If you still think that in Europe people pick money off trees and work only as a hobby — I’ve got some news for you. There’s this thing called statistics. And there’s this serious organization called Eurostat, which every year counts not only cows in the Netherlands but also how many people can actually afford a simple, modest, week-long vacation.
So, here’s the fresh 2024 figure: nearly one in four adults in the European Union (27%) openly admit: “Sorry folks, but a vacation is something I can only dream about.”
These are people aged 16 and over who aren’t even planning on the Maldives — they’re barely considering a week somewhere not too far from home without getting anxious about money.
But hey, not all bad news! In 2023, the number was 1.5% higher. Slow progress is still progress. And compared to 2014, the number of those stuck at home has dropped by 10.6%. Europe may be healing, just very, very slowly.
Now, let’s see where things are especially tough:
- Romania — proudly leading the sad statistics with 58.6% unable to afford a vacation.
- Greece — land of olives, myths, and eternal financial headaches: 46% without holidays.
- Bulgaria — no big surprises here: 41.4% staying home.
And here’s a fun twist: even in sunny Cyprus, where you’d think everyone has sea, sun, and halloumi on tap, 33.2% of people can’t afford to take a simple break away from home.
❗ And if you think this is only a problem for poorer countries or forgotten islands, think again: even so-called wealthy nations like Germany and France have their fair share of staycationers. In Germany — 21%, in France — 22%. A bit surprising, isn’t it? And Poland is not doing much better — 25% of people there also skip vacations.
Now for the brighter side of Europe — places where vacations are still a thing:
- Luxembourg — unsurprisingly, where everyone seems to have a little extra cash: only 8.9% without holidays.
- Sweden — calm, stable, and ready to relax: 11.6%.
- The Netherlands — known for bikes and work-life balance: 13% taking proper time off.
So if you think everyone in Europe is constantly traveling somewhere beautiful — think again. Many spend their vacations on the same couch they’ve been working from all year. Though, if the couch is comfy, the company is nice, and Netflix doesn’t glitch — who’s to say that’s not also a kind of luxury?
🚩 Key Takeaways (with a pinch of good humor):
1️⃣ Not everyone in Europe lives an Instagram life. Sometimes vacations are pure luxury.
2️⃣ Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece aren’t topping any vacation charts yet — but maybe they’ve mastered the art of resting at home.
3️⃣ Luxembourg, Sweden, and the Netherlands show that a stable economy pairs well with beaches, sunbeds, and all-inclusive deals.
4️⃣ Even Germans and French sometimes scroll travel websites with tears in their eyes.
5️⃣ If you can’t afford a vacation — you’re in good company with 27% of Europeans. Almost a club of its own.
6️⃣ And if you live in Ukraine and can afford at least a week once a year at the seaside or in the mountains — congrats, you’re already ahead of many Europeans. Maybe we haven’t caught up with salaries, but when it comes to optimism — we’re leading the world.
