Charlotte Ranks in Top 10 Cities for Most Used Vacation Time
U.S. Travel Association ranks Charlotte No. 7 out of 30 cities for utilizing time off.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 15, 2017) – Today, the U.S. Travel Association’s Project: Time Off released a new study, “Under-Vacationed America: An Analysis of the States and Cities That Need to Take a Day,” listing Charlotte at No.7 out of 30 cities with the least unused vacation. The study conducted earlier this year surveyed American workers who received paid time off from their employer across all 50 U.S. states. The survey data supports an increasing national trend in increased vacation usage with Charlotte among leading cities like Pittsburgh (No. 1), Phoenix (No. 3) and Kansas City (No. 6).
The data found that among the 30 largest Metro Service Areas (MSAs) in the country, 48 percent of workers in Charlotte left unused vacation time on the table each year, compared to the state average of 50 percent. While Charlotte is a leading city by this measure, the unused time accounts for 4.6 million in total days and $659 million in potential direct spending.
“As advocates for Charlotte’s tourism industry, we know how important travel is. But seeing how cities rank when it comes to not fully utilizing their vacation is just another reminder that we need to take time for our own health and wellness,” said Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tom Murray. Whether that happens through staycations here in Charlotte, hosting visiting friends and relatives who come from near and far, or exploring new destinations, the CRVA encourages people to not leave their time on the table. It’s especially timely research given the busy summer travel season ahead of us.”
The Charlotte region hosts approximately 27.6 million visitors annually and tourism spending exceeded $6.5 billion in 2015. This spending supports more than 124,000 jobs in the hospitality and leisure sector with visitor spending directly supporting 63,000 of those jobs.
The full report can be found here.
To learn more about Project: Time Off, visit projecttimeoff.com or follow @ProjectTimeOff on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA)
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) works to deliver experiences that uniquely enrich the lives of our visitors and residents. Through leadership in destination development, marketing and venue management expertise, the CRVA leads efforts to maximize the region’s economic potential through visitor spending, creating jobs and opportunities for the community. Brands supported by the CRVA include the Charlotte Convention Center, Spectrum Center, Bojangles’ Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte Regional Film Commission and Visit Charlotte in conjunction with the region’s destination marketing brand, ‘Charlotte’s got a lot.' Find more information at crva.com.
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