The region is accelerating the growth of short-term accommodation
Latest data Eurostat show that the growth in bookings private and other short-term accommodation Through major online platforms, it is increasingly moving towards Central and Southeast Europe. Slovakia, Slovenia, and Romania were among the four fastest-growing markets in the EU in the second quarter of 2026, while Croatia and Poland remain among the largest markets in the region in terms of total overnight stays.
In the period from April to June, guests in the EU booked 258.8 million nights of short-term accommodation through Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia. This is 5.3% more than a year earlier and almost 24% above the level of the second quarter of 2024.
Slovakia +17%, Slovenia +12.9%
The regional picture is more interesting than the overall European average. After Malta, the largest growth in the EU was recorded in Slovakia with 17%. Next came Slovenia with 12.9% and Romania with 11.4%. The Czech Republic grew by 9.3%, while Poland grew by 8.9%.
Bulgaria achieved growth of 5.5%, while Croatia increased the number of overnight stays by a more modest 1.1%. Hungary fell by 2%, and Austria by 3%. Nevertheless, the growth rate alone does not tell the whole story.
Croatia and Poland have a much larger volume
In the second quarter, Poland achieved approximately 11.5 million nights through the monitored platforms, while Croatia achieved 10.5 million. In this way, both countries are far ahead of most CEE and SEE markets.
The Czech Republic, for example, recorded about 3.4 million overnight stays, Hungary 3.2 million, Romania 2.6 million, Slovenia 1.28 million, and Slovakia 1.11 million.
For Croatia, seasonality is also interesting. In the first quarter, the number of platform nights increased by as much as 15.6%, while in the second quarter the growth slowed to 1.1%. In contrast, Slovenia and Slovakia maintained double-digit growth in the spring period as well.
What do these data mean for the tourism industry?
The data confirm that private and other short-term accommodation They remain a very powerful distribution channel. Especially in the CEE and SEE regions, the platforms continue to increase their share in tourist demand.
Poland becomes a particularly interesting combination of large volume and high growth, while Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania show how quickly smaller markets can increase online demand.
Eurostat warns that the data only relate to short-term accommodation booked through Airbnb, Booking and Expedia, and do not include hotel and camping accommodation. However, they should not be directly counted alongside traditional statistics on tourist nights.
