Forget the binary between budget and paid leave; this discussion about trip duration is too simple.
The duration of a low season stay is not solely dictated by one or the other, but rather by a complex dance between unexpected opportunities and local logistical realities.
In Japan, for example, shorter stays are often taken not due to lack of funds or time, but because seasonal events or festivals have very specific windows.
You don't stay three weeks to see cherry blossoms if the peak lasts only a few days, regardless of your vacation or money; it's the nature of the attraction that dictates the duration, not just finances or employer rules.