
4. Canadians adore comfy cottages. Though Americans and Canadians might plan the duration of their vacations differently, both groups enjoy laid-back vibes on vacay: 66 percent of Americans and 63 percent of Canadians say they’ll choose a super relaxing locale. Americans love the beach (42 percent of people say it’s their fave), while Canadians prefer time in a cottage. Interestingly, cottages are particularly popular among Canadian men — 31 percent say it’s their top pick!
Do you disconnect when you’re on vacay? Tell us how you travel on Twitter @BritandCo.
(Photo via Getty)