Citizens of Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina mostly spend their summer on the Adriatic, but Greece and Turkey are still among the most popular destinations, primarily because of the favorable prices.
The Ionian Sea is attractive because of the price, where a nine-day arrangement can be found for 450 euros, while in Antalya, for example, for two people, the "all inclusive" service can be obtained for 1.000 euros for seven nights.
A mini-research by the newsrooms of Danas, Oslobođenja and Vijesti also shows that in Montenegro the average price increase in private accommodation is 10 to 15 percent, and in Croatia the price increase is about 20 to 25 percent.
The prices of hotels in Greece and Montenegro have gone up by 20 to 25 percent compared to last year.
Montenegro: Greece and Turkey are among the most popular destinations
Greece and Turkey are among the most popular destinations chosen by Montenegrin citizens who want to vacation abroad, and the reasons for this are, among other things, affordability, proximity to the destination and "all inclusive" services.
"Vijesti" was told this by the few representatives of travel agencies who wanted to speak on this topic.
As they point out, Greece is attractive to our citizens because of the price, where a nine-day arrangement can be found for 450 euros, while the advantages of Tuska are that two people can get an "all inclusive" service for 1.000 euros for seven nights.
The data, as they point out, show that from year to year there is a positive trend of summer vacations of our citizens outside the borders of Montenegro, and one of the reasons for choosing another destination is that for the same amount of money or a little more that would be spent for vacationing with us can be arranged outside.
The "Gulliver" tourist agency told "Vijesta" that Montenegrins who do not vacation in Montenegro go mainly to destinations such as Greece, Turkey and Egypt.
"Those destinations are chosen because of the price that is commensurate with the service and quality provided. These are mostly trips that offer an "all inclusive" service. Among the more popular destinations is Turkey in general and cities like: Antalya, Belek, Bodrum. The prices for those arrangements certainly depend on the total number of passengers traveling, as well as the number of overnight stays. "Mostly families of four travel, but also couples for a period of seven nights," said the agency.
When it comes to the price policy, for example, they cited a trip to Antalya, where the average price for a trip for two people, with an "all inclusive" service included and based on a service of seven nights, is a total of 2000 euros, while the total price for a family of four is around 3500 euros.
The representative of this sector of the tourism industry Srdjan Kovačević says that Montenegrins mostly spend their summer in Greece, that Egypt and Turkey are also very popular destinations.
"But neither the Albanian nor the Croatian coast is foreign to our citizens. So these are the most prominent destinations. Of course, some travelers go to spend their holidays in Spain and some exotic destinations, but the former are the most common destinations", said Kovačević.
He also emphasized that "pocket depth" is one of the elements that determines the choice of destination.
Kovačević believes that Greece is the best choice for travel and that the prices are very affordable, so that individual arrangements range from 350 to 450 euros.
"These are package deals of about nine days of vacation. Greece is perhaps the best choice for a summer vacation because it is close. We drive to Corfu in about 10 to 11 hours with all breaks and borders. We will reach Lutraka in about 13-14 hours. It's not an overly strenuous journey. In addition, it is undeniable that the water quality on the Greek islands and beaches is one of the best in the Mediterranean. And what is again very significant is that Greece is still affordable for our pocket. So, it is much cheaper than, say, some French or Spanish or Italian coast. Because of all this, Greece is the most common choice of our citizens," said Kovačević.
He said that citizens who want the exotic go to Egypt, and that Turkey is attractive to them because of the "all inclusive" service.
"Montenegrins also love the Croatian coast and boat cruises along the Croatian coast, so that is also a very popular destination," Kovačević pointed out.
According to him, in the last few years, there has been a positive trend of Montenegrin citizens choosing to vacation outside the borders of Montenegro.
"The reason for this is the fact that vacationing in Montenegro is not cheap. For that similar or a little bit more money, people can change their destination a bit", said Kovačević.
Serbia: Greece, Montenegro and Croatia are the main destinations
Serbian citizens traditionally spend most of their vacations in different destinations in Greece. For years, this country has been the best price-quality ratio for travelers from Serbia, even though the price is increasing year by year.
As Danas wrote earlier, summer holidays in Greece will be significantly more expensive this year compared to last year. Almost everything is more expensive this year, the prices of accommodation, travel, food have soared, and the biggest price increases are on the islands.
This especially applies to slightly more luxurious islands such as Rhodes, Skiathos, Mykonos and Santorini. On the other hand, the smallest price increases were recorded in the north of Greece, where, as a rule, the largest number of tourists from Serbia spend their summers.
However, a large part of domestic tourists vacation in the region as well, primarily in Montenegro and Croatia, where prices have also increased this year.
President of the National Association of Travel Agencies (YUTA) Aleksandar Senicic for Danas, he explains that on average price increases in private accommodation are 10 to 15 percent in Greece and Montenegro. In Croatia, this effort is higher and ranges from around 20 to 25 percent, he states. Seničić notes that the prices of hotels have also risen and that those in Greece and Montenegro are 20 to 25 percent more expensive this year than last year.
Therefore, the costs of accommodation are already significantly higher this year compared to the summer of 2023. This is why tourist agencies have raised the prices of their offers for this season. According to Seničić, the average family needs about 20 percent more money for their summer vacation this year than last year.
On average, for, say, three members of a family traveling by bus, the summer vacation is about 200 euros more expensive. More precisely, they have to add so much to last year's budget in order to cover the costs of transportation and accommodation this season.
Travel is certainly more expensive for those citizens who go on vacation on their own.
When you take into account the current fuel prices here and in Greece, and the fact that tolls have gone up, traveling by car is undoubtedly more expensive than last summer.
What is another additional cost are the residence taxes, which have also become more expensive compared to last year in accommodation in Greece. In apartments, the tax is now 1,5 euros per day per room, and in hotels, the price of the tax depends on the category, so the tax in two-star hotels costs two euros, three-star hotels three euros, four-star hotels five euros, and five-star hotels seven euros. .
As for other costs during the summer vacation itself, it is difficult to calculate them tentatively because they depend on the personal consumption of each individual.
The assumption is certainly that domestic tourists need more money for food and drinks, as well as for additional expenses and activities, considering that these prices have also increased.
The prices of basic foodstuffs in different parts of Greece vary considerably, so depending on where you spend your vacation, consumption may be different.
More luxurious destinations for summer vacations also carry higher prices for groceries in markets, so if you go to such places, you should expect higher prices than what we are used to.
On the other hand, there are plenty of places for summer vacations in Greece where grocery prices are affordable for citizens of Serbia. In some places, these prices are even lower than in Serbia, especially for those tourists who travel from Belgrade on vacation.
What can still make a significant difference in how much money you spend on groceries is where you buy them. There is often a big difference in whether you shop in small shops or in larger markets and whether the market is in the center or a little further away.
Small markets and those in the center are almost as a rule noticeably more expensive, and if you shop there, be prepared to spend more money. In each place, it is first of all advisable to ask where the local population shops, because that is where the prices are generally the most favorable.
In addition to groceries, sunbeds and beach service have gone up between 10 and 15 percent.
The price of a summer vacation also depends on whether you go in season or out of season. If you travel in May, June or September, when it is not the season at most resorts, it can be much cheaper.
According to Seničić, if you go on holiday in the off-season in the above-mentioned months, you can get by even up to 50 percent cheaper.
BiH: From Neum to Zanzibar
Although the arrangements are more expensive this year compared to last year, judging by the data of the tourist boards, this is not a problem for a large part of Bosnia and Herzegovina's citizens who are ready to shell out several thousand KM for vacations in distant destinations. Those who cannot afford it opt for more favorable arrangements in Montenegro and Neum, which this year is breaking attendance records. In four-star hotels, half board in July and August costs from 100 to 160 KM per person. Private accommodation is cheaper and ranges from 40 to 80 KM.
In addition to Neum, ideal conditions for cooling off and enjoying the beauty of nature are offered by the beauties of Neretva, Una, Vrbas, Drina... but also the salt lakes in Tuzla, which this year are an adequate substitute for the sea for tens of thousands of citizens.
When it comes to Montenegro, a family of four should spend at least 1.000 euros for apartment accommodation and food, while for hotel accommodation with breakfast and lunch in a restaurant, they will spend at least 1.730 euros. For Bosnians, it is therefore the first choice on the Adriatic, because the Croatian coast is more expensive, so they decide - if they are already going - for the more affordable Makarska Riviera, where accommodation can be found for 100 or 150 KM in private accommodation.
For those with deeper pockets, the most attractive destinations are Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Greece, Spain, a Mediterranean cruise...
Imelda Cengić from the Sol Azur Tourist Agency points out that in BiH the most popular regions in Turkey are Antalya and the Aegean region, while Hurghada in Egypt and summer resorts in Tunisia are also very popular.
This year, the agency also introduced novelties such as summer vacations in Greece and MSC cruises with departures from Genoa, Italy.
"For family vacations, despite the increase in price, Turkey is the most popular because of the high level of service and suitability for vacations with children. In the peak of the season, the price of an arrangement for an adult ranges from 1.800 to 2.000 KM, while a family of four needs about 6.000 KM for an all-inclusive arrangement for seven days," says Čengić.
And he doesn't complain about the sale, even explaining how the high prices are offset by new offers, which are obviously tempting because they're sold out.
Prices for a seven-day stay in Egypt and Tunisia are similar, with Tunisia being slightly more affordable. Arrangements in Tunisia cost around 1.300 KM per person, while for Egypt it is necessary to allocate around 1.600 KM. Greece offers a variety of services, from bed and breakfast to all-inclusive, with prices varying from 1.000 to 2.300 KM per person. Cruises are more expensive, with interior cabins priced from 1.500 KM per person, while cabins with a balcony cost from 2.500 to 2.600 KM.
As she said Aida Terzic, director of the Relax Tours travel agency, those who want to visit further destinations, most often choose Egypt for several reasons.
"When people spend three or four days looking through our catalogs, in the end they come back and choose Egypt, because of the excellent price-quality ratio. Because of the excellent climate there. Dry climate, your vacation cannot be spoiled by rainy weather, clouds, etc. Hospitable hosts, excellent cuisine and excellent attractions, which you can visit as optional excursions, such as the pyramids and safari, are just some of the reasons why the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have Egypt in the first place ", stated Terzić.
The Banja Luka agencies also claim the same. A large number of citizens will vacation in Greece, and this year there is quite a craze for Tunisia.
- Tunisia represents the most favorable option, just like last year, and flights that go directly from Banja Luka take about two hours. Arrangements are from 1.200 to 1.500 KM per person. Turkey is still the most expensive, but also the most sought-after destination this year. Going to Turkey costs up to 3.000 KM for two people, by plane from Banja Luka, they claim.
However, there are also those who will spend the summer or the end of the summer on the magical beaches of Zanzibar and the Maldives, because these are the destinations that are most in demand from September. This pleasure will cost them from 2.699 KM and more, but as tourism workers say, this experience is unrepeatable.
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