Travel agencies across the country are promoting January 31 as National Plan for Vacation Day.
The move was spurred by a U.S. Travel Association study that showed people are taking fewer vacation days than in years past. It said that, between 1976 and 2000, people used 20.6 vacation days on average. However, in 2015, that average dropped to 16.2 days. Debbie Armstrong, Executive Director of the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau, says this lack of time off can have negative effects.
“We have a lot of Americans that are leaving almost a week of vacation on the books," she said, "and when we do that, that hurts our economy, that hurts our mental health and the time that we need to connect with family and friends, and also just to explore and learn new things.”
The Rockford Area CVB will host an open house vacation planning event Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meanwhile, DeKalb County’s CVB is featuring an interactive map and visitor’s guide of local attractions.