This year, 32% of Romanians intend to spend their holidays abroad, the most popular destinations being Greece, Italy and Spain. Most of them are attracted to unique and challenges to remove them from the comfort zone.
The most popular holiday destinations for Romanians are Greece, Italy and Spain. Photo archive
On average, Romanian tourists intend to stay almost 9 days abroad and give about 840 euros per person, the amount being spent especially for food, trips and souvenirs. Romanians traveling abroad prefer digital payments: over 80% pay with smart cards or devices, and one third of them prefer digital wallets, according to the results of the study “Travel and payment intentions 2025”.
Visa study, conducted in seven countries in Central and Eastern Europe (ECE), including Romania, shows that digital payments become a regular practice for Romanian tourists who spend their holidays abroad. Over 4 out of 5 Romanians choose to pay to the destination using the card, phone or smart clock, the number of those who prefer electronic payments being slightly increasing compared to last year. Digital wallets also gain more and more popularity, with an increase of 4% compared to the previous year, being the preferred method of payment abroad for 1 in 3 Romanians. For tourists in ECE, comfort (64%), speed (61%) and safety (55%) are the main advantages of card payments outside the country of origin.
“Our study shows that Romanians – either in the plan of planning a trip, or already on vacation abroad – prefer to pay using digital wallets, which can be used in the VISA global network and benefit from our advanced technologies. Tokenization gives them an additional level of security so they can pay peace and be able to enjoy the travel, no matter where and how they choose to pay”, Says Elena Ungureanu, Country Manager Visa in Romania.
Romanians spend responsibly
The Romanian tourists also demonstrate that they have a responsible financial behavior: over half of them carefully plan their expenses before leaving, and 1 in 2 monitors their budget during the holiday through the digital banking services they have. Of those who organize their budget in advance, 81% say that they have managed to fall into the initially established amounts. However, almost 16% admit that they adjust their expenses to keep up with those who accompany them on the trip, even if that means they exceed the planned budget.
Although Romanians are doing well in managing holiday budgets, the Visa study shows that there are some tools that could improve their experience. These include accounts or cards in multiple currencies with access to updated exchange courses, bank applications that allow real -time expenses and classifies them automatically, as well as special card cards. The development of personalized services in this regard is essential for attracting, involving and loyal customer.
Romanian consumers want banks to offer them solutions that improve their travel experience. Currently, the most used services are foreign exchange (46%), currency accounts (38%) and travel or debit cards (23%). At the same time, Romanians want banks to provide them with services such as more and more advantageous foreign exchange, but also higher discounts on air tickets and accommodation.
How to plan Romanians and what activities they prefer at the destination
Most Romanians organize their travel on their own, and 2 out of 5 choose holiday packages. In both situations, most prefer to purchase services through online channels and pay digital.
When planning their next holiday, Romanians are mainly based on friends and family tips (51%), but also on trust sources such as travel agencies (45%) and travel sites (42%). It is worth noting that 12% already use artificial intelligence for travel planning. As in the rest of Central and Eastern Europe, the AI begins discreetly to take the role of holiday consultant, a sign that tourist planning also goes through a digital transformation.
Visiting local attractions and museums, along with relaxation, rest and reading, is among the main travel objectives of Romanian tourists. Almost 2 out of 5 of them are considered “lovers of experiences”, in search of unique moments or adventures to get them out of the comfort zone.
A quarter of travelers are identified as “offers hunters”, always looking for the best prices and concerned about saving strategies. However, over 40% of Romanians say that, although they like discounts, they do not compromise when it comes to comfort, safety or food.
Although the hunt for offers and the desire to exploration are predominant, only 7% of Romanians are willing to post from popular locations. Interestingly, the percentage of those who choose their holiday destinations according to the trends on social networks is double, reaching 13%.
Challenges and concerns about traveling
Visa also analyzed the most frustrating problems related to travel for consumers in ECE. The main concerns include unexpected interruptions (delayed or canceled flights, lost luggage), excessive agglomeration from some tourist areas and fears about scams, pocket thieves and safety in general.
Although it is not a major concern at the regional level, 1 in 8 Romanian tourists recognizes that it was taken by surprise by the unavailability of payment methods abroad – when your favorite options were not available or were not operational in that country.
