Nearly two-thirds of CEE travellers would consider switching banks for free worldwide ATM withdrawals, while AI-supported travel coordination gains momentum – the Visa study finds.

26 May 2026 – Travel is becoming an important factor in how consumers across Central and Eastern Europe evaluate their banking providers. According to the Visa Travel & Payment Intentions Study CEE 2026, travellers across the region expect banks to support them throughout the entire travel journey – from flexible payments and travel-related benefits to digital tools that simplify planning and coordination. Free worldwide ATM withdrawals are now among the strongest drivers of bank switching, while AI-supported travel planning and coordination are steadily moving closer to mainstream adoption, especially among affluent consumers. At the same time, digital-first travel habits continue to reshape how travellers across CEE[1]plan, book and pay for trips abroad, creating new opportunities for banks to stay relevant before, during and after travel.

Travel benefits become a key differentiator for banks

Free worldwide ATM withdrawals emerge as the strongest driver of bank switching: on average, 63%[2] of CEE travellers abroad say this benefit could motivate them to switch banks. The preference is strongest in Bulgaria, where nearly three-quarters say so, and remains above two-thirds in Romania and Poland.

Travel-related value-added services are also gaining relevance. Across all markets surveyed, affluent respondents are more likely than the representative group to use them. The most commonly used services across the region include travel insurance linked to cards, foreign currency accounts, online currency exchange with preferential exchange rates and mobile apps with features for travellers.

Willingness to pay signals new business opportunity

Higher-income respondents travelling abroad say they would be willing to pay close to EUR 2 on average for additional travel-related services, including access to an AI-based travel planning tool, a mobile app with extra traveller features or a broader package offering benefits such as discounts on car rentals abroad.

Interest in concierge assistance is also evident, particularly among affluent consumers in Czechia and Romania, where more than one in five respondents would welcome such support, highlighting potential for more experience-driven banking propositions.

Not all travel habits differ by income

Some travel behaviours remain consistent across income groups and markets. Keeping spending under control matters to many travellers, from 42% of respondents in Czechia to 68% in Hungary and Romania. Domestic tourism dominates in most markets, especially in Croatia and Bulgaria, where around four in five consumers plan to holiday within their own countries. At the same time, Slovenia and Romania stand out as clear outliers, with international travel taking precedence. Italy ranks among the top three international destinations in every surveyed CEE market.

Income still influences destination choice and travel timing. High-income travellers are considerably more likely to travel internationally, especially in Romania and Slovenia, where around nine in ten affluent travellers plan foreign trips, as well as in Poland, Czechia and Hungary, where the figure reaches eight in ten. Most trips take place during the peak travel season, particularly in Czechia, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, but affluent travellers in other CEE countries are more flexible in their travel planning and are also choosing off-season travel.

Travel starts online: AI and payments reshape the journey

The travel journey begins long before departure – online, using a range of digital tools. Independent travel organisation is now the dominant model across the CEE region, peaking at nearly nine in ten travellers in Slovenia and Hungary. This reflects the growing importance of digital booking tools, flexible payment solutions and AI-supported planning.

Growing groups of consumers declare regular or occasional use of AI-based tools when planning trips – particularly for searching for local tips and recommendations, finding the best deals, looking for inspiration and resolving logistics or transport-related issues. Across the region, travellers value AI primarily for saving time, 24/7 availability and ease of use.

Openness to AI-supported travel coordination is also emerging, with expectations towards more advanced agentic experiences gradually evolving. Across surveyed CEE markets, between around one-third and more than half of respondents – depending on the country – declare full or partial trust in AI agents supporting either the entire travel organisation process or selected travel-related tasks. In most countries, higher-income respondents are even more open to this kind of assistance.

Digital payments are embedded in this extended, online-first journey. Consumers across the CEE region continue to rely on the same payment card they use in their home country when travelling abroad, especially in Bulgaria and Slovakia, where around two-thirds of travellers choose this payment method – using their domestic bank card to make payments in foreign currencies while overseas. Smartphones, smartwatches and digital wallets are also among popular travel payment choices for travellers across CEE, with around one in three respondents in many markets using them while travelling abroad.

Together, these behaviours point to a broader transformation of travel – from a single moment of payment or booking into a connected, digital experience, where AI and payments are increasingly embedded across the entire journey and create new opportunities for banks to stay relevant to travellers before, during and after their trips.

To learn more, visit Visa.com.