Most Europeans, including Romanians, plan to go on their annual vacation in July or August, according to a study by a well-known digital bank.
Italy, Greece, Spain are among the favorite destinations of Europeans, including Romanians.
60% of Romanians indicated these months as preferred for the longest vacation of the year – 23% in July and 37% in August. And the neighbors to the south, the Bulgarians, largely prefer the same period (57% of respondents).
Practically, going on vacation in Europe in July, Romanians are likely to meet tourists from the Czech Republic, Slovakia (29% each) or Hungary (28%), while in August, they will cross paths with Croatians, Greeks or Portuguese (36% of responses each) or Poles (28%). However, there are also Europeans who prefer to spend the main holiday of the year when it is cooler – Germans (24%) prefer the period from April to June, as do Italians and Austrians (23%). Autumn is an option for the Swiss (26%), Germans (23%), Spanish (22%).
Top destinations in 2024
Now that we know when our compatriots will go on vacation, the key question is where will they go? At home or abroad? And which holiday destinations will be among the favorites in the 2024 season? Most Romanians plan their holidays abroad (50%), but not far behind are those who plan their holidays in the country (38%). Only 8% of Romanians do not plan a vacation this year, and 4% have not yet made a decision. The internal figures of Revolut, which is one of the favorite accounts of Romanians on holidays and trips, show us that in 2023, from May to August, over 600,000 Romanian Revolut users paid for tourism services in Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary , Italy, Germany.
What will be the top tourist destinations in 2024? In the Revolut Travel Report, most Romanians consider spending their summer vacation in Greece (11% of responses), Italy (8%), Turkey (5%) and Spain (4%). Outside Europe, Egypt is the preferred destination (1%). The competition for Romanian tourists' wallets is fierce, as you can see.
But where do Europeans go on holiday? 47% of those surveyed want to holiday in their own country (although the Swiss and Austrians are the least likely to stay local on holiday at 21% and 25% respectively) and 40% abroad (mainly in another European country – 34 %). Non-European destinations are the most tempting for the Swiss (14% of responses) and the Spanish (11%). Those who planned their holidays locally are mostly Croatians (72%) and Greeks (70%). Beautiful beaches, good cuisine, that's no surprise. Top destinations? Most Europeans plan to go on holiday abroad this year to Italy (5%), Greece (4%), Spain (4%), Croatia (3%) and France (2%). The main non-European destinations are the USA (1%), Egypt (1%) and Thailand (1%).
What does the dream vacation look like?
Now that we know where and when Romanians go on vacation, it is worth specifying what kind of vacation it should be: with relaxation or more activity or maybe at home (staycation) or combined with work (workation)? Three themes dominate Romanians' answers. They plan their vacations at the beach (50% of responses), want to spend this time with family (50%) and surrounded by nature (15%).
However, this is not the only recipe for a successful holiday. Almost every tenth person in Romania expects this year's holiday to be full of parties (12%), and some plan to have fun at music festivals (2%), such as Open'er, Tomorrowland or Sziget, whose strategic partner this year is Revolut.
At the antipode are tourists looking for peace and quiet (7%) or a solo trip (3%). Less common options are staycation (1%) and workation (1%). In other words, for Romanians, vacation is sacred and cannot be combined either with staying at home or with work. And, for 6% of local respondents, traveling is not their thing at all, they simply prefer the comfort of their own home.
The main holiday themes among Europeans are beach holidays (45%), family holidays (33%) and nature holidays (15%), the same as in Romania. Outside of the main holiday of the year, Europeans generally plan city breaks (12%), but the champions of weekend tourism are the Spanish (17%), the Czechs (16%) and the Austrians (15%).
There are also a few minorities who want to combine their holidays with a family event, such as a wedding (1%), or a sporting event, such as the Euros in Berlin and the Olympic Games in Paris (1%). Among the Europeans surveyed, the Hungarians (3%), the Portuguese (2%) and the Czechs (2%) are the most willing to attend music festivals, while the Swiss (2%), the Germans (1%) and the Portuguese (1%) are willing to participate in sports events.
In a tent or all inclusive?
A successful vacation depends above all on the attractions that the place offers us. Revolut asked Romanians what activities and experiences they value while traveling. Here are the popular answers.
On vacation, Romanians want to visit local monuments (47%), try local food and learn about local traditions (31%). When it comes to accommodation, the all-inclusive hotel with open bar and buffet is the preferred choice (42%). For Romanian tourists, activities for children that help parents enjoy a little peace on vacation (16%) and cultural events such as concerts, plays and visits to museums (21%) are also important. Attractions also include nightlife, parties in clubs and bars (8%) and local knowledge (8%). Some Romanians focus on health, beauty and spa (10%). They are less interested in practicing sports (4%) or vacationing in a tent or with a caravan (8%).
Among European countries, caravanning and camping are very popular in Lithuania. Every fourth Lithuanian (25%) plans this type of vacation. Sports holidays are popular among Austrians (17%), Swiss (13%) and Germans (11%). Greeks (20%) and Spaniards (15%) like nightlife. The convenience of all-inclusive hotels is preferred not only by Romanians, but also by Bulgarians (47%) and Italians (42%). Children's animations are important for Slovaks and Czechs (16% each), but above all others for Poles (18%). Culinary delights are a priority for Italians (54%) and Swiss (50%). Austrians (26%), Germans (23%) and Hungarians (22%) want to take care of their health and well-being during holidays. The sought-after travel experiences are diverse, as you can see, and the Activity scheduling and planning function in the Revolut app can help book and pay for them, also getting cashback on payment.
Regardless of where they choose to spend their holidays, Romanians can count on the lifestyle and tourism functions prepared by Revolut. From currency exchange directly in the app to an accommodation booking solution with Revolut Stays, access to airport lounges worldwide, travel insurance (depending on the type of plan held), eSIM for access to mobile data while roaming , Revolut provides users with dozens of tools and functions for their trips and vacations, but also for managing their own funds, day-to-day, in the same application.
