Only interrupted by the Corona pandemic, Czech and Slovakian travel providers have been recording a strong increase in trips to warm water destinations during the cold season for several years. Statistics from Dvolena.cz say that seven percent more bookings were made in November and December 2023. 

In the two states mentioned, these two months are considered to be the busiest in terms of bookings for the respective winter season. In contrast to Germany or Austria, the trend is traditionally that bookings are made at much shorter notice. The local airlines and tour operators were already prepared for this before the corona pandemic. 

Nevertheless, the Brno-based Student Agency, the parent company of the train and long-distance bus operator Regiojet, is appealing to book early because the supply on the market is limited. As a rule, customers would book their Christmas and New Year's holidays in November and early December. For those wanting to travel in January, December seems to be the usual booking time.  

A holiday between five days and two weeks is most often chosen. When it comes to accommodation, four-star hotels with all-inclusive services dominate, which corresponds to preferences similar to those for summer vacations. The most popular travel destinations include nearby exotic destinations such as Cape Verde, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, as they offer an attractive mix of proximity and exoticism. For more distant exotic destinations, destinations such as Cuba, Vietnam, Zanzibar, Mauritius, the Dominican Republic and Thailand are popular for their unique cultures and breathtaking natural landscapes. 

Student Agency also has to admit that there has been a setback in the area of ​​Egypt trips, which are otherwise very popular with Czechs and Slovaks. Although this destination would still be frequently booked, a large number of potential holidaymakers would switch to other destinations. The reason behind this is probably that many people prefer other destinations as a precaution because of the unclear situation due to the war in Israel started by Hamas. This has a strong impact on tourist visits in Taba (Egypt) and Aqaba (Jordan). In both areas, bookings have plummeted and low-cost airlines like that have plummeted Ryanair and Wizzair have already temporarily discontinued their flight offers due to a lack of demand. 

In general, however, Student Agency can note that prices have risen significantly in most holiday destinations. The tour operators operating in the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland increased their prices by around ten percent compared to the previous year. For example, the price of a vacation to a nearby exotic destination for a family of four is around 65.000 CZK (around 2.650 euros), while a vacation to a faraway destination starts at 130.000 CZK (around 5.300 euros).