During the Christmas and New Year period, Poles go mainly to southern Europe, as well as to Africa and Asia – according to data provided by companies from the tourism industry. According to companies, some compatriots have been eager to spend Christmas outside Poland for years.
As Deniz Rymkiewicz from eSky.pl told PAP, around Christmas, Poles are most likely to go to countries offering sunny weather. He said that – according to the company's data – 52 percent. all those booking a trip in the second half of December this year. chose for at least five days Malta15 percent decided to go to Spain (including the Canary Islands), and 14 percent down Portugal. They took further places Cyprus (12 percent), Morocco (4%) i United Arab Emirates (3%).
– It is worth remembering that around Christmas, some people also go on a city break, mainly to the largest European cities, to visit one of the popular Christmas markets abroad, combining sightseeing with Christmas traditions – added Rymkiewicz.
He explained that in the case of stays lasting up to four days in the second half of December this year, 59 percent people go to Rome. Another 13 percent tourists go to Paris, and 8 percent to Vienna. The next places were taken by Copenhagen and Budapest (6% each), London (5%) and Prague (3%).
Christmas outside Poland
Rymkiewicz also said that in recent years the percentage of people deciding to spend Christmas outside Poland has been increasing. He added that booking data shows that in the period from the end of November to the beginning of January there is a growing interest in traveling to southern Europe. – These destinations are desirable primarily due to lower prices outside the season and smaller crowds in seaside towns – informed the representative of eSky.pl.
– Among the warm destinations that Poles choose for the Christmas period, one of the most affordable this year is Malta – we booked flight and hotel package deals from PLN 1.3 thousand. PLN per person. We bought a trip to the Canary Islands in Spain from PLN 1.8 thousand. PLN for a dynamic package for one person – Rymkiewicz also informed. He added that in the case of Cyprus, prices start from approximately PLN 1.7 thousand. PLN per person.
In the case of 3-4 day trips to Rome, Poles paid from PLN 550 per person for a package with flight and hotel. Prices for a trip to Vienna started from PLN 950 for one person, and to Paris from PLN 980 per person. In the case of short trips to Prague, Copenhagen, Budapest and London, the prices were PLN 700, PLN 720, PLN 800 and PLN 1,000 per person, respectively.
Egypt, Emirates, Spain
Wakacje.pl data shows that in the period from December 20, 2024 to January 5, 2025, the majority of travel agency clients go to Egyptwhich ranks first in sales statistics for this period – Marzena Buczkowska-German from Wakacje.pl told PAP. She added that the next places were taken by the UAE, Spain, Dominican RepublicMalta, Thailand, TanzaniaTürkiye, Cyprus and Oman.
Buczkowska-German explained that when traveling to Egypt, customers decide to travel to resorts located around the cities of Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm el Sheikh. She added that in this country, customers choose resorts offering all inclusive. When traveling to the UAE, Polish tourists mainly choose Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah in the north-eastern part of the country.
She added that the demand during this year's Christmas and New Year period is “exceptionally high”. – This is partly related to the favorable arrangement of holidays in the calendar (…), but also to changing trends. Let's remember that the holidays are primarily about spending time with loved ones, but not necessarily at home. As interest in multi-generational travel grows, it is easier to decide to go abroad for the holidays, said Buczkowska-German.
She also reported that 68 percent of customers who go on a trip during the Christmas and New Year period bought a week-long trip, 17.3 percent decided to travel for 8 to 13 days, and 11.7 percent from 1 to 6 days. The representative of Wakacje.pl also informed that the average price of a trip to Egypt in the period in question is approximately PLN 7.6 thousand. PLN for two adults, PLN 10.8 thousand PLN for traveling with one child and PLN 13.6 thousand PLN with two children.
For the UAE, these amounts are: approximately PLN 12,500. PLN 16.7 thousand PLN and 21.8 thousand PLN, and in the case of Spain, respectively: approx. 10.4 thousand. PLN 12.5 thousand PLN and 15.7 thousand zloty.
“More and more customers choose to travel during the holidays”
The list of the most popular travel destinations during the Christmas and New Year period looks slightly different in the case of the Itaka travel agency. According to the company, the most popular locations include Thailand, Oman, Nosy Be in Madagascar, Zanzibar, Kenya and the Dominican Republic. Egypt and the Canary Islands, as well as the Malaysian island of Langkawi, are also very popular. This year, ski trips to Cappadocia, Turkey, sold out “exceptionally quickly.”
– First of all, it is a quantitative increase, every year more and more customers choose to travel during the holidays, a few years ago this trend concerned New Year's Eve. The biggest increases are recorded for exotic trips, and sales of closer warm countries, such as the Canary Islands or Egypt, are also growing. High-class hotels are the most popular, which is also a trend that deepens every year – wrote Itaka in a comment.
She also said that prices for trips to destinations such as Egypt or the Canary Islands start from approximately PLN 2,500. PLN per person. In the case of trips to exotic destinations, the cost – as reported by the company – is over PLN 5,000. PLN per person. Itaka added that weekly trips prevail during the holiday season.
“The most visible change”
Member of the management board and commercial director of the Enter Air airline, Andrzej Kobielski, pointed out that for several seasons, the following have been popular among Polish tourists: trips to Dubai, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania and the Canary Islands.
He added that Poles most often decide to go on longer trips during the holiday season.
– The most visible change compared to previous years is the much earlier filling of planes on the most popular dates. The information we receive from the tour operators we cooperate with shows that for several weeks there have been shortages of places for flights for Christmas and New Year, regardless of the chosen destination, Kobielski said last week.
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