Central Europeans are not waiting for EU enlargement to take their holidays in the rest of the European Union. Confined behind the Iron Curtain for thirty years, these 'New Europeans' are spending their vacations in their millions in the great capitals of Western Europe or on the beaches of the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas.

Some 4.4m Poles or 14% of the population above 15 years of age holidayed abroad in 2002. Likewise 1 Czech in five did so in 2001, their preferred destination being Croatia. Hungarians also favour the Croatian coast alongside their own Lake Balaton, itself one of the most popular destinations in Europe and now evenly costlier than the Adriatic.

Means of travel are also changing, as long, painful coach journeys are increasingly a thing of the past as more and more families travel by private car. However the large majority prefer to fly: Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks and Poles are flocking in great numbers to the Canaries, Balearics, Egypt and Tunisia by charter flight.

And it is only the beginning. All the big operators in the tourist industry have taken note - the enlargement countries constitute an important and growing market. With EU enlargement in 2004, citizens of 'New Europe' will be able to travel unrestricted throughout the EU, which could provide a big boost to tourism. Steadily over the past few years, all the big tourist groups like Thomas Cook, TUI or Neckermann have set up operations in the region.

Romanians and Bulgarians on the bus for a bit longer
On the minus side, the new tourists are not the biggest spenders in town. On average, most have a budget of between €500 and €1,000 for a short stay holiday. But the statistics are clear on one thing, there being a clear relationship between a country's GDP growth and the disposal income of their tourists. Seeing as growth is positive in most candidate countries, one can expect an increase in the number of Central and Eastern Europeans tourists in the coming years.

On the other hand, in Bulgaria and Romania, the poorest EU candidate countries, coach tours are still the only way to travel.

Anthony Smith
November 2003