Every year more than half of Americans (52%) fail to use all their time off, creating a stock pile of 705 million unused vacation days, up from 662 million days the year before.

“National Plan for Vacation Day is an opportunity for Americans and for America. And who better than the travel industry to help plan the perfect vacation?” said Roger Dow, President and CEO, U.S. Travel Association. “America offers something for everyone, whether you prefer a sunny day at the beach or a snowball fight in the mountains. We encourage every American to plan their time off to explore our great country.”

The most effective remedy for American workers who want to use more vacation days is better planning. Yet just over half (52%) of households set aside time to plan the use of their vacation time each year.

“The Custer Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating National Plan for Vacation Day because we want to encourage Americans to take their well-deserved time off,” said Dolsee Davenport, Executive Director of the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce.   “And what better way to take a day than to travel? By committing to planning on January 29, Americans can all reap the benefits of taking a break while giving yourself something to look forward to.”

Research shows that planners have a distinct advantage over non-planners: They use more of their time, take longer vacations, and are happier

*53 percent of planners took all of their vacation time vs. 43 percent of non-planners.
*Planners are also more likely than non-planners to use all or most of their time off to travel (33% to 18%).
*More planners report they are “very” or “extremely” happy with their personal relationships (81% vs. 68%), health and well-being (56% vs. 43%), company (57% vs. 50%), and job (56% vs. 48%) compared to non-planners.

National Plan for Vacation Day is celebrated the last Tuesday in January as a day to encourage Americans to plan their vacation days for the rest of the year at the start of the year.