Did you know? Planning a vacation can substantially increase your happiness.¹ Think about it. Traveling, especially with the people you love, goes hand in hand with smiling as you explore a new or favorite destination together. Snapping silly selfies. Stuffing your face with local foods. Crossing that key experience off your bucket list. You're sharing something special with your favorite people, and that should be celebrated.

In a world where about 212 million vacation days get forfeited annually², people should think about prioritizing vacations in a safe way. From road tripping to choosing safe outdoor activities, there are plenty of vacation safety tips to follow to still indulge the travel bug and increase your happiness. We asked WorldMark owners in a 2020 poll how they felt about vacationing and searched the travel industry for additional stats. Here are some key takeaways.

1. Vacations are healthy.

If that's surprising, it shouldn't be. Nearly half of us feel that vacation helps reduce stress.³ Plus, there are several physical and mental benefits to traveling. Vacation strengthens personal and professional relationships.⁴ It improves mood and promotes brain health.⁵ And, it can even reduce the risk of a heart attack and other stress-related health risks.⁶ Not taking time to "recharge your batteries" can result in increased stress on the job and in your relationships, decreased productivity, and higher likelihood of deteriorating health.⁷

2. Timeshares are a safer option.

Nearly 80% of people say travel is the activity they missed the most in 2020.⁸ However, living through a pandemic means that safety has jumped up to the top of everyone's priority list. Fortunately for you, timeshare is one of the safest ways to still travel — owners feel timeshare vacations are safer than hotels, theme parks, and casinos.⁹ Why? Space, kitchens, and room to distance. In fact, 7 out of 10 owners say they would feel safe vacationing at their timeshare.¹⁰ All of your WorldMark resorts are taking your health seriously, adhering to the highest standards of cleaning and safety procedures as a part of the Vacation Ready program. 85% of owners who recently stayed at their timeshare agreed their resort took health and safety seriously as it relates to COVID-19.¹¹ So you can stay and play with peace of mind.

3. Outdoor activities are trending.

With the borders restricted, people are focusing on exploring every corner of their own country. In fact, 86% of Americans say they have not seen enough of the U.S.¹² And as one of the safest activities on vacation, outdoor experiences are understandably trending — whether it's beach-, mountain-, or national park-based. Road trips are picking up speed as more national and state parks reopen.¹³ And according to WorldMark owners, 70% of owners say their next vacation will be at the beach.¹⁴ Mountain getaways are the second-most desired vacation.¹⁵

Now you know, vacations are important now more than ever. So start thinking about getting your next trip on the books. Get familiar with Vacation Ready resort safety initiatives, pick a resort near your favorite outdoor activity, review safety tips for added peace of mind, and get going.

Sources:

¹ Cornell University, SagePub.com
Amit Kumar, Matthew A. Killingsworth, Thomas Gilovich, "Waiting for Merlot: Anticipatory Consumption of Experiential and Material Purchases" (Aug. 21, 2014)
² ARDA January 2019
³ AmEx Consumer Travels Trend, AmericanExpress.com
Author unknown, "Amex Trendex: Consumers Prioritize Remote Learning and Work from Home Upgrades this Back to School Season While Dreaming of Future Travel," (Aug.13, 2020)
⁴ ARDA January 2019
⁵ ARDA January 2019
⁶ ARDA January 2019
⁷ ARDA January 2019
⁸ AmEx Consumer Travels Trend, AmericanExpress.com
Author unknown, "Amex Trendex: Consumers Prioritize Remote Learning and Work from Home Upgrades this Back to School Season While Dreaming of Future Travel," (Aug.13, 2020)
⁹ Pulse Survey August 2020
¹⁰ Owner Pulse, August 2020
¹¹ Post Resort Stay Survey
¹² ARDA January 2019
¹³ Wall Street Journal, WSJ.com
Barbara Peterson and Deborah Dunn, "Is It Safe to Travel Again? Your Coronavirus Questions Answered," (Oct. 20, 2020)
¹⁴ Pulse Survey August 2020
¹⁵ Pulse Survey August 2020