It’s nearly time for summer vacations, and this year, employees are likely to actually take them.

Workers, feeling more confident about their job status as the pace of downsizing has slowed in 2010, could be more willing to use additional paid leave this summer, boosting consumer spending at tourist destinations and fueling hiring among hotels, restaurants, shops and amusement parks, according to global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

“Where we will see the change this year is among the employed who, despite their job status, were hesitant to take paid leave during the recession for fear that it would further erode their already fragile job security,” said John Challenger, the company’s CEO, in a release. “This year, while employers have been slow to ramp up hiring, they have clearly shifted from a strategy focused on downsizing to one emphasizing retention. In this environment, it is much easier to put in for vacation days.”

Challenger said that last summer, workers were in job-protection mode and in some cases had large increases in workloads as staffs were asked to do more with less.

He said that although the threat of downsizing hasn’t disappeared, some employers might actually encourage their workers to use vacation time to decompress.

“The temporary and very mild impact on workplace productivity caused by vacationing staff is more than offset by a rested work force that is likely to be more productive over the long term and probably more loyal, as well,” Challenger said.

Improving job stability and declining gas prices is leading to an increase in travel plans in comparison with 2009, according to a survey by AAA. According to the survey, 32.1 million Americans will take trips over Memorial Day weekend, up 5.4 percent from last year.