Visit Hungary Ltd, a subsidiary of the Hungarian Tourism Agency, has kicked off its autumn-winter campaign to encourage domestic travel throughout Hungary. The initiative offers a 20 per cent discount at more than 300 participating accommodation providers across the country, regardless of the number of nights booked, for guests paying with SZÉP cards. This promotional period runs from early January through to the end of February, aiming to boost local tourism during the winter months.
Olivér Csendes, CEO of Visit Hungary, highlighted the campaign’s focus on increasing SZÉP card spending. While cardholders used over 327 billion forints during the first nine months of the year, approximately 92 billion forints still remained on these cards by September’s end, partly due to concurrent increases in SZÉP card top-ups. The campaign provides an incentive for cardholders to utilize these funds for domestic travel, helping balance out the typical decrease in tourism demand after the holiday season.
Statistics from recent years indicate a growing trend among Hungarians choosing to celebrate Christmas and the year’s end with domestic getaways. However, data from the National Tourism Data Supply Centre (NTAK) shows a consistent drop in domestic tourism demand following the holiday season. To counter this, Visit Hungary has launched a strategic marketing campaign aimed at filling the slower early-year period.
The campaign targets several demographics, including young adults seeking weekend escapes, older travellers with flexible schedules outside of peak season, and families with young children. The advertisements highlight Hungary’s natural beauty, wellness spas, culinary offerings, and winter activities, reaching audiences through television, social media, and online platforms.
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