Estonians most cautious among Balts when it comes to international travel

TALLINN - A poll taken in the three Baltic countries shows that where as much as 78 percent of Lithuanians are planning to travel to a foreign country during the next year, the ratio of such residents is 55 percent in Latvia and 52 percent in Estonia. 

It appears from the findings of the poll conducted by shipper DFDS in March that vaccination also has an effect on people's travel plans, with 19 percent of Latvians, 27 percent of Estonians and 38 percent of Lithuanians saying that getting a vaccination will change their travel plans and they will dare to travel again. Most of the people who are planning to travel abroad for holiday are about to do it in the usual holiday months of July and August, while many people are also planning to travel in September and October this year. 

"The coronavirus crisis continues to keep people anxious when it comes to travel, and travel plans are directly connected with the coronavirus infection indicators in the country. When infection indicators are higher, also people's perception of risk is higher and fewer people are planning to travel. At the same time, this gives hope that people's feeling of security will increase again with the arrival of the spring, the reduction in infections, and vaccination," Merje Vari, marketing specialist at DFDS Estonia, said.

"Last year showed that people will not refrain from travel during the summer months, but rather than take a plane will prefer to travel in their own country and in neighboring countries by their own car. This trend was observed everywhere in the world, and apparently car trips will be very popular again especially among families and companies of friends. In today's world, car trips are at the same time more secure as well as significantly safer -- you don't have to worry about flights being canceled, crowded airports, or the use of other means of public transport," Vari added. 

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