By Elinor Gittins for Expatica - Only four out of 10 expats plan to go home during the holiday season according to a survey of Expatica readers by Bupa international.

Around seven out of every 10 expats surveyed are not intending to move away from their current country of residence within the next 12 months, and more than half think the economic situation in their host country is better than in their country of origin.

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Spending less
Sneh Khemka, medical director of Bupa International, said: “There is no doubt that the economic downturn is affecting expats all over the world. Our survey shows that 56 percent of expats are cutting back on spending due to the credit crunch, which may be why so many of them aren’t planning to spend the holiday season with family and friends.”

Predictions about when the economic downturn will end in their country of residence varied. Of the respondents, 67 percent said that it will take up to two years, nine percent said it will be around two to three years and 13 percent didn’t know.

Christmas in Amsterdam (Photo: RNW/Fred Vloo)