Here’s why 42 percent of Americans won’t take a summer vacation

Summer and vacations. They usually go hand-in-hand. However, a whopping 42 percent of Americans plan to skip a summer vacation this year, according to a survey conducted by Skift.

The survey also showed that 35.2 percent of people still didn’t know their travel plans (or if they’ll take a break at all.) And only 22.9 percent said they already booked their vacation.

What’s Behind The Skipped Summer Vacations?

This may seem surprising considering summer is the time to travel for many people. But according to Smarter Travel there could be several reasons behind why so many Americans choose to skip out on taking time off.

For instance, the publication points out summer airfare is up 4 percent from last year. So, keeping a tighter travel budget could have something to do with not wanting to fly.

Also, several major airline incidents tied to oversold flights or cranky passengers could make folks more wary to board an aircraft in 2017.

Of course, taking a vacation doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get on a plane. You could just as easily take a road trip!

No Summer Vacation Is Not a New Idea

The idea of no summer vacation isn’t an entirely new concept.

Skift conducted a survey in 2015 and found similar results. Back then, 45 percent of people surveyed said they didn’t plan to take a single day off during the summer months.

And even more surprisingly, 54.7 percent of Americans who responded to a 2016 Skift survey said they took fewer than five days off for the entire year.

Not every company promotes taking time away from work. But there are a few out there who have incredible policies that allow for some time to get away from the daily grind.

Even with companies who encourage taking vacation, some employees hesitate to do so. In fact, 54 percent of Americans only used about half their allotted vacation days last year.

MarketWatch reports many workers fear taking vacation days. Why? Reasons given include:

• Fear of getting behind on work
• The belief no one else can do the job during an absence
• Employee feels too dedicated to the company
• Employee believes they can never be disconnected from the job

So, if you’re among those who aren’t planning a trip this summer, you might need to rethink that! Check out some Airbnb rentals that are cheaper than hotels and get some much needed rest and relaxation.