We analysed the travel patterns and behaviours of Scandinavian travellers, and revealed a sharp rise in interest for Croatia among younger travellers from across the region—marking a dramatic shift in destination preferences over the past 12 months.
In February alone, more than 35,000 users from Sweden, Norway and Denmark browsed the Vacaay platform for holiday inspiration. Of those, a remarkable 28% added Croatia to their travel wishlist—up from just 6% during the same period last year.
Nature Escapes Top the List
Not only is Croatia trending, but our data also pinpoints the exact regions travellers are planning to visit. Swedish users are most excited about Plitvice Lakes National Park, while Danish and Norwegian users are favouring the idyllic Paklinski Islands—suggesting a continued preference for remote nature escapes over crowded city centres.
Young Travellers Driving the Trend
The surge is being driven largely by travellers aged 25 to 45, a demographic whose appetite for summer sun is rising in parallel with frustrations around prolonged travel restrictions.
Pent-Up Demand Fuelling Travel Intent
Many European travellers had to put their holiday plans on hold, and we’re now seeing clear signs of pent-up demand—especially in the Nordics, where an extended winter is pushing people to seek warmer, outdoor destinations like Croatia.
Looking Ahead
With summer fast approaching, we expect this trend to continue gaining momentum—and we’ll be watching closely as travel confidence across Europe rebounds
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