Sourse: Večernji list, author: Radmila Kovačević
The report of the European Travel Commission (ETC) ranks our country in seventh position. 3% fewer Europeans are planning a trip than last year, and interest in southern Europe has fallen by as much as 8%.
Europeans have cooled off a bit from traveling compared to the mood at this time last year. Those who will travel are planning longer vacations and are willing to spend more, and Croatia is in their top ten spring-summer destinations, according to a new ETC survey conducted in March among 5,874 respondents from ten countries. Our country is in the top ten on the list of desired destinations for the summer of 2025, in seventh position, behind Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Austria and Germany, and ahead of Belgium, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
Longer stays and higher consumption
At the same time, Mediterranean destinations will share a smaller tourism pie this year than last year. Three percent fewer Europeans are planning to go on a tourist trip in the next five months than last year (72% in total). Interest in southern European destinations has fallen by as much as eight percent. Interestingly, interest in eastern Europe is growing, by three percent compared to last year. At the same time, 27 percent, and six percent more than last year, of Europeans plan to go on three or more trips by September. Around forty percent of them plan to afford a longer vacation, from at least seven to 12 nights, which is an increase of 11 percent. Travel budgets are also increasing, with seven percent more Europeans. Practically one in three plans to spend between 1,500 and 2,500 euros per trip this summer.
“The findings confirm the resilience of travel demand in Europe despite global uncertainties. The desire for longer stays and exploring lesser-known destinations is an opportunity for destinations and companies to better manage visitor flows. But also to expand the benefits of tourism beyond traditional hotspots,” said Miguel Sanz, President of ETC.
Otherwise, Southern and Mediterranean Europe remain the first choice for most. They are expected to attract 41 percent of European travelers in the coming months. However, confirming the growing popularity of alternative destinations, demand for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina increased by one percent. Big cities and popular seaside resorts continue to hold the primacy among more than 50 percent of travelers, while 35 percent choose to explore lesser-known locations. Interestingly, travelers who choose less popular destinations plan longer stays and are also willing to spend more. Their budget per trip exceeds 2,500 euros.
Climate is increasingly influential
At the same time, the decision on where and when to travel for vacation is increasingly influenced by awareness of climate change, which is also mentioned by seven percent more Europeans surveyed than last year (a total of 81 percent). This, of course, is also changing the travel habits of European citizens, so that 17 percent, for example, do not miss the weather forecast, 15 percent are looking for destinations with a mild climate, and 14 percent have completely crossed off destinations with potentially extreme heat on their travel wish lists, which is one of the explanations for the decline in interest in the Mediterranean. Incidentally, the greatest desire to travel is among the Poles and the British, where 80 and 79 percent of citizens intend to travel in the coming months. Interestingly, there are no Germans among the leaders, who are otherwise known as the world’s greatest travelers, and in March “only” 70 percent of them had travel plans.
