Polish seniors are flocking to Spain, drawn by the cosy Andalusian sun and government subsidies for seniors aged 55 and older, designed to boost the tourist trade in the low season.
"Without the help of the government in Madrid -- which amounts to 130 euros ($175) per person -- and that of my children, I couldn't afford a vacation like this," said Tarsylia Juszkiewicz, 67, fresh off a charter flight from Spain's Malaga, back home to Warsaw.
She spent eight days with three friends in a four-star hotel in Benalmadena, on Spain's Mediterranean Costa del Sol, an unheard of pleasure for the Polish pensioner.
"I've never had such a luxurious vacation before," said Juszkiewicz, who said her meagre monthly state pension alone would never permit such an extravagance.
Average state retirement pensions tally at some 400 euros per month (535 dollars) in Poland, an ex-communist country which joined the European Union in 2004 but is not yet a part of the eurozone.
"The airplane, hotel, meals, insurance, two guided visits for just 1,800 zloty (403 euros, 540 dollars)," Juszkiewicz marvelled, saying the Spanish government paid the 130 euros extra directly to Spanish tourism organisations.
"We can warm our old bones a bit in the sun," joked Irmina Piatek, who as the oldest of these four ladies will soon turn 80.
"In Spain, it's still warm with the temperature at 24 degrees C (75.2 F). Now we have to get used to Polish weather once again and the temperatures are around zero. Paradise is finished!" she exclaims.
All four holiday-makers admitted that "without the subsidy programme, we would certainly have had to stay at home."
Launched in 2009, the program, called Europe Senior Tourism (EST), was created for residents 55 years of age and older from selected EU states, notably poorer ex-communist newcomers to the 27-member bloc including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
Better off seniors from Britain and Germany are already familiar with Spain and can better afford to holiday there, so EU newcomers are enjoying the benefits of the sponsored tours, an organiser explained.
"The Spanish government is targeting new markets, especially from countries where seniors rarely choose to visit Spain," said Edyta Romanowska, an EST project employee.
She described it as a win-win situation on both sides.
"Spain is also really benefiting. Each euro spent on a senior visitor earns Spain 1.30 euros or more indirectly," she added. "The goal is to give the hotel sector some business in the off-season and to create jobs."
To attract the maximum number of tourists, seniors can be accompanied by a younger person, who also is also eligible for the 130-euro subsidy.
Anna Walicka, 63, was able to invite her daughter Barbara, who is 40.
"My daughter also received the help of the Spanish government," the elegant pensioner told AFP at Warsaw's Frederic Chopin international airport.
Poles are taking full advantage of the bargain, making up about 20 percent of the 100,000 seniors who have traveled to Spain during the first two seasons of the EST project in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Greek seniors took first spot with 15,254 visitors in 2009-10, but Poles outpaced them in the second edition of the program in 2010-11, with 12,964 visitors.
"Romanians and Bulgarians also responded enthusiastically this year," Romanowska said, stating "the Eastern European market has huge potential and a bright future."
Tourist Walicka had only one regret.
"It's a pity that the Spanish government only contributes to one week of vacation, we would very much like to have stayed longer," she said.
