In Ukraine, rare vacations abroad are inaccessible for more than a quarter of EU citizens
About 27% of the population of the European Union aged 16 and older could not afford a week's vacation far from home last year. This is evidenced by data published by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat), reports **Gavkom**.
In 2024, 27% of the EU population aged 16 and older could not afford one week of annual vacation away from home. The highest proportion of people who cannot afford a weekly annual vacation was recorded in Romania (58.6%), Greece (46%), and Bulgaria (41.4%).
Growth of indicators compared to previous years
This indicator decreased by 1.5 percentage points compared to 2023 and by 10.6 p.p. compared to 2014.
Diversity of the situation in different EU countries
In comparison, in Luxembourg, only 8.9% of citizens, in Sweden – 11.6%, and in the Netherlands – 13% could not afford a week's vacation far from home.
In Spain, the share of those who could not afford a week's vacation away from home was 33.4% last year, in Italy – 31.4%, in Poland – 25.5%, in France – 22%, in Germany – 20.8%, in Austria – 18.9%
It should be noted that during the peak summer season, traffic jams formed on the approaches to the legendary Shatsk lakes, in particular to Lake Svitiaz. Thousands of vacationers from all over Ukraine flocked to the pearl of Volyn to enjoy the crystal clear water, hot sun, and also to treat themselves to famous donuts and fresh fish right on the shore.
The conducted research found that more than a quarter of the population of the European Union finds it difficult to afford an annual vacation away from home. This indicates the insufficient availability of recreation for a significant part of Europeans, highlighting the importance of social support and initiatives to ensure equal opportunities for relaxation.