The interest of Estonian people in travel has grown

Estonian people perceive travel to be safer, but at the same time safer modes of transport are preferred, where few people come into contact, according to a survey conducted by the shipping company DFDS in April .__

"In today's world, the coronary crisis is probably the most important aspect influencing the possibility of traveling and also people's travel interests and preferences," says Merje Vari, the marketing specialist of the shipping company DFDS Estonia. "However, now that more and more people in many countries have been vaccinated and travel restrictions have been reduced, this is likely to make people more optimistic about travel." A recent survey shows that Estonians are no exception: since the beginning of the year, the interest of Estonians in travel has grown every month, and every tenth person already considers it safe to travel. "Perceptions of security also encourage people to make travel plans, and in half a year almost 30% of Estonians plan to travel," comments Vari. "As expected, those who do not plan to travel abroad in the near future cite travel restrictions or quarantine and the fear of getting infected with the coronavirus as the main reasons."

But how has the virus changed people's travel preferences? "The pandemic has affected the way the Estonian people book their trips: compared to the time before the coronary crisis, almost two out of three people plan to book their trips closer to the planned trip and a quarter of the people plan at the last minute," Vari opens. "On the other hand, it can be said that the price sensitivity of the Estonian people has not increased much - more than half of the respondents think that their travel budget is not smaller than the pre-crown budget."

There are also perceptible changes in the world of thought of the Estonian people in terms of choosing a means of transport. "It is planned to use more such modes of transport where there are a smaller number of people together," explains Vari. "Compared to the time before the coronary crisis, 30% of people are more likely to travel abroad by car." He confirms that in addition to the safety of car travel, there are even more bonuses when traveling with your own vehicle. "You can plan your itinerary so flexibly, and for example, using boat crossings, the choice of destinations is even wider."

Vari emphasizes that when traveling by boat, pets can also be taken on their trips: "Four-legged friends are also welcome on board DFDS, and due to the large amount of movement, traveling by car and boat is an animal-friendly choice." is free in 2021.

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. 300 Estonians participated in the survey conducted in April.