International HolidayCalendar 2010

This is the eighth edition of the International HolidayCalendar from Swiss Post International (SPI). It provides details of all public and school holidays across 20 European countries in 2010. It shows, for example, that Switzerland – with six of its nationwide public holidays falling on days other than a Sunday – will have the least number of work-free days in 2010, while Germany, Norway, Poland and Hungary occupy a middle ranking with 12 public holidays. In 2010, the Finns will be the first to begin their summer holidays, on 5 June, while the Italians and Portuguese will be the last to return from their summer break, on 12 September. Furthermore, the calendar will show precisely what percentage of the population benefits from these holidays. Planning your mailings in good time

For international mailing campaigns in particular, it is important to bear in mind public and school holidays, which can vary greatly from one country to the next, and plan your mailing schedule accordingly.

In the online version of the HolidayCalendar 2010, the holiday periods can be selected by country. It is possible to view several countries at once in order to identify the best time to dispatch your international mailings. For example, sending out a mailing in the first week of August is pointless as all 20 European countries have holidays that week.

Of particular interest to employees in Marketing and Sales is the fact that the calendar also includes the dates of the 56 most important direct marketing trade fairs and conferences.

The interactive Flash version of the International HolidayCalendar 2010 can be downloaded directly at www.swisspost.ch/holidaycalendar. The printed version, in the form of an easy- to-read wall planner, can be ordered free of charge from the same website.

Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher.