According to Eurostat, more than a quarter (27%) of the EU’s adult working population aged 16 and older could not afford to go on a one-week vacation in 2024. This marks a slight decrease from 2023, when the figure was 28.5%, and a notable drop of 10.6 percentage points compared to 2014. These numbers, however, reflect the persistent economic inequalities across the European Union and its member states.
While there is some improvement observed in global development, millions of people in the EU are still lagging behind with regard to meeting the standards for financial well-being.
The findings highlight a significant gap in Western Europe. The inability to afford a holiday varies significantly across EU member states, highlighting economic disparities within the region.
Romania reported the highest proportion of residents facing this challenge, with 58.6% unable to finance a week’s holiday. Greece followed with 46.0%, and Bulgaria recorded 41.4%.
In 2024, 27.0% of the EU’s population aged 16 or older were unable to afford 1 week of annual holidays away from home.🎒⛱
— EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) July 14, 2025
Highest shares in:
🇷🇴Romania (58.6%)
🇬🇷Greece (46.0%)
Lowest in:
🇱🇺Luxembourg (8.9%)
🇸🇪Sweden (11.6%)
Learn more 👉 https://t.co/A4NbmEnNTs pic.twitter.com/7xAMKO4hAz
After Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria, Portugal and Hungary also face significant challenges in holiday affordability. In 2024, 39.3% of Hungarian residents and 35.2% of Portuguese residents could not afford a week-long holiday.
These figures contrast sharply with countries like Luxembourg, where only 7.9% of the population faced similar constraints, and Sweden, with a rate of 8.7%. This disparity underscores the uneven economic recovery and differing living standards across the EU.
The Eurostat data also suggests how economic conditions influence leisure opportunities. For those who can afford it, a week-long holiday serves as an indicator of financial well-being, reflecting income beyond basic needs. “It is sadly no surprise that more people can’t afford a holiday when, at the same time, dividends increased up to 13 times more quickly than people’s pay packets and CEOs paid themselves over 100 times more than the average worker,” said Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in a statement.
“Taking a break with family or friends is important for our physical and mental health, and it is a basic part of the European social contract,” the statement further read. “After working hard all year, it is the least working people should be able to expect to afford and should not be allowed to become a luxury for the few.”
According to the ETUC, the findings are “the result of an increasingly unequal economy,” which pushes workers to not go on a vacation “due to rising costs for accommodation, transport, and food, combines with declining purchasing power and speculation.”
