Canada second to last globally for paid time off work

Hotels.com findings show huge global differences in annual vacation and national public holidays

TORONTO, March 26, 2013 /CNW/ - Who doesn't love time off from the office? It's when we get to relax and unwind, spend time with our loved ones and, of course, travel. Recent findings by Hotels.com^®, which looked at the amount of paid and public holiday time around the world, reveal that Canada is near the bottom of global rankings with a mere 15 days, beaten only by Mexico at 13. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Russia, which came out on top with a staggering average of 40 days of paid leave.

"There is a substantial level of inconsistency around the world when it comes to the amount of stat holiday or vacation time for employees, particularly when you compare Russia to Mexico or Canada" said Taylor L. Cole, APR, travel expert for Hotels.com. "If you're looking to take an extended vacation with just two weeks of paid leave, it can be quite the challenge to get that time off. This could lead to vacation deprivation, or travellers either being forced to take unpaid time off or consolidate the time to one trip per year."

Of the 30 nations surveyed, Hotels.com revealed the average annual leave and public entitlement for employees to be 28 days, with the UK right on target, but Canada falling 13 days short. Canada wasn't alone though, with 12 other countries coming in under the global average including the U.S., Netherlands, India and all the Asian countries featured including China, Singapore, Thailand and Japan.

On the opposite end of the scale are Italy, Sweden, Finland and France. These European countries joined Russia to make up the top five countries with the most paid leave - 35 days or more.

A plethora of annual bank holidays exist across the world, and Argentina tops the list with 19, which includes the popular 'Carnival' in Argentina between February 11^th and 12^th. Colombia follows suit with 18 days including 'Dia de San Jose' in Colombia on March 19^th. In contrast, Brazil, Canada and India have the lowest number of national public holidays with only five days each.

Total global holiday entitlement for 2013:

*Please note the data does not include national public holidays that fall on a weekend. For information on international holiday allowance, please contact [email protected]

About Hotels.com^®

Hotels.com (also known in Canada as Hotels.ca) is a leading online accommodation booking brand. Through the Expedia, Inc. global network of websites, Hotels.com, LP connects travellers with almost 200,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favourites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com, LP benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, obtaining the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. There are more than 7 million Guest Reviews on the websites from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through Hotels.com, LP's industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards^TM, customers can earn a free night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 85,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com, LP will refund the difference. Travellers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centers. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/ enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. Hotels.com publishes an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, which is now produced in 31 individual country editions, with North American data available at www.hotel-price-index.com. Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Hotels.comCA, on Twitter athttp://www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcomca and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/hotelsdotcom. Hotels.com, LP is part of Expedia, Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world's best-known brands.

Hotels.com, Finding You the Perfect Place and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2013 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50

Image with caption: "With just 15 days of paid time off, vacation deprivation could be a reality for many Canadians (CNW Group/Hotels.com)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130326_C8173_PHOTO_EN_24795.jpg

SOURCE: Hotels.com