Almost 39% of Hungarians plan to take a summer holiday abroad this year, according to a representative survey by Groupama Biztosító and OTP Bank. Croatia, Italy and Austria make up the top three destinations, while the average planned holiday budget is around HUF 500,000 per person.
Croatia remains the most popular foreign destination, chosen by 26% of respondents planning an overseas trip. Italy follows with 22%, and Austria ranks third at 18%. The share of people planning a Croatian holiday has increased by nearly 50%.
Spending stays high
About one-third of respondents planning a trip said they expect to spend more this year, while 61% have dedicated savings for travel. The average planned spend is around HUF 500,000, with families traveling with children budgeting even more. Nearly 60% said they would give up another major expense to afford the holiday.
Shorter trips, more flights
Hungarians are also leaning toward longer stays, with more people preferring three to seven-day holidays instead of one or two-day breaks. Air travel is becoming more popular too: 47% of respondents said they would choose flying, about 10% more than last year.
Destination choice is increasingly driven by practical considerations. Accommodation reliability and guest reviews rank first, followed by safety, geopolitical risk and the distinctiveness of the destination.
Insurance habits still lag
The survey also highlights a gap in travel protection habits, especially among younger travelers. Half of those traveling abroad buy travel insurance before every foreign trip, but only 31% of people aged 18 to 29 do so.
That is despite the fact that younger travelers are the most exposed to risks abroad. The survey found that 16% of people in the 18-29 age group have already had an incident while traveling abroad, the highest rate among age groups.
Security concerns matter
Travelers are increasingly attentive to risk. More than one-quarter of respondents said the war in Iran is affecting their summer travel plans, and nearly every other traveler said the euro-forint exchange rate also matters.
Among regular travelers abroad, the main fear remains bad weather, cited by 61%. Theft, fraud, illness, accidents and lost luggage also rank high, and concern levels have risen in nearly every category compared with the previous survey.
