In September this year Hungary’s commercial, private, and other accommodations hosted 1.5 million guests, who collectively spent nearly 3.6 million nights, representing a rise of 2 per cent in guest numbers and 1.1 per cent in nights spent, according to a report from the Central Statistical Office (KSH) on Tuesday.
The number of nights spent by domestic guests decreased by 4.2 per cent (partly due to weekend date variations), while the figure for foreign visitor nights increased by 5.8 per cent. ‘Hungary remains a popular destination among travellers, as evidenced by the increase to nearly 767,000 foreign visitors in September,’ noted the Ministry of Economy.
Facilities in the countryside recorded approximately 60 per cent of the country’s total nights spent, equivalent to around 2.2 million nights. In the areas outside the capital, two-thirds of these nights were linked to domestic guests, and the Balaton region remained the top tourism destination.
Budapest accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the nation’s tourist activity, with the capital registering 1.4 million guest nights, a growth of over 13.2 per cent compared to last year. International visitors represented 87 per cent of the total, with foreign guest nights reaching 1.2 million, marking a 15 per cent increase. Budapest, therefore, continues to attract a significant level of international interest.
‘In September the Balaton region remained the top tourism destination beside Budapest’
This active interest in travel has translated into a substantial 20 per cent rise in revenue for accommodations, with total revenues across Hungary reaching 97 billion forints in September. Of this, more than 48 billion forints was spent outside the capital, where revenues exceeded those of the previous September by 6.5 per cent. Restaurant revenues totalled 161.3 billion forints, marking a 3.3 per cent increase from September of the previous year.
The Ministry highlighted that tourism performance in 2024 is expected to surpass last year’s record-breaking results. Data show that 14 million visitors arrived at domestic accommodations in the first nine months of 2024, marking a 10 per cent increase from 2023, while guest nights rose by 5 per cent, reaching 35 million.
According to the Ministry, these figures confirm that Hungary’s appeal as a destination continued to strengthen in September. More families can now afford extended stays, even for a week. Tourism shows steady growth, with visitors’ interest in Budapest and other regions in the country positively impacting both tourism and the local economy.
‘Tourism is a strategically important sector and a crucial pillar of Hungary’s economy, contributing significantly to GDP growth and providing a livelihood for nearly 400,000 people in the industry. To further enhance sector performance, the government has launched sector-specific development programmes with 15 billion forints to improve the quality and competitiveness of hospitality services,’ the Ministry said.
Related articles:
