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Crowd of people atop a ski mountain at Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Americans are notorious for wasting millions of vacation days! Use your vacation days!
Raise your hand if you lost or rolled over PTO days in 2020. Even in non-pandemic years, Americans are notorious for wasting millions of vacation days annually. In 2020, workers left an average of 33% of their paid time off on the table according to data from the U.S. Travel Association.
Over the last year, many Americans and travelers worldwide had to cancel trips and put their vacation plans on pause. Losing much-needed travel inspiration not only takes a toll on mental health, but keeps people tethered to their desks for longer periods of time with no vacation in sight. This year, hope for trip planning is on the horizon with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tuesday, January 26 is National Plan for Vacation Day, a day celebrated annually to encourage Americans to plan their time off. It helps highlight the importance of taking time off to travel both for personal health and wellbeing and for our nation’s economic health. Visit Colorado Springs is joining the initiative to encourage hopeful travelers across the nation to plan out their PTO days.
“Visit Colorado Springs is proud to be celebrating National Plan for Vacation Day,” said Doug Price, President & CEO of Visit COS. “Each year, we hold a staff event to encourage our team to plan their vacation days. This year it’s even more special – we could all use travel inspiration after staying put much of the last year.”
Travel is predicted to return at steadier rates in the second half of 2021, so it’s a great time for people to get inspired by travel once again and start planning for much-needed time off. Even for those taking staycations or smaller road trips, planning days into the calendar at the beginning of the year makes it much more likely the trip will actually happen.
Now’s the time to browse Instagram and Pinterest, start reading your favorite travel blogs again and let trip planning begin!
We’ve partnered with Colorado Springs to describe why
Here are some ideas for those looking to explore the Pikes Peak Region in 2021.
- Fly in and out of the Colorado Springs Airport. COS is known for its convenience and neighborhood feel with fewer crowds, short walks and easy parking. Starting March 11, 2021, Southwest Airlines joins the lineup of airlines servicing COS.
- Conquer Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain with all-new experiences in 2021. Hike, bike, drive or take The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway up to the 14,115 ft. summit. The Cog Railway is reopening for visitors in May 2021. Grab a donut at the new Summit Visitor Center atop the peak, opening in early summer.
- Visit the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, ranked #1 Best New Attraction in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The USOPM is one of the most accessible and interactive museums in the world.
- Take the family to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and enjoy the hippos and penguins at the new Water’s Edge: Africa exhibit. Don’t forget to head to the giraffe habitat to feed them a tasty snack.
- Find adventure in our wide-open spaces on one of the region’s many trails and parks. There are so many miles of trails to explore in the area that it’s easy to spread out and avoid crowds while enjoying time outdoors.
- Book a stay at new downtown hotel, Kinship Landing. Kinship Landing is a friendly, boutique hotel in downtown Colorado Springs that brings travelers and locals together around city and outdoor exploration.
No matter what destination is on the horizon for your next trip, planning is key. Instead of letting your 2021 vacation days go to waste, challenge yourself to plan out a staycation, road trip or vacation that will give you the R&R you deserve after a tough year.
This piece was written in partnership with Visit Colorado Springs