--- title: "Having Trouble Planning a Vacation? Use This Tool" id: "49226" type: "post" slug: "having-trouble-planning-a-vacation-use-this-tool" published_at: "2020-01-27T21:05:37+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T02:54:39+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/01/27/having-trouble-planning-a-vacation-use-this-tool/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/01/27/having-trouble-planning-a-vacation-use-this-tool.md" excerpt: "The U.S. Travel Association has created an interactive PTO-planning tool in honor of Tuesday’s National Plan for Vacation Day. The group says hundreds of millions of vacation days are left on the table yearly." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "ACA" - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "Travel Tools" - "work-life balance" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Employee (Non-Manager)" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Having Trouble Planning a Vacation? Use This Tool Too often, workers don’t take the necessary time off—and part of the challenge is that doing so requires planning. For years, the U.S. Travel Association has been building messaging around the first issue, which it says left [an estimated 768 million vacation days on the table in 2018](https://associationsnow.com/2019/08/keep-employees-leaving-vacation-days-table/) . As part of that campaign, the organization has put together an annual event, [National Plan for Vacation Day (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ustravel.org/toolkit/national-plan-vacation-day) , on the last Tuesday of January since 2017. To help people along for this year’s event, U.S. Travel developed an interactive vacation-planning tool to make it easier for people to figure out the best time to get a load off and get away. The tool, which is embeddable, is located below. On top of that, the association offers a full toolkit for those looking to promote vacation time, with a fact sheet, talking points, and tips for social media. In a [news release (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ustravel.org/press/national-plan-vacation-day-antidote-vacation-deprivation) , U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow emphasized that he practices what he preaches—and doesn’t give staff members a hard time if he sees an out-of-office message. “Time off is essential to a healthy work environment because it gives us a chance to recharge and reconnect with family and friends, as well as see more of our beautiful, diverse country,” Dow said. “Workers who take the time to plan ahead bring more and better energy to the workplace.” The average American took 17.4 days off in 2018, slightly above 2017’s rate of 17.2 days but well below the 20.3-day average that was common between 1978 and 2000, [according to the association (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/media_root/document/NPVD19_FactSheet.pdf) [PDF]. (Kwangmoozaa/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#ACA](https://associationsnow.com/tag/aca/) [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#Travel Tools](https://associationsnow.com/tag/travel-tools/) [#work-life balance](https://associationsnow.com/tag/work-life-balance/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoThe Career Moves Every Association Leader Needs Right NowSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/the-career-moves-every-association-leader-needs-right-now/) - [VideoNCRA: Safeguarding Cancer Surveillance: An Advocacy Response to FY26 Budget ThreatsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/ncra-safeguarding-cancer-surveillance-an-advocacy-response-to-fy26-budget-threats/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) - [TemplateMembers onlyMember Onboarding ToolkitNovember 5, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/11/05/member-onboarding-toolkit/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2020%2F01%2F27%2Fhaving-trouble-planning-a-vacation-use-this-tool%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !