CEE consumers during foreign holiday trips – budget conscious and tech savvy, says Visa study

03 June 2025 – 40% of consumers from Central and Eastern Europe intend to spend upcoming holidays abroad, with Italy being the most popular destination. As the Visa CEE Travel and Payment Intentions Study 2025[1]shows they excel at managing finances during foreign trips while embracing digital tools along the way. A solid 84% say their on-the-ground expenses align with what they originally planned, and over 1 in 4 opts for digital wallets when paying abroad. Thus, tech is becoming more than just a convenience – it's a key ally in staying financially on track, even miles from home. The study shows also that consumers expect banks to provide solutions that improve their travel experience, and they are willing to pay for them.

The latest Visa study that covered seven CEE countries indicates both the general as well as very specific attitudes of the region's residents toward travel. It turns out that tourists from the region are approaching this year’s holidays in a variety of ways, with over two-fifths identifying as experience seekers – prioritizing discoveries and stepping out of their comfort zone. Other 1/5 find just as much joy in the journey before the journey, proudly taking the lead as trip planners, ensuring everything runs smoothly. 18% of travelers are also deal hunters, who keep looking for good deals and tricks to avoid overpaying. At the same time, over 1 in 3 CEE inhabitants admit they love good deals but won't compromise on comfort, safety or food.

And what are their expenditure plans? CEE travelers intend to spend around EUR 850 on average per person for foreign trip, with Poles leading the list with slightly over EUR 1,000 budgets. While 16% of all respondents from the region admit that they adjust spending to match travel companions – even if it means exceeding their budget, nearly half plan expenditures carefully before departure. This discipline continues abroad, with every second tourist tracking spending via digital banking. The result? Of the CEE travelers who plan their spending in advance, an impressive 84% balance vacation enjoyment with financial responsibility and say their actual expenses at the destination match pre-planned budgets.

Visa's study also shows that consumers from Central and Eastern Europe expect banks to provide solutions improving their travel experience, and they are willing to pay for them. Currently, among these they mostly use are currency exchange services (31%), foreign currency accounts (26%), and travel insurance linked to their payment card (21%). At the same time, they would like their bank to offer services such as greater discounts on airline tickets and hotels as well as loyalty programs related to travel.

– We are experiencing an exciting period of transformation due to rapid advancements in technology and changing consumer preferences. Our survey indicates that people from CEE are keen to use bank ancillary services related to travel and on average are willing to pay EUR 1,9 per month for them, with 14% pointing more than EUR 4. This shows how important it is to monitor their needs on an ongoing basis in order to keep them satisfied and facilitate both their daily life and holiday escapades. Therefore, in addition to bringing travelers a more seamless, more secure and convenient payment experience both daily and during holidays, Visa cooperates with banks to provide customers with specialized travel-focused products and services, offering support and benefits throughout both domestic and international journeys. These include discounts or more flexible spending control, says Jakub Kiwior Regional Managing Director, CEE, Visa.

Digital like a CEE tourist

Visa study reveal that digital payments are becoming commonplace both at home and during foreign trips as over 4/5 of CEE tourists from the region will pay by card, smartphone or smartwatch at the destination (+ 2,5% year on year[2]). Mobile wallets show particularly impressive growth, with usage surging 12% year on year[3]and over one-fourth of consumers choosing this payment method as their preferred one while traveling abroad. With Visa credentials, faster and more secure payments are available in 150+ million merchant locations across 200+ countries and territories, in more than 180 currencies. Also these matters are highlighted by CEE travelers – pointing most often to convenience (64%), speed (61%) and safety (55%) as benefits of paying by card abroad.

People from the region may already be skilled at keeping their holiday budgets in check, but Visa’s survey reveals a few tools they believe could make the process even better. And besides banking app showing real-time spending with automatic categorization, and a price comparison engine for travel services, these are: multi-currency account/card with access to current exchange rates, special travel card or an ability to set spending limits for a specific period of time and push notifications concerning the account status. Therefore, development of personalized services in this area is crucial in attracting, engaging and retaining customers.

On average, we plan to rest for over 8 days abroad

40% of CEE inhabitants are planning foreign holiday this season, and they will be headed mostly to Italy, Greece and Spain. The majority will organise trips independently, with 2 in 5 consumers opting for package holidays. In both cases, they are most likely to choose online channels to purchase given services and decide to pay digitally. Planning and booking on one’s own is particularly popular among Hungary and Bulgaria residents.

– Our study points out that tourists from CEE – whether at the stage of planning a trip or when holidaying abroad – eagerly choose to pay through mobile wallets, which are underpinned by Visa’s systems and technologies. Key technology here is called tokenisation and it provides an additional layer of security, so travelers can enjoy some peace of mind when making payments, adds Jakub Kiwor.

Besides general plans, Visa also explored CEE consumers’ views on the most frustrating travel-related issues. It turns out that the top ones included: unexpected trip disruptions – flight delays cancellations lost luggage, overcrowded tourist spots or worrying about scams pickpockets and general safety. And while it might not make the regional top three, 1 in 8 travelers admits to being caught off guard by unavailable payment methods abroad – when their go-to methods simply don’t occur or work the way they do at home.

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