Aussies take fewer holidays than most 

Source: Getty

Australians may consider themselves a nation of beach lovers but they lag behind most other countries when it comes to taking a break.
  
Only the Japanese and Americans take fewer holidays than Aussies, a new survey has found.
  
The yearly survey, by online travel company Expedia, found 44% of Australians don't take all of their annual leave entitlements - up from 38% last year.
  
Its global Vacation Deprivation survey, released on Wednesday, found the economic crisis had significantly affected the travel plans of Australians in 2009.
  
Forty percent of people said their plans had changed as a result of the crisis.
  
Australian workers, who received on average 19 days of leave in the last year, left three days of their total annual leave entitlement unused.
  
This is behind only Japan, whose workers took just eight days, and the US, whose workers took 10 annual leave days in the past year.
  
"Europeans famously move to Australia in search of a better and more relaxed lifestyle, but in fact our Vacation Deprivation survey shows that they are likely to have more time to spend with family and friends in their home country," Expedia spokeswoman Louise Crompton said.
  
"People working in European countries all have and take substantially more holidays than Australian workers and as a nation we are more than twice as likely not to take all of our allocated holidays than those working in Great Britain."
  
France continues to be the world's most holiday-rich nation, receiving on average 38 days a year.
  
The French also take the most leave each year, leaving just two days of their total annual entitlement not taken.
  
Other European countries also fared well.
  
Those in Italy received 31 days (using 25 days), Spain 30 days (using 27 days) and Germany and Austria received 27 days (using 25 days and 23 days respectively).
  
The English are also holiday lovers receiving 26 days and with most working adults leaving no annual leave unused.
  
Closer to home, New Zealanders enjoy a more positive leave culture than Australians, being allocated on average 21 days of leave per year and using 18 of them.
  
"We believe people should recognise that holidays are an important part of maintaining a healthy work/life balance rather than viewing them as a luxury," Ms Crompton said.
  
"Findings by Tourism Australia reveal that rested employees improve workforce productivity, are more likely to be committed to the business and have better morale."