Vacationitis Set To Sweep UK, New Hilton Study Shows

Domestic Admin Replacing Annual Leave; Workers Spend Only Eight Days a Year Doing Something Enjoyable or Relaxing

LONDON, 2013-01-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — As Britons brace themselves for Blue Monday, recognised as the UK’s most depressing day of the year due to post Christmas blues, gloomy weather and other factors, Hilton Hotels & Resorts discovers that Britain’s workforce is suffering from Vacationitis – a disease affecting workers because they do not take enough vacation. Today the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide issues a report titled ‘2013 Hilton UK Vacation Deficit Report‘ showing Britons enjoy just eight out of their average 24 days annual leave because the rest of the time is taken up with “domestic admin.”

The research commissioned by Hilton also shows that more than half of the British workforce has not had a holiday in at least a year, more than half continue to check work emails and take calls from the office whilst on annual leave and 5 per cent have not had a holiday in 10 years or more.

The study of 2,000 workers in the UK found that the majority of annual leave is spent catching up on household chores, DIY projects or even food shopping. Looking after ill children, attending funerals and medical appointments are also things eating into Brits’ annual leave. 60 per cent even claimed to regularly feel more tired and stressed out after taking annual leave than they would if they had been in the office because they are doing anything but relaxing.

In response to the research findings, Hilton Hotels & Resorts launched Hilton Urgent Vacation Care Centre, www.vacationcarecentre.hilton.com, where stressed out workers can find out more about Vacationitis, take a diagnostic quiz, receive a prescription and take advantage of the Hilton Any Weekend, Anywhere Sale, through which travellers can save up to 40 per cent on 2013 weekend stays at participating Hilton properties worldwide. Visitors to the satirical site can also compare Vacationitis levels by country, explore leisure travel offers and news, and enter for the chance to win one of 15 Hilton weekend getaways.

Psychologist, Dr. Linda Papadopoulos says, “We are working longer hours with over a third of us spending more time with our boss than with our partners or friends. In fact we’re still connected to the office even when we’ve taken annual leave, which means we aren’t even getting a break on weekends because were often working. These work pressures mean we don’t have much down time – and not taking the time to unwind and spend time with friends and family can negatively impact our work- life balance and general well-being. In the same way we take responsibility for doing our job well, we also need to take responsibility for our self-care skills, and this involves putting up appropriate boundaries between work and home and also making a concerted effort to take time off, not just to catch up on domestic admin but to genuinely unwind and reconnect with friends and family. With 40 per cent of respondents in the survey noting that vacations are the only real time they get to spend quality time with their families, its important that people are encouraged to use more than the eight out of 24 days annual leave they are currently using and gain a better work-life balance.”

More than half of working Brits continue to check emails and take calls from the office whilst on annual leave, with five million people checking emails hourly. Forty per cent of Brits check their work email during social occasions such as their children’s music or dance performances, at weddings, whilst on a date and even in bed after sex.

Among those who have office jobs, two thirds of the UK’s workforce find themselves having to work during the weekend, despite 85 per cent believing that small breaks help them to be more productive at work. A quarter of respondents have cancelled annual leave due to work pressures and more than half of British workers feel unable to take all of their annual leave because they’re either too busy at work, feel guilty or are paranoid due to economic uncertainty.

“Vacationitis appears to be wide-spread, but has definitely hit full-time workers the hardest as they struggle to take time out for uninterrupted vacation time,” Andrew Flack, vice president, global brand marketing, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, said. “The traditional two-week vacation continues to morph into shorter breaks in the UK, as almost half of the working population take anywhere between four and 10 days for their vacation.”

The research also found:

• British blondes don’t have more fun after all, as they’re more likely than any other hair colour to spend up to 20 days on domestic admin, with less time for vacations
• Northern Ireland is 20 per cent more likely to take days off for domestic admin than any other region, whilst East Anglia is the least likely. Women are twice as likely as men to spend their annual leave on domestic admin and household chores
• Almost 40 per cent of workers believe they sacrifice their health in the name of work
• Men are more likely than women to take time off work to avoid stressful work-related situations

Vacationitis is not the only health issue growing in the UK – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is also a growing epidemic. After experiencing one of the wettest summers on record in 2012, 60 per cent of the population has been left feeling miserable. Six million Brits think they may be suffering from SAD, with almost half of the population feeling happiest when the sun is out. Blue Monday2 traditionally heightens public awareness of SAD, with a range of factors including weather, time elapsed since Christmas and New Year resolution failings, low motivational levels; and debt.

To help Londoners fight back against Blue Monday this year, Hilton Hotels & Resorts will create a pop-up holiday resort in Potter’s Field on 21 January, where stressed out workers can take a mini vacation during their lunch break and be treated to Lumie lights, which can help remedy the adverse affects of Seasonal Affective Disorder. More information is available at http://news.hilton.com.

1 The site features humorous cartoons and an e-book illustrated by Onion Labs, the inhouse creative team of American news satire organisation The Onion.

2 Blue Monday was mathematically calculated in 2005 by Dr. Cliff Arnall, a researcher at Cardiff University. Dr. Arnall created his formula for the most depressing day of the year by working six distinct factors into the equation:

1. Weather conditions (gloomy January and its typical lack of sunshine)
2. Debt level and our ability to pay that debt
3. Time elapsed since Christmas
4. Time elapsed since failing our New Year’s resolutions
5. Our general seasonal motivational levels
6. Our need to take action and to have something to look forward to

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. From inaugural balls and Hollywood award galas to business events and days to remember, Hilton is where the world makes history, closes the deal, toasts special occasions and gets away from it all. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow’s savvy global travelers while more than 144,000 Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 550 hotels in 80 countries and the brand remains synonymous with “hotel.” Access the latest Hilton news at news.hilton.com or begin your journey at www.hilton.com. Social media users can engage with Hilton at www.twitter.com/hiltonhotels, www.facebook.com/hilton and www.youtube.com/hilton. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands.

About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,900 hotels and timeshare properties, with 650,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.