While it is no longer a secret that Romanians love to travel, and their favorite destinations are always a mix of well-known destinations as well as hidden gems, how do they compare to other Europeans when it comes to travel habits? Kiwi.com, a leading travel-tech company, carried out a survey among travelers from Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Spain, with the help of Stem/Mark, to find out the hows and whys about their vacations, and shares what they found.
Romanians want to relax on vacation, as for 76% of them this is their main motivation for travel – they want it more than the Spanish (53%), but Hungarians lead with 81%. Next up is experiencing new places and cultures, for 50% of Romanians, but it’s more important for Czechs (65%) and Spaniards (62%). Spanish and Romanians are the two nationalities that travel to see friends and family the most, with this option being selected by almost every fifth respondent.
“Romanians are known for balancing practicality and style when they travel. They’re often the first to arrive at the gate and are easy to spot—ready for comfort but taking care to look presentable,” remarked Alexandra and Andreea Stroia, the Romanian sisters who traveled as Kiwi.com’s World Travel Hackers this summer.
When choosing a destination, more than half of Romanians evaluate the prices and quality of accommodation (52%) to help them make a decision, the same as Slovaks, compared to 43% of Poles. Culture plays a big part in choosing a destination for 33% of Romanians, but it’s far more important for the Spanish, with 45%. Making sure that there are activities for kids at the destination is most important for Hungarians (20%), but least important for the Spanish (8%), while the rest of the surveyed countries consider it somehow important with around 17-18% of participants selecting this option.
“For us, nature often takes precedence—the most beautiful and awe-inspiring landscapes are our first focus. Yet, we never skip the chance to immerse ourselves in the local culture, as discovering a country’s traditions adds real depth to our experiences. This blend of natural beauty and cultural exploration, we believe, is key to meaningful travel,” shared the sisters. They also observed that, for many Romanians, especially those from busier, larger cities, travel increasingly centers around relaxation.
When it comes to spontaneity, Romanians choose the best of both worlds – 53% said they prefer spontaneously enjoying whatever the local life brings on their vacation. The most spontaneous are Slovaks (68%) and Czechs (65%), while only 35% of Spanish nationals prefer this. Moreover, 33% of Romanians say they prioritize mental health when on vacation, compared to 19% of Czechs and 43% of Spaniards.
Romanians have a very clear strategy for saving on flight tickets – booking in advance (the most out of all countries surveyed, at 60%). Czechs are those who rely the least on this strategy – only 32% of them chose this. Another strategy of Romanians is using price comparison websites such as Kiwi.com (38%), but Hungarians lead with 44%. On the other hand, Romanians prioritize comfort, and only 9% of them choose flights that depart very early or very late in the day, while 21% of Spaniards prefer this if it means saving up money.
“Though many Romanians favor all-inclusive packages for easy relaxation in exotic or Mediterranean destinations, we’ve always preferred a different path, leaning into adventure and discovery. Instead of just a couple of long vacations, we love taking multiple short trips—city breaks and immersive exploration-focused journeys,” noted the sisters. “While this might set us apart from the typical Romanian vacation mindset, it’s our way of truly embracing the world.”
However, even though they want to relax, Romanians have a serious touch of adventure in their blood, as out of all countries surveyed, when asked if they would travel the world not knowing the destination if given a budget of 10000 euros, 67% of them answered “Yes” compared to only 48% of Slovaks and Czechs. As such, Alexandra and Andreea, the Romanian sisters who got the chance to travel the world for a month as World Travel Hackers, with a budget of 10000 euros, for Kiwi.com this summer, took on the challenge, and got to see the best that Latin America has to offer.