Estonians are travelling last minute

A survey conducted by the shipping company DFDS in May revealed, that while 7% of Latvians and 12% of Lithuanians are ready to make a last-minute voyage decision, as many as 23% of Estonians are willing to do that.

"As expected, the ignorance and rapidly changing circumstances that have accompanied the corona crisis have made people more cautious when making travel plans," explained Merje Vari, DFDS Estonia's marketing specialist. A recent survey shows that compared to the pre-pandemic period, 54% of Estonians plan their holiday trips shorter in advance.

At the same time, the growing proportion of vaccinees and the easing of restrictions before the summer have increased passenger optimism. According to the survey, 17 percent of Estonians plan to go abroad in the next three months. July has become the most popular travel month.

According to Vari, sparse schedules and cancellation of departures have made Estonian people look for more flexible solutions for travel. The survey shows that the desire to travel in modes of transport with many people together, such as buses and trains, has decreased, while a third of respondents are more likely to be open to travelling by car and motorcycle.

"Using a personal vehicle does not necessarily mean just travelling by road. For example, using a ship for crossings significantly expands the choice of destinations, "said DFDS Estonia's marketing specialist. Vari added that travelling by car and motorcycle provides an opportunity to take complete control of the holiday. "As a bonus, travelling in a personal vehicle offers an extra sense of security, which has become an important additional condition for passengers with the corona crisis."

As summer approaches, short-term trips are gaining popularity among Estonians. Almost a third of the respondents plan to go on a two- to four-day trip in the next year. At the same time, the share of respondents planning a longer holiday trip decreased by as much as 10% to 45% compared to the previous month.

"Last-minute decision-making, shorter travel lengths and preference for car trips are a sign that, similarly to last year, Estonians will choose their homeland and neighboring countries again this summer," said Merje Vari.

DFDS is a European maritime transport and logistics company operating more than 50 vessels on 35 routes in the Western, North and Mediterranean, as well as the English Channel. The Estonian branch of DFDS belongs to the DFDS group and serves the Paldiski-Kapellskär line on a daily basis.