Did you know that today is ‘National Plan for Vacation Day? This is an initiative that U.S. Travel created several years ago as Project Time Off. The program has all kinds of resources available to encourage corporations to encourage their employees to take off. But let’s start with us – the Tourism industry!
Do you take all your vacation?
Our entire industry is dependent on people taking a vacation or going on holiday. So it is incumbent on us to be a good example and take all our vacation. How can we expect people from the adjacent region, state or country to come and visit us if we never leave? I will share some statistics on why vacationing is good for you, body mind and spirit a bit further on, but there are some other benefits that help us as tourism professionals:
- We get to see how other destinations, attractions, lodging, restaurants, and retail welcome visitors. It is a great way to do some casual benchmarking and a great way to get some new ideas. I remember one hotel I stayed at once that had a table in the lobby with a puzzle and some chairs set up. It seemed that everyone stopped and tried to get at least one piece into place. What a neat idea! It didn’t cost anything and lent a unique element to the stay.
- We help build our industry when we travel. The economic impact of tourism in the U.S. is huge. The $649.9 billion in travel spending generated by 1.8 billion domestic leisure trips supported 5.5 million American jobs and generated $100.4 billion in tax revenue. It’s our job to go on vacation!
- We set an example for our staff. I have had managers who never took a vacation or just took long weekends. It made me hesitant to ask for vacation time off, even though it was a benefit of the job. I think we should all help our staff plan their vacation early in the year. They feel better about it when they know we are going away at some point ourselves.
The benefits of vacation for all of us
A recent CNBC.com article states:
Time away from the office can also spark creativity. The ideas for major businesses, like Instagram, or the musical “Hamilton,” were inspired on vacation.
“The productivity, creativity, bringing new ideas forward isn’t the person who’s working crazy hours,” Denis said. “It’s someone who’s getting outside of their day-to-day.”
Studies also find health benefits from taking vacation time, like lower stress, better mental health and even less likelihood of a heart attack.
“Vacations are important because they not only replenish the mind, they also reduce the physical effects of stress on the body,” said Kathleen Potempa, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing.
Workload stress is a top barrier to taking vacation, according to Project: Time Off’s 2017 State of American Vacation report. The survey of more than 7,000 Americans found 43 percent of workers did not take time off because they feared returning to a mountain of work. Cost was also a factor, with 32 percent saying they cannot financially afford a vacation.
But experts say short and frequent breaks away from the office can still have a big impact on productivity. Many studies recommend taking vacation twice a year to improve health benefits, Potempa said.
Potempa added that it’s important for workers to unplug from work when they’re on vacation. A June survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs research found one-third of Americans work or check in with work on vacation.
“The most important thing is that it becomes regular and you don’t start skipping,” she said. “The major negative effects have been shown for people who don’t take vacation for several years.”
US Travel has developed a ToolKit for you
One of the elements of the National Plan Your Vacation Day is the Toolkit that U.S. Travel has gathered for us to use. Check out:
- Paid Time off Trends
- Vacation Planning Tool
- Talking Points
- Motivations of Travel
- Social Media Tools
- Ways to Celebrate
So your assignment this week is to plan at least one vacation and to help your staff get their vacation dates on the calendar. Its a win for your health, your employees well being and our industry!
How can I help you succeed in 2020?
- Check out my free resources section at The Tourism Pro Academy
- Schedule a free 15-minute call with me, or schedule a 1-hour call for a more in-depth discussion about your 2020 plans.
- Hire me to speak at your tourism conference or event. Reply to this email and I will follow up.
- Looking for help in creating a Strategic Sales plan for your attraction? Reply to this email and let’s chat.
- DMOs: Let’s talk about my Online Training program for your partners! Every month I present on a topic that will help increase your partner’s professionalism and understanding of this industry.
- Are you looking to increase your Chinese visitors this year? Then you need to check out my China Sales Mission Program, starting up in the next month. After this course, you will be ready to reap the benefits of this key market. Click on this link to learn more.