Estonian travelers not cutting back on spring vacation spending
Estonia's spring school break begins this Saturday. On Friday, Tallinn Airport was already packed with people heading away on vacation. Spas in Estonia are also expected to be busier than usual over the next week.
On Friday morning, Tallinn Airport was of young travelers heading abroad and there was no sign of an economic downturn affecting the passengers just yet.
"The most popular destinations during the school holidays are always the warm countries, whether that's a charter trip to Turkey or, increasingly nowadays, a city break with the kids. The number of passengers we have is very similar, if we compare it to last year, it's practically the same," said Margot Holts, marketing and communications manager at Tallinn Airport.
Rainer Rebane, travel consultant at travel agency Estravel, said the most popular destinations during this spring break are Turkey, Egypt and Tenerife.
Estravel's statistics do not seem to show that people are trying to cut back on spending when it comes to this year's spring vacation, despite travel having become more expensive since last year. Whenever possible, Estonian travelers prefer to opt for a hassle-free package holiday with all the services included in the price.
But what is the average cost of a family holiday during the school holidays these days?
"In Turkey, it's somewhere between €4,500 and €4,500, if you have two adults and two younger traveling companions," said Rebane.
Every year, however, there are plenty of people who spend spring break at home in Estonia. Spa breaks remain a popular option, although many were still pretty empty on Friday, as children had one last day at school before the holiday.
"The start of the school holidays is relatively quiet, but the momentum builds up in the second half. This year, Good Friday coincides with the end of the school holidays, and that does bring the crowds in," said Piret Trei, general manager of the GOSPA hotel in Saaremaa.
According to Trei, people are more price-sensitive now than last year. The fact that ferry tickets have gone up in price is certainly playing a role.
"Compared to before, there is a perception that people are staying for less time, even only visiting for one night," Trei said.
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Editor: Marko Tooming, Michael Cole
