Spain's self‑employed skip summer holidays, one‑third forego vacations

A survey by the Federación Nacional de Asociaciones de Trabajadores Autónomos (ATA) shows that 34.4% of Spanish self‑employed workers will not take any time off in July‑August, and 23% will not have any vacation at all in 2026. Economic pressure and the inability to delegate business duties drive 80.8% of those who avoid holidays, with 41.3% needing to manage the business themselves and 39.5% lacking the funds to close temporarily.

Only 46.2% plan to vacation in the summer, while 11.4% intend to take breaks at other times. The summer period remains the busiest for many sectors, prompting 14.4% to stay open despite the personal cost. Health concerns are evident: 19.1% of self‑employed respondents have gone three years or more without a vacation, and 32.9% have worked continuously for over 365 days. Moreover, 63.1% say they cannot fully disconnect from work even while on holiday.