From Evolution to Revolution of American Travel

Over the past 15 years, American workers have been taking less and less vacation. Compared to our Romans who believed wholeheartedly in extravagant and lengthy vacations. To reflect back on our blog last week, it is incredible to see the journey our ancestors have embarked upon and what our vacations have become today.

Today our vacations have become shorter and more frequent, and the internet has played a crucial role in allowing vacationers to plan, book, travel and share their experiences in real time! Our vacations have become much more than a time of peace and prosperity. We seek adventure, lonely beaches and exclusive destinations.

For decades, Americans enjoyed taking more than 20.3 days of vacation each year, but research shows that our nation’s vacation average has fallen to 16 days a year, nearly a full week less than the average between 1976 and 2000. In 2000, Americans began skipping vacations despite economic trends. Rather than tracking broad and economic indicators, America’s time off habits closely track trends in technology innovation and adoption. The greater the use of new technologies, the less vacation time, American take.

Although, we love our technology and iphones, research finds that being connected 24/7 to your job not only increases the amount of time you spend working, but intensifies the attachment to your job. More than 60% of Americans cannot go more than one hour without checking their cell phones. With over 55% of Americans leaving vacation time on the table, this totals out to 658 million unused days with a 223 billion dollar loss in total spending. Not taking paid vacation may seem like a crime, with the extortionate loss of income totaling at 65 billion dollars. 95% of Americans do say that using their paid time off is important to them, but the statistics show otherwise with men using 51% of their vacation time and women only using 44% of their vacation time. Perhaps more staggering than America’s 658 million unused vacation days is that Americans lost 222 million of them. Now that’s something to think about!

Recent studies show evidence of workplace barriers, which ultimately affect the use of paid vacation days. 28% of Americans say that it is harder to take time off the higher up you get in a company, followed by the idea that 22% of employees want to show complete dedication to their company and job. Real workplace change is needed, but is entirely dependent upon the managers and CEO’s of our nation’s companies. 80% of employees said that they would be more likely to take more time off if they were encouraged by their boss. It is too often our potential worth is somehow wrapped up in the perceived lack of time we have.

Although all true, we have good news! Vacation is not yet extinct! Mitigating fears about taking time off, is entirely possible for Americans if we take time to plan our vacations each year. The amount of vacation time taken shows a clear correlation to happiness at home. The more vacation days we use, the lower the stress in our home. Although planning your vacation time ahead of time seems like a great way to increase your paid vacation days, the biggest obstacle we face is disconnecting from technology and your commitment to work during your time away. We now live in a world where technology has no slow down button and our workplace is only a tap away on our iphone’s, but Americans must take more time to fulfill travel dreams and truly take a break from the busy world we all live in today.

Looking back through history and witnessing the concept of vacation evolve over hundreds of years, we must take into consideration that today more than ever a vacation is exactly the type of medicine we need! From the industrial revolution to a millennial revolution, our technology is making advances within the industry that will allow travelers to connect with destinations as our ancestors once did oh so many decades ago. Lexicon Travel Technologies is proud to support the travel industry through technology that connects and perfects online bookings. Your next voyage awaits!

#lexicontraveltech #lexicon #jointhemovement #wordstockblog #vacationrentals #onlinetravelagency #traveltechnology #distributiontechnology #hotelbookings #independenthotels #wednesdayblog #wednesdaywordblog #vacationrental #vacationproperties #timeshare #vacationresorts #traveltech #travelblog #traveltechblog #travelblogger #bloggersofinstagram #writersofig #socialmedia #facebook #instagram #twitter #socialtravel #happyhumpday