Where to go on vacation? We've checked out the most popular destinations.

Where and how are people vacationing these days? What are families with children choosing, and what are seniors opting for? We spoke with Katarzyna Piasecka-Baginska of the Wakacje.pl Travel Agency in Oborniki Śląskie about vacation trends, customer choices, and the benefits of using a travel agency.

NEW: Where do residents of our district most often go on vacation?

At our office, we serve more than just residents of our own district. We have many clients from other cities and regions of Poland. Of course, the majority of clients come from the immediate vicinity, as direct contact remains important. For many years, Turkey has been the most popular holiday destination. Greece comes in second among European countries. Traveling to Turkey offers the best value for money. Trips to Egypt and Tunisia also sell well. Compared to trips to European Union countries, the all-inclusive offer is more extensive. Trips to the Balkans are also very popular. It's a beautiful region, and tour operators offer a comprehensive sightseeing program. Italy remains popular as well. For those who have been there several times, there's always something new to see.

These are warm-climate countries. It's hot there in the summer. Doesn't that discourage customers?

It's hot, but the perceived temperature is lower. A pleasant breeze often blows over the Mediterranean or Red Seas. This cools and dispels the feeling of heat. Humidity varies by sea, making higher temperatures less oppressive. We don't recommend visiting these countries in the summer for those who don't tolerate heat well, as it requires moving away from the coastal zone, where the heat is felt less intensely. However, those who tolerate heat well can still enjoy sightseeing. It's best to visit countries with a hot climate in winter.

And what about the popularity of holidays at the Polish seaside?

Trips to the Polish seaside have become expensive. They're comparable in price to trips abroad, and in warm countries you can always count on good weather. I'm talking about a similar standard, meaning a hotel stay and meals planned.

In Poland, the primary choice for a vacation is whether to go to the mountains, the seaside, or a lake. But what about holidays abroad?

When it comes to trips abroad, the main decision is how the client plans to spend their vacation. Do they prefer to relax on the beach and enjoy hotel amenities, or do they prefer sightseeing? This determines the destination and hotel we recommend. Some clients choose active holidays, such as diving in Egypt, or trekking, for which Portugal is ideal. In winter, one option is a ski trip in the Polish mountains or to Italy, Switzerland, France, or Austria, which we also offer. Often, clients choose to travel by themselves, and we only offer stays at a resort located near the ski slopes. Meanwhile, in spring and autumn, clients often opt for more typical sightseeing trips.

Are your clients mostly families? Or are you also seeing individuals or groups of friends?

All of these situations occur. Families traveling abroad with children want a package tour to ensure complete service and care during their vacation. They typically choose packages that include child-friendly attractions. Those traveling without children choose various options. Sometimes they opt for typical hotel packages simply because they want a pleasant seaside getaway. However, they often go on sightseeing tours. This also applies to retired people, who finally have plenty of time to pursue their travel passions. Individuals traveling alone usually receive a double room for their own use. Unfortunately, the price per person is more expensive than for couples. We then offer sightseeing tours with the option of accommodating a second person. Meeting someone new and sharing a room with them often leads to friendships and the possibility of going on further trips together. Tours generally foster friendships because you're with other participants for almost the entire day, traveling by coach and sightseeing.

Can I book a trip right away? Pay today and leave tomorrow?

Of course. There are always places left for some last-minute trips, but not all of them. It's important to remember that the options available are limited at the last minute. You have to adapt to the limited offers remaining on sale. Last-minute trips are often associated with lower prices. However, they aren't always cheaper. During the high season, it's difficult to find last-minute deals at an attractive price. However, such deals often appear during less popular dates. In my opinion, waiting until the last minute during the holidays is not a good idea. Sometimes, a client starts their vacation and there are no more available places at that time. For this reason, it's best to plan your vacation in advance. We already offer trips for next year. The price at the beginning of the offer is usually the lowest, and the range of options and offers is greatest. Then, as time goes on, prices steadily increase. Often, the organizer also charges the smallest deposit at the beginning of the first-minute offer. Sometimes, it's as little as 5% of the trip price. To encourage customers to book their vacations in advance, companies also offer things like free hotel changes or even country changes, additional insurance at attractive prices, and free parking. However, it's not always possible for customers to plan their vacation a year in advance. We recommend booking your vacation as early as possible.

What can you recommend that is different from a standard trip?

From my own experience, I wholeheartedly recommend cruise ships. It's a truly captivating experience combining a stay in a good, luxurious hotel with a wealth of onboard attractions, waterslides, pools, numerous bars, and discos, all while exploring remote locations in one trip. Every morning, we wake up in a different port and can take advantage of an organized tour or explore new places on our own. Every client we've recommended this form of travel to is satisfied and eager to use it again on their next trip.

You can organize a trip yourself or find vacations online. What are the benefits of using the services of a travel agency?

In my opinion, each of these options has its advantages. Our agency's services are used by those who prefer to draw on our years of experience when choosing a vacation. Of course, the internet provides access to all offers, and you can certainly book your vacation yourself. However, this is often time-consuming, and with the wide variety of packages available on the market, it's easy to make a mistake. There are many offers on the travel market that include or exclude checked baggage and transfers, some with on-site assistance, others with telephone assistance. This is often crucial for customers who can't always find this information online. With our extensive knowledge of the travel market, we always select offers tailored to the customer's needs and provide all relevant information before the purchase. This ensures that our customers return satisfied.