2.7 million Slovaks went on holiday last year, a fifth less than before the pandemic

Slightly lower number of residents of the SR went on holidays or long weekends last year than in 2022. The number of visitors fell behind the number before the pandemic. At the same time, the structure of travelling has changed significantly. In a long-term comparison, the number of those who combined several stays abroad and in Slovakia lag behind most significantly by 33%. Although the number of travellers abroad increased dynamically year-on-year, the number of visitors in Slovakia decreased.

In 2023, almost 2.7 million Slovaks indulged in recreation or another form of stay in Slovakia or abroad, which represented 59% of the population aged over 15 years. Their number decreased slightly year-on-year (by 3.5%), which also increased the lag caused by the pandemic. One or more trips were made by 21%, i.e. by three quarters of a million lower number of people than in the last year before the pandemic (in 2019).

This follows from the results of the annual Survey on trips for personal and business purposes¹⁾, which the Statistical Office of the SR regularly publishes at the turn of June and July. Data for the year 2023 have been currently published. They contain comprehensive information on the travel activities of the population in the SR²⁾ for personal purposes (e.g. holiday, visiting friends and relatives, cottages, etc.) during the year. For example, it includes the number of individuals and trips, destinations and their combinations, types of accommodation, mode of transport and the amount of travel expenditures.

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How visitors' travel behaviour has changed in 2023

The year 2023 was connected with changes in visitors' travel behaviour. The number of travellers who preferred only domestic destinations decreased, and on the contrary, the number of those who chose only foreign destinations, or travelled more than once and combined stays, increased dynamically.

The number of travellers only within Slovakia decreased year-on-year by 18% to the level of 1.2 million people. However, it only domestic trips.

The group of visitors who combined trips in Slovakia with at least one outbound trip increased slightly year-on-year (by 5%). Their number exceeded 940,000 people.

Visitors who travelled only abroad represented the third group. Their number increased significantly year-on-year by almost 30%. 534,000 Slovaks went only on long weekend or holiday abroad.

The number of visitors traveling within Slovakia or abroad

In total, in 2023, 2.2 million Slovaks stayed within Slovakia²⁾ (only or combined with holiday abroad). They decreased year-on-year by 10%, compared to 2019, their number was lower by a quarter (by 700,000 people).

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At the same time, a total of 1.5 million Slovaks travelled abroad in 2023²⁾ - only or in combination with holiday within the country. Their number increased year-on-year, but it was still a quarter (half a million) below the values of 2019. Before the pandemic affected tourism globally, almost 2 million Slovaks aged over 15 years travelled abroad in a year.

As part of a long-term comparison of the travel status of the Slovak population in the years before and after the pandemic, it is true that travellers who combined domestic and outbound trips decreased the most. Their number was lower by a third (33%) than five or six years ago.

There was no travelling in 2023 either, mainly for financial and health reasons

Last year, 1.9 million people aged over 15 years did not participate in tourism activities, which is by 92 thousand people more than the previous year. Compared to the period before the pandemic, with the year 2019, the number of residents who did not travel for recreation at all was significantly higher by three quarters of a million people. Before the covid pandemic started, 1.2 million Slovaks did not travel.

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The main reasons for not traveling were similar to the pre-pandemic period - financial, health reasons and no motivation to travel. The reason for traveling decreased significantly, to a nine-year low – safety concerns.