Eurostat estimates that as many as 28.3 percent of the EU population aged 16 or over could not afford a one-week annual holiday away from home in 2018, whereas in Croatia that number was put as high as 51.3 percent.

In 2013 the corresponding proportion was 39.5 percent, Eurostat reported on Wednesday.

With 51.3 percent, Croatia is second to last among the 28 member states, with Romania in last place, where 58.9 percent of the population cannot afford a one-week annual holiday.

By contrast, the EU member states with the lowest percentage of people unable to afford a one week annual holiday in 2018 were Luxembourg (10.9 percent, 2017 data) and Sweden (9.7 percent).