What else matters when spending on holiday delights

While 16% of all respondents from the region admit that they adjust spending to match travel companions – even if it means exceeding their budget, nearly half plan expenditures carefully before departure. This discipline continues abroad, with every second tourist tracking spending via digital banking.

Visa study reveals also that digital payments are becoming commonplace both at home and during foreign trips, as over 4/5 of CEE tourists from the region will pay by card, smartphone, or smartwatch at the destination. Mobile wallets show particularly impressive growth (12%+ year on year²) with over 1/4 of consumers choosing this payment method as preferred while traveling abroad. They are pointing most often to convenience (64%), speed (61%), and safety (55%) as benefits of paying by card abroad.

Solutions they require

At the same time, they have expectations toward travel-related services and actively seek new digital solutions in the banking ecosystem that would prove helpful during foreign travels. When asked about such features they would like banks to offer them, the top choices included: greater discounts on airline tickets and hotels as well as loyalty programs. Mobile applications enriched with travel-specific features are also one of the “nice-to-haves”.

Their preferences highlight a clear demand for modern solutions implementation in everyday banking, and a strategic opportunity for different entities to expand their value proposition and deepen customer engagement through differentiated, travel-related services. Interestingly, over 2 in 5 CEE inhabitants decide on off-season journeys, which stresses how important is to offer them convenient and smart solutions, supporting their on-the-go lifestyles year-round.

Transforming data into strategic advantage

Through several resources – from specialists, including Visa Consulting & Analytics team and unique data to technology – Visa supports clients with strategic advice, products and services. Visa’s data scientists, marketers, consultants, and economists – with exclusive access to insights from VisaNet, one of the world’s largest payment networks – work together to deliver unique data insights to inform merchants’ business decisions and drive better business outcomes across customer journeys. From strategy and product development to portfolio management and digital marketplace optimization – Visa data-driven solutions empower merchants to grow their business by making products and services more accessible and relevant to a wider audience. By responding to customer needs, they help build deeper engagement and long-term brand loyalty. At the same time, Visa’s commitment to ethical data management and privacy protection lies at the heart of every innovation it brings to market – ensuring that new opportunities and solutions powered by data deliver real value while maintaining trust, transparency, and security.

Interested in tailored solutions for your business?
Contact: Katarzyna Zubrzycka
Sr. Director, CEE Strategic Initiatives, Europe
zubrzyck@visa.com

¹ Unless another source is indicated, the data quoted in the above material comes from Visa CEE Travel and Payment Intentions Study 2025 which covered the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. It was conducted by the research company GfK Polonia – a NIQ company in March 2025 on a representative sample of 1,000 respondents (18-65 years) in each of these countries.

²  Compared to Visa CEE Travel and Payment Intentions Study 2024 covering: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, conducted by GFK Polonia in April 2024 on a representative sample of 1,000 respondents (18-65 years) in each country.

This year’s CEETRA Travel Retail Forum in Budapest – opened by Andrzej Miłaszewicz (CEETRA) in the welcome speeches session and framed by the keynote The state of the industry in Europe, with a special focus on Central & Eastern Europe by Peter Mohn – made one thing very clear: airports in Central and Eastern Europe are no longer just transport hubs. They are becoming independent economic and cultural spaces. An airport is no longer just a waiting area, but a commercial platform with its own revenue model, spatial logic, and tone of voice to the passenger. The growing weight of non-aeronautical revenues – retail, F&B, parking, services – is now defining airport profitability. At several regional airports these revenue streams already account for most of total turnover, effectively turning the terminal itself into a business product.

According to the Changing Consumer Behaviour & Spending Patterns panel discussion moderated by Peter Mohn with Wojciech Czernek (CEO, Baltona), Razvan Horga (CEO, Oradea Airport, Romania), and Bianka Pivarcsi (Head of Marketing, Budapest Airport), the biggest commercial upside in the next few years is in small and mid-sized airports. These airports sit in competitive catchment areas where passengers can easily choose an alternative within driving distance. That means every traveler has to be won, not assumed. Under these conditions it’s no longer enough to rent out a few retail units and hope for the best. The commercial concept has to be built into the terminal from day one. Done properly, this raises revenue per square meter, stabilizes operations, and in some cases doubles per-passenger spend versus the old fragmented model. In other words: an airport in 2025 is not just infrastructure serving airlines. It is a brand.

A recurring point in Budapest was that the passenger has changed – and that change is reshaping how airports are run. Airports in Central and Eastern Europe now have to meet two opposing expectations at the same time. One side is the younger traveler, who expects instant self-service, zero friction, and fully contactless payment. The other is the traveler who wants human presence, visible assistance, and reassurance, not just speed. These needs do not replace each other; they coexist at the same gate. As a result, airport operations are being forced into a dual model: one layer must be fast, digital, queue-free; the other must be staffed, personal, and physically present. This is not positioned as a premium extra. It is now seen as a baseline. If either layer is missing, the passenger leaves frustrated — and does not return.

Payments have shifted in parallel. Travel and Payment Intentions in CEE, Visa Study 2025, presented by Katarzyna Zubrzycka (VISA), underlined that travel is still a top spending priority in the region, but the way people spend has changed. Most passengers now set a personal budget before departure and actively track every cost in real time through mobile banking. Cross-border spend is primarily card or digital wallet. There is a clear expectation that every payment touchpoint in the journey – duty free, dining, ground transport, tickets – must be instant, contactless, transparent. The ask from the traveler is no longer “give me a good card,” it’s “give me a full travel finance ecosystem”: multicurrency accounts, bundled transport and accommodation offers, insurance, and clean FX conversion. Travel has become not just logistics, but a live financial project the passenger manages themselves.

One key theme was sense of place. Sense of Place 2.0 – Local Identity and Innovative Design as a Passenger Magnet, presented by Nick Taylor (The Design Solution), argued that an airport can no longer be a neutral box that could be anywhere. The commercial and service environment now has to visibly reflect the identity of the city and country. This is not only branding. When a terminal feels specific, local, and recognisable, passengers are more willing to spend because what they buy feels like part of the trip, not just a transaction. In that sense, the terminal becomes the first or last sentence a city says to a traveler.

The wider commercial context – captured in Opportunities for Brands in Travel Retail, moderated by Csaba Simonidesz (Simillair) with Maciej Adamaszek (True), Bence Biró (Heinemann Budapest), and Zoltán Keresztessy (CEO, Klikkmánia) is that airports in Central and Eastern Europe now act like brands competing for loyalty in real time. The passenger expects high-speed digital autonomy and, at the same moment, visible human care. Loyalty is not assumed; it has to be earned on the spot. And factors once seen as “nice to have” – accessibility, local identity, payment transparency – are now basic conditions for doing business in this region.

Smart Commercial Strategies for Small & Medium Airports  focused on one main point: for a smaller airport, financial performance isn’t defined by passenger volume, but by how intelligently it builds its own commercial model. Krzysztof Domagalski (Szczecin Airport) highlighted three factors that actually matter: first, whether the airport runs retail in-house or outsources it; second, how intentionally the terminal space is laid out from a commercial point of view — meaning, how the passenger is guided through the shops; and third, whether the data on passenger behavior is really used to make decisions, instead of just ending up in reports. The conclusion was straightforward: if these pieces are designed well, even a mid-sized regional airport can operate like a deliberately built retail brand and generate measurably higher spend per passenger.

Accessibility – physical, sensory, and informational – was positioned as a core business requirement, not a CSR add-on. The Inclusive Journey: Designing Accessible Travel and Retail Spaces at Airports, presented by Jarosław Bogucki (Integracja Foundation), made the case that an airport is not built for a single imaginary “average passenger,” but for people who arrive with very different bodies and sensory thresholds. The expectation is that a passenger with reduced mobility, an elderly traveler, a person on the autism spectrum or with sensory sensitivity, and a family with a small child can all move through the terminal safely and with a clear mental map. In practice this means step-free routes, tactile and visual wayfinding, designated low-noise / low-light areas, longer escort options at key arrival points, and immediate access to alternative communication channels. The message was explicit: this is both inclusion and revenue. People stay longer and spend more calmly if they feel safe, oriented, and in control.

The CPK Commercial Strategy talk showed how CPK thinks as a completely new, greenfield hub airport: it’s not that you first build a terminal and only then figure out retail — it’s the other way around. The commercial, service, and brand experience is part of the floor plan from the first sketch. According to Paweł Zagrajek, CPK is not an airport in the classic sense, but an integrated commercial ecosystem in which passenger flow, retail, F&B, digital services, and payment logic are conceived as one plan. This means the airport will behave like a standalone international brand from day one: it doesn’t just want to be a transit point into Poland, but the first sentence of the place’s identity — with a controlled tempo, high revenue potential, and zero compromise.

In closing, CEETRA’s 2025 Travel Retail Forum in Budapest made it clear that Central and Eastern Europe is not a secondary market anymore. It is a testbed. Airports here are treating commercial space, payment infrastructure, brand experience, accessibility, and sense of place as core strategy — not support functions. The message from was consistent: in this region, the airport is no longer just where travel happens. It is the product.

Full photo gallery

Thursday, 12^th June 2025 (Prague). The Airport Innovation Roundtable 2025, held at Prague  Airport on June 12th, brought together leading voices on invitation by the V4+ Airports  Association and the Central and Eastern European Travel Retail Association (CEETRA).  Supported by Prague Airport, the event served as a vital platform for industry leaders,  policymakers, and innovators to discuss the future of aviation, airport operations, and travel  retail in Central and Eastern Europe. The conference featured a welcome reception  sponsored by Prague Airport, fostering networking and collaboration among participants. 

The conference addressed the rapid recovery and growth of air traffic in the region, the  evolving profile and expectations of passengers, regulatory challenges, and the  transformative power of experiential retail. The biannual CEETRA Travel Retail Forum,  integrated into the program, focused on the unique dynamics of travel retail in Central and  Eastern Europe, highlighting both opportunities and threats for the industry. Among the  numerous presentations and panel discussions, some were particularly relevant for the travel  retail industry. 

Stanisław Wojtera (Chairman of V4+ Airports Association) opened the conference by  emphasizing the V4+ Airports Association’s mission to foster collaboration, share best  practices, and strengthen the region’s position in the broader european aviation landscape.  Andrzej Miłaszewicz, Chairman of CEETRA, followed by underlining CEETRA’s advocacy  role for the duty free and travel retail industry. He stressed, that “our goal is to protect,  promote, and facilitate the region’s duty-free and travel retail channel by providing the means  to obtain the most favorable trading environment for travel-related commerce.” During the  opening ceremony, Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Board at Prague Airport, welcomed delegates  to the airport’s conference centre and his city and outlined ongoing development plans aimed  at making Václav Havel Airport Prague a model for modern, passenger-centric airports in  Europe. 

Amanda Khuong-Duc – Head of Strategic Foresight and Innovation, Gharage – delivered a  keynote drawing on research from Gharage, Gebr. Heinemann’s innovation hub. She  revealed that 64% of travelers want to spend less time at airports, and consequently average  dwell time has already shrunk by 15 minutes. She showcased Gharage’s future-focused  concepts, including “ROKI,” a robotic kitchen delivering fresh, healthy meals at scale, and  “Gate Zero,” a retail concept designed to engage non-shoppers and introduce new brands  through social media-driven experiences. Moreover, she shared her current exploration on AI 

Agents in the airport environment and how their application can bring more ease and  convenience to the traveler journey. In her closing thoughts she suggested to the audience,  that “we need to ask ourselves how can we create spaces, services and products that lower  stress, increase satisfaction and actively encourage travelers to arrive early at the airport.”  

The speech was followed by a panel discussion with airport experts on how AI is being used  today to improve airport operations, for example in predicting operational conditions in the  future, or analysing suspicious behaviour of passengers. 

Anna Marchesini, Head of Business Development at m1nd-set, presented the latest  research on passenger behavior and travel retail shopping trends in Central and Eastern  Europe. She reported that air traffic in the region has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with  airports in CEE expected to host 1.1 times more guests than in 2019. Moreover, duty free  stores attracting above-average footfall but lagging in conversion and spend compared to  Western Europe. Alcohol, perfumes, and confectionery remain the top categories, and basket  size is maximized (both in terms of number of items bought and total spending) when key  categories are purchased combined – a currently underexploited opportunity. Gifters are  bouncing back remaining more relevant in CEE vs Western Europe. However, she said, “CEE  travelers are especially responsive to in-the-moment triggers—making visibility, engagement,  and on-site conversion tactics critical to success.” 

In a second session, Marchesini explored how experiential retail can drive footfall and  conversion. She explained that as price advantage loses importance (at the same past as  Western Europe, but slower vs AsPac) travelers—especially Millennials and Gen Z—are  increasingly motivated by unique, interactive, and memorable experiences. In the current  landscape, experience has become the next currency in Travel Retail. Integrating local  culture, technology, and personalized service is key to engaging today’s airport shoppers.  “Experience in-store becomes the number one driver to purchase: travelers want more than  products—they want memorable moments,” she added.  

Sardor Varisov shared the story of EUPHORIA, his Czech cannabis-infused spirits brand  that broke into airport retail by offering unique, giftable products tailored to the travel  environment. He discussed the operational challenges small brands face in duty free, from  regulatory hurdles to marketing demands, and stressed the need for airports to embrace  innovation and diversity on their shelves. “Most airport shops are predictable—Euphoria  stands out by creating curiosity and smiles”, he said.  

Richard Prochazka, CEO of Lagardere Travel Retail Czech Republic showcased the  transformation of Prague Airport’s commercial and F&B offer, including a complete redesign  of retail and dining spaces to cater to evolving passenger profiles. He highlighted the  emphasis on local brands, healthy food options, and interactive store layouts. “We have  completely redesigned our commercial offer in response to evolving passenger profiles— future is local, healthy, and experience-driven.” 

Julie Lassaigne, Secretary General of ETRC, provided an overview of European policy  developments affecting travel retail, including sustainability legislation. “Our mission is to  create the regulatory environment to allow the European duty free and travel retail industry to  flourish—and to protect it when challenges arise,” she noted. While value sales for European  airport retailing reached record highs in 2024, the sector faces increasing complexity from  new regulations and consumer expectations in a challenging geopolitical context. 

Ricardo Oliveira explained the threat that the duty free industry is facing under article 13.2  of the WHO’s Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. He made clear that the  industry strongly supports the overall objective of the Protocol to curb illicit trade. However  the industry vehemently rejects the false accusation that duty free is a significant source of  illicit trade. Indeed, the duty free sector operates with the most secure and regulated supply  chain in the world. 

Ricardo also highlighted the negative economic impact for the travel ecosystem if further  unjustified restrictions are imposed on the duty free market. For these reasons it is vital that  the duty free industry and airports work together to engage with the relevant government  authorities. Finally, he expressed the importance of industry engagement in Central and  Eastern European countries in the run up to the fourth Meeting of the Parties (MOP4) to the  Protocol, taking place in Geneva in November, given the region’s importance and influence  within the EU. 

The Airport Innovation Roundtable 2025 and CEETRA Travel Retail Forum highlighted the  resilience and adaptability of the travel retail sector. Speakers agreed that future growth will  depend on embracing innovation—both in retail experience and regulatory engagement— while staying attuned to the evolving needs of travelers. Closing with a gala dinner at one of  Prague’s most prestigious roof-top venues, attendees used the opportunity to network and 

exchange ideas and contacts. 

–ENDS– 

Notes for editors: 

CEETRA – Central and Eastern European Travel Retail Association aisbl. • A regional industry association organising companies involved in the duty-free and  travel retail industry in the Central and Eastern European region.  

• Representing companies in Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia,  Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine involved in supplying and retailing goods to traveling consumers  in all duty free and travel retail outlets throughout the Central and Eastern European  region. 

• The association’s aim is to protect, promote, and facilitate the Region’s travel retail  channel by providing the means to obtain the most favourable trading environment for  the travel related commerce. 

• CEETRA contact for press enquiries: patrick.bohl@ceetra.org | www.ceetra.org

The forum’s agenda had a strong regional focus, covering topics such as managing  international teams – Poland’s workforce now includes over 1 million Ukrainians – the  challenges faced by a local brand that has recently entered the duty-free market, and the  latest trends in consumer behavior in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). 

Andrzej Milaszewicz, Chairman of Lagardère Travel Retail Poland, welcomed attendees to  the European Solidarity Centre, located in the historic shipyard where the Solidarność:  movement laid the foundation for the end of the communist era. 

Peter Mohn of m1nd-set provided an update on passenger traffic, highlighting that numerous  airports are already more than 12% ahead of pre-COVID numbers. Following Western trends,  the in-store experience is now more important than the price advantage in duty-free shopping.  Data collected within the region also revealed that the average spend in CEE is $99 if the  customer interacted with a staff member, compared to $64 if they did not. 

A study on Generation Z shoppers by m1nd-set surprised many, as this increasingly  important segment is less easy to influence and tends to have very clear expectations towards  brands and shopping experiences. Novelties must be designed to appeal to Gen Z, especially  their desire to belong, express opinions, and support organizations that are ethical, green,  and inclusive, said Anna Marchesini, Head of Business Development at m1nd-set. While a  significant number of customers make impulse purchase decisions in-store, 50% also do  research beforehand on social media. 

Franck Tourtois, Partner at ACM Poland, presented the results of a bespoke study  conducted for CEETRA on how companies in Poland managed the increasing share of  Ukrainian employees. High turnover rates and difficulties in communicating and establishing  common values have raised concerns in many travel retail companies in the region. Tourtois  recommended fostering open communication, having an active integration strategy, training  managers, and being proactive in supporting a diverse workforce, considering that not all  workers understand the same language.

Michał Paszota, owner of Podole Wielkie Distillery, summarized his experience with entering  the duty-free channel in three locations only weeks before the event. He stressed that the  lack of people and experience for regional suppliers should be recognized, and the channel  would benefit if there was clearer guidance on best practices, criteria for growth, and general  expectations towards the brand. 

How to increase revenue in the existing space? As airport retail operates in inflexible  critical infrastructure, operators should decouple processes wherever possible and scale up  using modular solutions instead, said Martijn Steur of Kinetic Consultancy. He left the  audience with plenty of best practices on how digitalization can achieve this. He also  advocated for centralized receiving and distribution centers, as this reduces bottlenecks in  restocking, keeps staff on the shop floor, and allows activities such as prep-kitchens to be  moved outside the secure areas, eliminating the need for airport badges and freeing up  premium space. 

Julie Lassaigne, General Secretary of ETRC, updated attendees on the impact of the EU  elections on key personnel and policies. Listing each Commissioner-delegate from the CEE  region with their priorities and open questions, she set the stage for an alignment between  CEETRA engagement activities in each of the countries and ETRC activities in Brussels.  Circling back to the US election results, she reminded everyone that Andrzej Duda, President  of Poland, has made the strengthening of US-EU cooperation a top priority for the Polish  presidency of the EU, starting on January 1st. 

–ENDS– 

Notes for editors: 

CEETRA – Central and Eastern European Travel Retail Association aisbl. • A regional industry association organising companies involved in the duty-free and  travel retail industry in the Central and Eastern European region.  

• Representing companies in Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia,  Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine involved in supplying and retailing goods to travelling consumers  in all duty free and travel retail outlets throughout the Central and Eastern European  region. 

• The association’s aim is to protect, promote, and facilitate the Region’s travel retail  channel by providing the means to obtain the most favourable trading environment for  the travel related commerce. 

• CEETRA contact for press enquiries: patrick.bohl@ceetra.org | www.ceetra.org

Thursday, 21^st February 2024 (Warsaw). The Central and Eastern European Travel Retail  Association (CEETRA) has elected a new board of directors at their Annual General Meeting  today, and approved future plans presented by it’s leadership. 

Chairman Andrzej Milaszewicz (Lagardère Travel Retail Poland) was re-elected as chairman  for a further two years. Members also supported the nomination of current board members  Nebojsa Cirjakovic (British American Tobacco), Christoph Stump (Gebr. Heinemann), Gyte  Landreau (Pernot Ricard Travel Retail) and Alan Bork (ABARC).  

New on the board of directors is Urška Binter (Fraport Slovenija), Ljubljana Airport’s head of  commercial. Following her nomination, she said “I am both honoured and excited to be joining  the board. The association offers a great opportunity to exchange best practice and receive  industry insights and can count on my energy and engagement to keep on growing.” 

The AGM warmly welcomed new members Przedsiębiorstwo Handlu Zagranicznego Baltona  S.A., Mikrogorzelnia sp. z oo. and Fraport Slovenia d.o.o. and approved a new budget for 2024, which targets a further increase of activities and growth of its membership base. 

In his review of last year’s activities, Milaszewicz highlighted the two successful Travel Retail  Fora, which were held in Warsaw and Prague, and that they not only brought the travel retail  players of the region together but also became a showcase for local brands, who look to  expand their presence in the region. The association improved communications by  introducing a new newsletter format as well as improving the website, which currently is in  the final testing phase. Working in alignment with ETRC, the association has engaged with  ministries and customs organisations on specific topics and has been praised by members  for their thorough approach.  

–ENDS– 

Notes for editors:  

CEETRA – Central and Eastern European Travel Retail Association aisbl.  • A regional industry association organising companies involved in the duty-free and travel retail industry in the Central and Eastern European region. 

• Representing companies in Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia,

Slovenia and Ukraine involved in supplying and retailing goods to travelling consumers  in all duty free and travel retail outlets throughout the Central and Eastern European  region. 

• The association’s aim is to protect, promote, and facilitate the Region’s travel retail  channel by providing the means to obtain the most favourable trading environment for  the travel related commerce. 

• CEETRA contact for press enquiries: patrick.bohl@ceetra.org | www.ceetra.org