TripAdvisor has announced the results of its post-vacation blues survey of Americans who took leisure trips this summer. The survey found that 34% often struggle with the blues following their return from vacation, while 20% say they always do. As temperatures begin to drop, stress levels rise for many recently-returned travelers; 84% say their stress-o-meter readings return to pre-vacation highs soon after returning home; 43% feel the strain within the first week back, and 19% within the very first day. In addition, 41% said they find it depressing that Labor Day represents the end of summer. Other findings:
Travelers’ Top Five Post-Vacation Blues-Busting Measures:
- Begin planning the next trip - 73%
- Regularly view pictures or videos of the trip - 52%
- Create a photo album of the trip - 41%
- Take weekend breaks to bridge the gap until the next vacation - 18%
- Cook the local cuisine enjoyed on the trip - 16%
Mid-Vacation Vexations:
- On a typical one-week vacation, 64% start to feel anxious about the end of their trip before it’s over.
- Day five of a one-week trip is the most anxiety-inducing, with 17% feeling apprehensive about returning home following just four days of rest and relaxation.
- 4% confess that the worry of returning home looms large from day one of the trip.
Work Woes:
- Travelers cite the return to work as the most challenging aspect of returning from a vacation (34%).
- Within the first month of being back to the grind, 12% confess they have falsely phoned in sick.
- 8% consider finding a new job, while 4% are regularly late for work, in the first month back from vacation.
