Pity the Yanks - they already get fewer days off than the rest of us and a new survey reveals they are still spending much of their meagre holidays working.

A survey of 1,500 people for the Travel Industry Association found 24 per cent of respondents pack their laptops when they go on holiday.

A sad nine per cent take laptops on holiday because they feel they have to be in touch with the office. Even more disturbing - 10 per cent do so because they like to stay in touch with the office.

Some 18 per cent use the internet while away to stay in touch with family and friends.

A separate survey carried out last month found 43 per cent of US office workers saying they work on vacation - double the number who said the same in 1995. One in four staff work for more than three hours a day while on holiday.

The average US citizen gets 13 days off a year, compared to 42 for Italians.

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