Croatia

It's been a long and rocky road for Croatia in its quest to join the European Union, but in July, the Eastern European country will become the 28th member of the EU. What does membership mean for travelers? A large initial influx of EU funds will help Croatia recover from its recent economic woes and strengthen its tourism infrastructure. The last two years have already brought new hotels and improvements to popular tourist attractions, and the country's stated goal is to make travel easier for foreign visitors in the coming years.

Travelers will also benefit from standard EU passenger protections on flights, trains, and ferries, as well as access to the Europe Direct, which helps travelers understand their rights in the event of a cancelled or delayed flight. Croatia won't be adopting the euro immediately, which is good for travelers looking to keep costs low, but it does add an element of inconvenience for anyone coming from a eurozone country.