One in four people in Europe cannot go on holiday

According to the latest data published by Eurostat , 27% of the European Union population cannot afford to leave home even for a week . Within this picture, Italy stands out as one of the countries with the worst economic hardships.

While the European Statistical Office presents the percentage of the population experiencing income inadequacy as a percentage, when we compare these figures to the total EU population, an even more striking picture emerges: 121.3 million of the more than 499 million European Union citizens, or approximately 27 percent, cannot afford a week's holiday.

In Italy, 31.4% of Italians, or more than 18.5 million people, declared they would not have the financial means to take a seven-day vacation by the end of 2024. While this rate is still above the EU average, it is encouraging that it has decreased compared to four years ago.

The highest deprivation rate is in Romania

According to Eurostat's 2024 data, 27% of people aged 16 and over across the EU lack the financial means to travel away from home for at least a week's holiday. While this represents a 1.5 percentage point improvement compared to 2023 and a significant 10.6 percentage point decrease compared to 2014, it is concerning that one in four people still lacks the basic right to rest.

Countries with the highest proportion of people unable to go on holiday:

Romania: 58.6%

Greece: 46%

Bulgaria: 41.4%

The countries with the lowest rate are:

Luxembourg: 8.9%

Sweden: 11.6%

Netherlands: 13%

The gap in holiday access between EU countries exceeds 45%, clearly highlighting the inequalities in the level of economic recovery and differences in social protection systems.

Vacation is not a luxury but one of the basic indicators of welfare level.

Having the opportunity to rest, as well as having a job, is considered a significant indicator of a standard of living. A week's vacation is also recognized by the United Nations as a necessary part of a decent life. Deprivation of this right is seen as a sign of insufficient income, employment problems, and flawed social policies.

While the overall decline in rates over the past decade is a positive trend, the risk of social vulnerability remains high, particularly in Eastern and Southern European countries. For many, vacation remains an unattainable privilege.