Lithuanians remain loyal to their country when choosing a travel destination, but the expectations of different generations are increasingly diverging, according to the national tourism promotion agency that commissioned the local tourism study.Travel in Lithuania". A study conducted this year showed that last year, as many as 64 percent of Lithuanians spent their main annual vacation in their home country, and 69 percent of the population traveled around Lithuania with at least one overnight stay.
"This shows that the habit of vacationing in closer places, fostered by the pandemic, has taken hold and is becoming a long-term trend - people are increasingly choosing quality over exoticism, and local tourism is becoming not just an alternative, but the first choice," the report quotes Vice Minister of Economy and Innovation Agila Barzdienė as saying.
"This is especially important for regions - as the number of domestic travelers grows, local businesses strengthen, new jobs are created, and an incentive to invest in infrastructure arises," says a representative of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (EIM).
Youth activism is changing travel culture
The study also focused on analyzing the habits of childless individuals aged 18–30 who traveled around Lithuania with overnight stays.
"This demographic group is potentially the most active, but also the most demanding part of the tourism market. Their travel habits often dictate future tourism trends, so understanding the needs of these residents is extremely important for the development of the entire hospitality sector," emphasizes Olga Gončarova, head of "Keliauk Lietuvos".
The study revealed that the priorities of the youngest travelers differ quite significantly. For example, residents aged 18-30 are significantly more likely to choose private accommodations (41%, compared to 32% of all travelers) and significantly more likely to use Airbnb services (28%, compared to 11% of all travelers). They are also twice as likely to use Instagram for information search and follow recommendations from opinion leaders.
"The influence of social networks on travel planning is growing exponentially. Young people actively follow opinion leaders, looking not only for information but also for inspiration. A place must not only be popular and beautiful, but also provide experiences worth sharing on social networks. This forces us to fundamentally rethink how we present Lithuanian tourist destinations," says the head of "Keliauk Lietuvoena".
According to the study, young people are looking not only for a quiet rest, but also for active experiences: hiking, cycling routes, bars, festivals, etc. True, the national tourism promotion agency notices a paradox - these travelers show significantly lower satisfaction with travel - only 71 percent, compared to 83 percent of all travelers.
"We see that young people have higher expectations for travel, looking not only for beautiful views, but also for active content and meaningful experiences. At the same time, they are critical and less inclined to recommend the places they visit," summarized Jogilė Miežienė, chief analyst at "Keliauk Lietuvoena".
Price hike is changing the nature of travel
The financial aspect has become one of the biggest challenges for local tourism, the agency says. The average cost of trips with an overnight stay, compared to the data from a survey conducted a year ago, increased from 177 to 207 euros - 17 percent per year. 36 percent of residents who did not travel around Lithuania with an overnight stay cited high prices as the main reason for this.
Short one-day trips have decreased from 48 to 35 percent, while Lithuanians are increasingly choosing longer weekend trips - their popularity has increased from 37 to 45 percent.
However, O. Gončarova, the head of "Travel Lithuania", emphasizes that although such a change has become a challenge, it also opens up opportunities to discover new tourism services.
"Price increases are inevitable, but they also encourage both travelers and tourism service providers to adapt creatively. Longer trips have become a popular alternative as people look for quality and experiences at a more affordable price," she says.
Growing interest in lesser-known regions
Although the country's residents are increasingly looking for unique experiences when traveling around Lithuania, they remain quite conservative when choosing travel destinations - they travel to Palanga, Druskininkai, Klaipėda, Birštonas, and Šventoji.
True, interest in less popular regions is also growing - according to this year's data, 43 percent of the population traveled to them, while in 2024 this number reached 33 percent.
The most popular activities during travel remain visiting natural attractions, chosen by 40 percent of travelers, and quiet relaxation – 40 percent. The number of people visiting cafes and restaurants during travel has decreased from 39 to 31 percent, which may also signal a desire to reduce costs.
The local tourism survey was conducted by Rait, commissioned by the Public Institution "Keliauk Lietuvoje". 1020 Lithuanian residents aged 18–74 participated in the quantitative online survey, and two focused discussions were conducted with a target group of 18–30 years old. The results represent the opinions of the entire Lithuanian population by age, gender and place of residence.
Vygantas Tuzas (ELTA)
