Is it true most Europeans use their holidays to relax, visit family or travel within Europe? Why don't most spend it yearly on intercontinental travel like going to Seychelles, Mexico, Chile, Taiwan, etc? Or they can’t afford it?

Many europeans have a great deal of holiday. I for example have 6 weeks plus 4 days bonus for child care. I am by no means unique. Hell I have a bunch of extra leave I COULD take as parental leave, but it’d consitute a minor drop in income as it is only partially paid so I’d rather not..

Thus most people do both some kind of low cost relaxing holiday, and a travel based, somewhat more expensive holiday. Maybe a week of skiing too (in Europe, because snow is similar most places :-)

I normally visit my parents or other relatives a few weeks, spend a week working on my house etc.

I also normally travel to somewhere further away for an actual “see something new” holiday.

Now often the latter is within Europe, because Europe is remarkably varied and interesting to see. Greece is not at all like Norway and the British Isles are quite different from both. If I go in Europe I can spend a week seeing urban Germany, pop to the Austian alps for the other week a month later, and finally spend a week in late fall in sunny southern spain without spending all my time off on a plane. Or I mean I could were I not a teacher, damn fixed holidays. But most other people can. If I go to Asia or the America’s I’d probably have to do it all in one big go.