Summer is holiday time for many people in Europe, but stays away are also a privilege that many cannot afford.
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In 2025, almost three in 10 EU citizens aged 16 or older were unable to afford a week of annual holiday away from home, according to the latest Eurostat figures.
This share increased by 0.5 percentage points compared with 2024.
However, when compared to a decade ago, the share decreased significantly by 7.7 percentage points.
Last year, the highest proportions of people unable to afford a week of annual holiday were recorded in Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary.
In addition, Romania, Greece and Bulgaria were the EU countries with the highest shares of severe material and social deprivation among young people in 2025.
In contrast, the lowest shares of EU citizens unable to afford a one-week holiday away from home were seen in Luxembourg, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Some experts point to the rising costs of accommodation, transport and food, combined with declining purchasing power and speculation, as some of the reasons for holiday poverty.
Others note how essential going on holiday is for people’s wellbeing.
“Taking a break with family or friends is important for our physical and mental health,” Esther Lynch, general secretary at the European Trade Union Confederation, told Europe in Motion. “After working hard all year, it is the least working people should be able to expect to afford, but every year it looks more like becoming a luxury for the few.”
“These figures show that Europe faces a severe quality jobs emergency,” she added. “It’s the direct result of governments and employers choosing insecure, low-paid, non-union jobs that leave millions trapped in precarious work without the benefits of collective bargaining, facing unsafe working conditions, including extreme heat.”
“While politicians take their summer holidays, workers are fighting wildfires, working in fields and warehouses in record heat and with no guarantee to be paid enough to afford a holiday themselves,” Lynch said.
Which countries holiday the most at home?
Seven out of 10 trips by European tourists in 2024 were spent in their own country, according to Eurostat.
In 2024, the highest shares of domestic trips in the total number of trips among member states were recorded in Romania (90%), Spain (88%), and France, Portugal and Greece (each 85%).
In contrast, Luxembourg (78%), Belgium (62%) and Malta (48%) registered the highest share of foreign trips within the EU.
The average length of a trip for an EU resident within the bloc was four nights, while the average length of a trip spent outside the bloc was eight nights.