We tend to go on holiday to get away from everyday life and responsibilities and to indulge in our favorite holiday activities.
As Croats, we are particularly keen to sightsee, relax and rest, see family and friends abroad. This year as many as 33% of us will travel overseas for vacation, mostly choosing sunny and beautiful Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, as shown by Visa Travel & Payment Intentions Study 2024 . Interestingly, more than half of travelers from Croatia declare to go even two or three times abroad this season.
How to make dream holidays come true
To rest comfortably means also not worrying about anything, especially payments, and being sure that we are always able to pay and can do it safely – regardless of whether we are at the local market in Turkey or out to dinner in a seaside restaurant in Thailand. This peace of mind during a dream vacation can be supported by fast, convenient, and secure Visa payments – available in millions of locations around the world, thanks to which you don’t have to worry about running out of cash intended for your holiday activities or exchange rates. The popularity of digital payment use during abroad trips is increasing among tourists from Central and Eastern Europe. Also, as many as 78% of us – Croats – want to pay this way when traveling to a country with a different currency, which means a 9% rise year-on-year . As Visa credentials are accepted at more than 100 million locations in over 200 countries and territories around the world, paying even for small pleasures abroad is also not a problem anymore. All you have to do is take your physical payment card or a smartphone/smartwatch with a card added to your mobile wallet with you for foreign vacations.
Many advantages of digital payments
Croats, who intend to pay by card abroad appreciate this method of payment for convenience (31%), speed (65%), and no risk of losing cash (68%). Relatively good FX rates (24%) and better overview of spendings (49%) are also helpful to control holiday spending. CEE travelers, who become more and more digitally savvy, also particularly value comfort (61%) when using payment card abroad and one-fourth opt for mobile payments with their smartphones or smartwatches when being on a trip in foreign country. It’s an easy way to pay for holiday pleasures and they spend mostly on food and drinks (73%) and entertainment (46%).
Cross that bridge, when you come to it
When paying digitally with Visa, you have constant access to your money in your bank account and your payments are secured, To pay digitally, just tap your Visa card or smartphone with an added payment card to the terminal in the store, restaurant, public transport, etc.
Digital payments with Visa cards abroad are as fast, convenient and secure as everyday domestic purchases. Thanks to our network, Visa credentials can be used to pay in more than 180 currencies in millions of places. Travelers also don’t have to worry about carrying cash in local currency with them. If necessary, you can withdraw funds at one of over 2 million ATMs around the world. To ensure safe payment, look for an ATM with the Visa logo. Importantly, withdrawing cash from ATMs abroad can actually be more cost-effective – says Renata Vujasinović, Country Manager Croatia, Visa.
Another layer of security for your peace of mind
As mobile wallets are becoming popular, it is necessary to provide technologies that underpin them . One of these is tokenization, which provides an additional layer of security and is the next stage of change in digital payments. They will soon help to blur the boundary between online and in-store payments. Thanks to tokenization and other technologies, such as biometrics, paying can be automated to the point of becoming almost unnoticeable.
You must know that there is another advantage of paying online with Visa credentials, which you can benefit from while you are still planning your holiday. When consumers buy packaged holidays trips, flights, hotels, ticket entrances or even new bikinis or sandals using Visa card, they are protected from fraud, card loss or theft.
In addition to a hat or sun cream, the following steps can protect you from unpleasantness while travelling:
- Let your bank issuer know you’re travelling
Tell your card issuer about your trip before leaving, so they don’t flag unfamiliar transactions. Additionally, make sure you know your card’s daily ATM withdrawal limit, expiration date, account balance and available funds.
- Memorising your PIN before departing
Whether you’re using a magnetic strip or chip card, know your card PIN before travelling overseas. If you’ve forgotten your PIN, reapply for a new one.
- Activating mobile alerts and notifications
Sign up for free text alerts when a transaction exceeds a pre-set amount or when unusual card activities are detected. Contact your card issuer for details.
- Paying in local currency
Foreign merchants may offer to convert your bill. Although it is convenient to see the bill in your home country’s currency, the conversion usually includes a markup. To avoid the markup, decline the conversion and choose to pay in local currency. If you choose to pay in local currency, but the transaction was charged by the merchant in a different currency, contact your bank to contest the charge.
And now – just enjoy your trip!