Holiday deprivation exacerbated by feelings of stress, guilt
By NEIL WAUGH
It's not a disease that shows up on the core curriculum at med school.
But one-in-three Canadians say they've got it bad.
Even more shocking, folks in Ontario, Alberta and B.C. told a recent Ipsos Reid/Expedia poll that they feel more "vacation deprived" than they were five years ago. And that's not good.
It only gets worse when Canadians actually take a holiday, with 30% telling the pollsters they have trouble "coping with stress" and a further 28% saying they "feel guilty" when taking time off.
Heck, 18% confessed they check their work messages when they're supposed to be kicking back. Even though 56% admitted they felt more "relaxed, rejuvenated and reconnected with their personal life," when they came back from time off.
VACATIONS PLANNED
The Conference Board of Canada's latest Travel Intentions Survey found that 65% of Canadians plan on taking a leisure trip before September -- up nearly 6% from last year. International travel is "particularly strong" the survey determined thanks to the pleasant strength of the loonie after Canadians spent over a decade as monetary hostages in their own country.
But domestic travel is also "poised to do well" the report determined.
The same can't be said for Americans coming to Canada, where the new air travel passport rules, a slowing U.S. economy, and the tumbling greenback are expected to have a triple-whammy effect on American visitors.
In February StatsCan found that the number of overnight auto trips from the U.S. dropped to a 22-year low. The record-high gas prices are likely going to make things worse.
It's having a dampening effect on this side of the border, too, according to a recent Maritz Research survey.
When asked what effect high gas prices may have on their vacation travel plans, 23% said they will likely reduce the number of trips they take to the cottage this summer. Another 12% admitted they might even sell their dream summer retreat if the pump prices keep going up.
Which would only make their vacation deprivation syndrome all that more acute.
Better to take two weeks off and call your doctor in the morning.
Das Kanada Forum
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17.06.2007 22:51
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