Although sun and beach vacations are still on the top of the list for most Slovakian holidaymakers, pilgrim tourism and adventurous expedition are also rising in popularity.
An ideal holiday for an average Slovak family is in a hotel at the seaside, naturally an all inclusive stay. According to the Slovakian tour operators, the tourists no more enjoy traveling by coach to their final holiday destination as they used to. As most other western European holidaymakers they prefer the comfort of airplanes. Sun and beach vacations are by far the most popular among Slovak holidaymakers.
Families with kids naturally prefer safer destinations and new comfortable hotels. As the latest data show Slovak families’ favorite resorts are in Egypt, Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria, according to Slovak daily Pravda.sk. In these countries the tourism infrastructure is still developing and thus new summer resorts and attractions are emerging.
Short sightseeing trips, e.g. to Paris and Rome or week-long tour around Greece, are not so popular as they were in the past. Instead, the number of pilgrim tourists is growing very fast. Among the favorite destinations of Slovaks are Lourdes in France, Fatima in Portugal and of course Israel.
High-income travelers who have already visited many of the common destinations on the other hand appreciate originality. Cruise holiday around various exotic islands or even Antarctica are thus on the top of the list. The the most popular destinations for the well-off Slovaks, however, remain Cuba, Mexico and tours around Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Adventure tourism is also very popular among Slovakian travelers. Many of them plan the trips themselves and hire coaches to take them to the places of their dreams. Others travel in small groups with a Slovak guide throughout the world. You can meet them in Alaska, Machu Picchu or on a safari in Africa.
I am surprised that Slovaks are still so keen on the holidays on the beach. I know they don't have the sea nor the high temperatures but after 21 years of open borders I would guess they already had enough of this stereotypical kind of vacation. Lying on the beach all day long - fun - perhaps - but only the first two days.