More than a quarter of people aged 16 and over in the European Union were unable to afford a week-long holiday away from home in 2025, according to new figures.

Eurostat data show that 27.5% of the EU population could not afford an annual week away, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 2024.

Despite the slight rise over the past year, the proportion has fallen significantly over the longer term. In 2015, 35.2% of people in the EU could not afford a week-long holiday, meaning the rate has dropped by 7.7 percentage points over the past decade.

Romania recorded the highest share of people unable to afford a week away, at 61.4%, followed by Greece at 46.6%.

Bulgaria and Hungary both recorded rates of 39.1%, placing them among the EU countries where holiday affordability remains the most limited.

At the other end of the scale, Luxembourg had the lowest proportion, with 10.6% of people unable to afford a week-long holiday. Sweden followed at 12.4%, while the Netherlands recorded 12.8%.

The figures highlight significant differences in the ability of Europeans to afford time away from home, with people in several eastern and southern European countries facing substantially greater financial constraints than those in wealthier western and northern EU member states.