Operation Vacation: 50 Ways to Use All of Your Vacation Days This Year

America has a vacation problem. Or a not-taking-vacation problem, to be more precise.

Last year, 54 percent of U.S. workers left an astounding 662 million vacation days unused, according to The State of American Vacation study from Project: Time Off. The reason why all of those days were left on the table? “American workers hold fast to the belief that the path to career success requires sacrificing vacation and embracing work martyrdom,” according to the report, which also suggests that if those workers used just one more day off, it would drive $33 billion in economic impact.

In response, Travel + Leisure has launched Operation Vacation, making it our mission to encourage everyone to use their much-needed vacation days to get away and recharge. As incentive, we're offering more than 50 exclusive deals on flights, hotels, cruises, vacation packages, and more to help your budget go a lot further.

Operation Vacation offers always include discounts of at least 20 percent off published rates. The editor-curated list is updated regularly, so sign up for T+L’s Deals newsletter and be the first to know when new offers have been added.

Some of the exclusive deals currently available include:

• 8-day tour of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley for $1,989 per person
• 40 percent off luxury cruises from Cunard
• 2-for-1 deal on 7-night sailings in the Caribbean on MSC Cruises
• Save 37 percent on bookings at two Four Seasons resorts in Bali
• 6-night culinary tour of Switzerland for $2,295
• Four nights at a private game reserve in South Africa for $1,715 per person
• 5-day Galapagos cruise for $2,523 per person
• Book a villa in Wailea, Maui for only $849 per night
• 61 percent off sailings in Asia with Windstar Cruises
• 6-day tour of Cambodia for $627 per person

The Project: Time Off study found that only 23 percent of workers who went without a vacation last year were promoted, meaning that limiting your time off won't help you get ahead. Leaving behind unused vacation days isn’t just bad for your mental health, it’s also bad for your career.

So how can you be certain to use all of your vacation days this year? The answer is simple: Start planning early. The sooner you start doing your research, the better deals you’ll find. To see all of the Operation Vacation deals, visit travelandleisure.com/operation-vacation.

Join our movement and spread the word. Tell your friends about your next trip by using the hashtag #OperationVacation. With nearly half of the calendar year gone already, the time to book your next hard-earned getaway is now.