What “National Holidays” Say About a Country: It’s Not Just Economics

• July 16, 2025
• Jesandy
• no comments

In 2024, Indonesia will have 27 days off: a combination of national holidays and collective leave (cuti bersama). That’s nearly a full month of the calendar when the country slows down.

But these dates are more than just opportunities for rest. They reveal something deeper.

What do national holidays say about a country? About its values, its people, and the trade-offs it’s willing to make?

This isn’t just an economic question. It’s also about culture, identity, and how a nation sees itself.

#1 Global Snapshot: National Holidays Around the World

Let’s start with a quick comparison. Countries with the most public holidays:

• Nepal: 35 days
• Myanmar: 30 days
• Iran: 26 days
• India: 21+ (varies by region)
• Indonesia: 27 days (2024)

And those with the fewest:

• Mexico: 7 days
• United Kingdom: 8 days
• Netherlands: 9 days
• Germany: 9–13 days (depending on the region)
• United States: 10 days

Sources Wikipedia

Notes: As of 2019, Vietnam increased its public holidays from 8 to 10 days with the addition of the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day (see more)

At first glance, you might assume fewer holidays equal higher productivity and income. But as we’ll see, it’s more complicated than that.

#2 Indonesia’s Expanding Holiday Calendar

Indonesia’s calendar has evolved significantly.

In 2005, workers enjoyed around 17 national days off. Fast forward to 2024, and that number has grown to 27, thanks to the increasing use of cuti bersama.

• 2005 Reference: Based on archival data and standard holiday decrees (KemenPAN-RB)
• 2024 List: Official release by Kemenko PMK

This expansion isn’t just bureaucratic, it’s cultural. It reflects how the government balances religious observance, family values, and economic stimulation.

#3 Does More Holiday Mean Less Productivity?

It’s tempting to conclude: more holidays = lower productivity. But unfortunately not always: productivity isn’t just about hours worked, it’s about output per hour.

For example, Germany has fewer holidays but ranks among the most productive nations per hour worked. Japan also limits holidays but maintains tight operational efficiency and export output. Meanwhile, South Korea, which historically had longer work hours, has shifted in recent years to reduce burnout: proving that long hours aren’t always sustainable.

On the other hand, Indonesia works more total hours annually than many OECD countries (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) but still struggles with low productivity per hour.

According to the OECD, high-income countries like Germany or the U.S. produce between US $60–100/hour worked. By contrast, Indonesia’s labor productivity stands at only about US $14/hour (link).

What does that mean annually? Indonesia’s GDP per worker in 2023 was about US $26,328, the lowest among major Southeast Asian economies.

So the bigger question becomes: what happens during those working hours? How much value is created and how effectively is time managed?

“Maybe the real question isn’t how many holidays we have, but how we work when we’re not on holiday.”

#4 National Holidays as a Clue to National Identity

Indonesia’s holiday list is a reflection of its pluralistic society. It includes Islamic holidays like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, Christian holidays like Christmas and Good Friday, Hindu celebrations such as Nyepi, and Buddhist observances like Vesak. This variety is not common in most countries.

Compare this to Japan, where holidays center around historical and cultural observances with minimal religious influence. In Saudi Arabia, the holiday calendar is exclusively Islamic. France has secular public holidays but most are rooted in Catholic tradition. In India, the holiday structure is diverse, but many are regional or state-specific.

Indonesia stands out because it officially honors holidays from multiple major religions at a national level. This is a direct reflection of its founding philosophy: Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity). While our people may differ in belief and heritage, the national calendar affirms a shared identity that embraces difference.

#5 Business & Labor Realities: The Factory That Stopped Moving

While holidays are celebrated by many workers, for businesses, particularly those with tight production cycles, they can be challenging. Manufacturing lines go quiet. Logistics networks slow down. And sectors that rely on daily operations, such as export-oriented factories or retail, experience interruptions.

Imagine a mid-sized factory producing IDR 500 million worth of goods daily. Over 10 additional holidays, that’s IDR 5 billion in output not realized, even though rent, utilities, security, and administrative salaries continue to be paid. While some sectors can absorb this with flexible planning, others find it difficult to scale or compete internationally when frequent halts reduce momentum.

For labor-intensive industries, especially those dependent on physical presence and machinery, holidays are more than red dates: they’re pauses with cost implications.

#6 Tourism Dilemma: Cuti Bersama That Drives Outbound Travel

When cuti bersama was introduced, the intention was to boost domestic tourism, giving families extended time to travel within Indonesia. Regions with emerging tourism economies, like Labuan Bajo, Belitung, Toba or Toraja, hoped to benefit from this.

However, data from travel platforms and airport traffic reports suggest that longer holidays also encourage outbound tourism. Middle-class Indonesians are increasingly choosing to spend their holidays abroad, for example flying to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Japan or even China. The convenience, perceived value-for-money, and allure of international shopping or theme parks often outweigh domestic options.

While local tourism still sees a spike, especially during Lebaran, the outbound trend suggests that prolonged national holidays can unintentionally redirect consumer spending away from the domestic economy.

The number and nature of holidays offer a glimpse into a nation’s heartbeat, not just how it works, but what it values. Some countries maintain minimal holidays to align with a high-efficiency model. Others spread their holidays across religious and historical milestones, aiming to be inclusive.

For Indonesia, holidays reflect a deliberate choice to accommodate spiritual traditions, family values, and social balance. But the extended days off come with trade-offs in productivity, competitiveness, and economic leakage. Managing that balance between cultural identity and economic performance is actually the ongoing challenge.

National holidays are more than red dates on a calendar. They are reflections of what we choose to celebrate, pause for, and invest in. From factories to families, from airports to prayer halls, each holiday shapes how we as a nation move, spend, rest, and connect.