After Pandemia, the tourism industry has already returned to balance, but customers' expectations are not the same. According to the report “Tourism 2030: New needs and expectations of travel agencies clients, prepared by the ARC Rynek and Opinion Agency together with Europe insurance, Poles travel willingly, but they become more demanding. Although when choosing trips we are still guided by the price, we want offers more matched and available online. Positive news is also paying more attention to security, especially provided by tourist policies.
Short family trips around Poland dominate
ARC Rynek i Opinion in cooperation with TU Europe shows that Nearly half of the Polish and Poles surveyed (49%) use short trips 3 times a year and moreand Poland is the dominant direction. 46% of respondents declare longer travel at least once a year, but respondents indicated both the country and abroad here.
As for the forms of traveling, 48% of Poles leave with their family, although traveling travel (several places during one journey) and short trips to cities (so -called Citybreak) are also popular. ALL-INCLUSIVE holidays are selected by 37% of respondents, and 1/4 focuses on active rest organized on their own.
When planning a trip up to Half of the respondents declare using the reservation pages (Booking, Airbnb), and 40% are guided by the recommendations of friends and websites/travel agencies applications. Social media also has a big role in organizing trips, and 11% of respondents use AI tools.
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The most important price, but also convenience and safety are also important
Over the past 3 years, as many as 53% of Poles have benefited from travel agencies; The dominant way of booking is the Internet, but 21% of respondents used mobile applications. When asked about the reasons, they indicated above all convenience and time saving – The organizer deals with transport, accommodation, etc., thanks to which the customer does not have to worry about it, and in addition, attractive All-Inclusive offers are available in travel agencies (43% answers). Two subsequent indications are also interesting: safety (proven, professional offers) and support for a travel agency in case of problems. Among the other reasons, the respondents mentioned, for example, the use of last minute offers, access to exotic directions or lack of experience in independent planning of the trip.
Factors that affect the selection of the tripthey are quite obvious: 66% of respondents pointed to the price and 63% of the direction of travel. The following were also important for the clients of travel agencies:
- Accommodation standard, hotel location, type of food,
- Transport safety,
- Care from the trip operator,
- Attractions during the trip,
- Opinions of others, flexibility of the offer.
Interest in exotic directions is growing
Unquestionable The leader of travel directions, to which the respondents intend to go over the next 5 years, is Mediterranean Europe (Italy, Greece, Spain, Croatia), which is declared by 56% of respondents. Poland and Western Europe also enjoys interest, but also Türkiye and the Middle East (37%, 27% and 26% response, respectively).
Less popular travel directions are, for example, Scandinavian countries such as Sweden or Norway, the Balkans, as well as Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam. About 20% of the indications concerned, among others, USA, Canada, Romania, Egypt, but there were also locations such as Australia, Brazil, South Africa or Peru.
The report shows that among Poles in the coming years there will be changes in travel planning. 26% of respondents declare that they will choose less popular countries more often to avoid crowds, and 25% intend to look for little tourist, less frequented places. The respondents indicate that they will pay attention to the flexibility of the reservation and use mobile applications and choose exotic travel directions.
Interestingly, 18% of people replied that they intend to plan their trip alone, but they prefer the ready -made offers. 9% of respondents when planning holidays declare the use of artificial intelligence.
Customers want tailored offers
Among the trends whose study participants expect from the tourism industry over the next 5 years, the increase in popularity of applications for automatic travel planning, personalization of offers, greater importance of ecological forms of tourism (including wellness) or the development of technology for virtual sightseeing when choosing the destination of travel. However, the expectations of customers from the tourist services market in 2025-2030 are more interesting. Here are the most important conclusions from this part of the study:
- 49% of respondents indicate as ideal offers tailored to their interests, traveling style and budgetin turn, for 32% of people, it is important to match the trip plan to current conditions,
- Every third respondent would like to simplify the reservation to one click in the mobile application,
- 21% of respondents indicate the desire to use AI help when creating a travel plan.
Most study participants expect investment travel agencies in new technologies and following trends such as online reservations, mobile applications and personalization of offers. 21% of respondents are of the opinion that travelers will more and more often organize trips, which will be a challenge for the tourism industry. Customers indicate that 3 areas where travel agencies should focus are attractive prices, flexibility and adaptation of the offer, as well as a wide selection of travel goals.
Insurance is an essential element of travel
Risk awareness among travelers is growing, and this is also reflected in insurance offers. As many as 79% of Poles decide to buy a tourist policy, of which 33% for each trip. Slightly less than half of the respondents choose travel insurance through comparison websites or at stationary travel agencies. Although the statistics are positive, experts participating in creating a report indicate that the sum insured is also important:
Many travelers still believe that the policy for a dozen or so zlotys, attached to the travel agency offer, is enough. Unfortunately, it often turns out that such protection only exists in theory. In practice, medical evacuation from the mountains or the island country, hospitalization in a private clinic or air transport to Poland can cost hundreds of thousands of zlotys. And these are not exceptions. One serious event can destroy many years of savings and change the exotic adventure into a drama. In order for the insurance to cover real costs in the event of a black scenario, it must be properly selected. Savings on the premium can hurt a lot when compensation – and where health or life is involved, you can't risk it. -comments Aleksandra Wysocka-Zańko, editor-in-chief of “Gazeta Insurance”.
According to the participants of the study, the most important elements of the policy are: treatment costs abroad and protection from the consequences of accidents (NNW).
In the future, customers expect insurance more and more often offered as an integral element of cruise packages (34%) and will be more flexible and personalized (31%). About 1/3 respondents would like to use insurance completely digitally, and this is a strong signal for the entire industry about the need for further digitization and simplification of the purchase process.
