Over 6 in 10 Romanians cannot afford a one-week annual vacation

Romania ranks first in the European Union in terms of the share of people who cannot afford a one-week annual vacation away from home, according to data published by Eurostat on Thursday, July 30.

According to the European Statistical Office, 61.4% of Romanians aged 16 or older said they could not afford a one-week vacation away from home in 2025. Romania is followed by Greece, where 46.6% of residents were in the same situation, and by Bulgaria and Hungary, both with 39.1%.

The difference from the European Union average is significant. Across the 27 member states, 27.5% of people aged over 16 said they could not afford a one-week holiday away from home.

Compared with 2024, the share of people who cannot afford a vacation increased by 0.5% across the European Union. However, the long-term trend remains positive. Compared with 2015, the indicator has fallen by 7.7%, so over the last decade more and more Europeans have gained the financial ability to go on holiday for at least one week a year.

At the other end of the ranking are the states where an annual vacation is accessible to the vast majority of the population. The lowest share of people unable to afford a one-week holiday was recorded in Luxembourg, where only 10.6% of residents said they could not cover such an expense. It is followed by Sweden, with 12.4%, and the Netherlands, with 12.8%, values almost five times lower than those reported in Romania.

The ability to spend at least one week a year on vacation away from home is one of the indicators used by Eurostat to assess living conditions and the level of material deprivation in the member states. The data highlight the persistent differences between European economies in terms of purchasing power and households’ ability to cover expenses considered normal for a decent standard of living.

radu@romania-insider.com

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