Almost half of Greece’s population—and one in four families with children—cannot afford even a single week of holidays each year. According to official 2024 data from Eurostat, 46% of people aged 16 and over in Greece are unable to finance one week of annual leave away from home.
The figure places the country, internationally promoted as a premier tourist destination, in the second-worst position in the European Union in terms of citizens’ access to holidays. Only Romania records a higher rate of “holiday deprivation” at 58.6%, followed by Greece at 46% and Bulgaria at 41.4%.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, countries such as Luxembourg (8.9%), Sweden (11.6%) and Netherlands (13.0%) report very low shares of residents unable to afford a week’s holiday, underscoring a stark geographic and social divide within the Union.
Under European Union standards, the ability to afford one week of annual holiday is not considered a luxury but a recognized indicator of material and social deprivation. Time away with family or friends is regarded as a basic component of decent living conditions and mental well-being.
Across the EU, 27% of people aged 16 and over said in 2024 that they could not afford a week’s holiday away from home. Although this marks a decline of 1.5 percentage points compared with 2023 and a significant 10.6-point drop since 2014, it still represents more than 120 million individuals.
In Greece, the rate has stabilized at 46% after years fluctuating between 49% and 53%. While this signals statistical improvement compared with the depths of the economic crisis, the country remains well above the European average and consistently ranks among those most affected by what analysts describe as “holiday poverty.”
Families Under Strain
The picture becomes even more troubling when focusing on households with children. A specialized 2024 survey by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), examining living conditions for children up to 15 years old based on 2023 incomes, found that 26% of households with at least one child cannot afford to offer them a single week of holidays.
For households classified as poor—those with incomes at or below the poverty threshold—the proportion soars to 60.3%. Even among non-poor households, 16.5% report being unable to provide a week’s break for their children. Single-parent and large families are particularly exposed, with rates of holiday deprivation ranging between 50% and 60%, while roughly 40% of families with two children also face difficulties.
