Many still have up to 20 vacation days this year. What to do with it? A study by "Mastercard" shows that travel, experiences and special moments are the new currency of happiness.
Many employees in Europe still have vacation days available and do not want to let the year go by unused. Whether it's a trip, a concert or your first diving course - investing in memories that last rather than purely material things is setting the trend. This is shown by a recent Europe-wide "Mastercard" survey, which examined the leisure behavior of more than 20,000 people.
Around half of Germans still have seven to 20 vacation days left. The figure is even higher in countries such as Cyprus (69%), Switzerland (56%) and Bulgaria (55%). The most popular experiences that respondents would like to realize this year include a trip to a new dream destination (36%), a visit to a Christmas market (14%) or a long-awaited live event (11%), as well as trying out a new outdoor activity (5%).
Experiences are the new currency of happiness. The vast majority (80%) are convinced that money spent on experiences is "always or usually well invested". To make these special moments possible, many people consciously adjust their budget and make targeted decisions: 44% spend less on clothing, 41% save on restaurant visits, 42% do without luxury items, 32% on technology and gadgets and 23% on home accessories or renovations.
The thirst for action is particularly high among Gen Z: over three quarters of 18 to 27-year-olds want to implement at least one item on their bucket list this year - from city trips and concert visits to new outdoor adventures.
Lack of time, budget issues and planning stress are the familiar hurdles before going on an experience; around 17 percent of respondents would like to put money aside first. Others wait for the "right moment" or for friends or family to find time to go out together.
According to "Mastercard" analyses, the trend towards shared experiences continues unabated: more than two thirds of Germans attach importance to experiencing leisure activities together with their loved ones.
Despite busy schedules and winter stress, most people have a positive outlook on the remaining time. Just under 70 percent of Germans believe they will achieve their goals by the end of the year. In countries such as Serbia, Sweden and Spain, confidence is even higher.
