Desired Domestic Destinations in Hungarian Tourism

According to a recent representative survey by Szallas.hu and Ipsos, a third of the Hungarian population is confident again that they can go on holiday. Further relaxation measures in the coming period and an increase in the number of vaccinated people could have a positive impact on travel uncertainty, including domestic tourism.

While last year, nearly half of the population went on holiday between the two waves of the pandemic, this summer already looks more favorable for domestic tourism operators. Since February 2021, the booking site Szallas.hu have been conducting a bi-weekly representative survey with public opinion research firm Ipsos among the population to see the current trends accurately.

According to the latest data, two out of three respondents are already planning a holiday. "The effect of the relaxation announcements is clearly visible in the booking numbers, with summer bookings increasing day by day," the Social Media and PR Manager of Szallas.hu Beatrix Trepess said. A third of the population is already confident that they can go on holiday this year. So, accommodation providers can also hope to have a booming season. The average booking price is HUF 9,070 /person/night, while the average booking value is HUF 118,700. "Although the majority of respondents to the survey plan to spend a maximum of around 100,000 forints on accommodation, holidaymakers would like to spend more in total, with a maximum of 300,000 forints," Beatrix Trepess added.

It looks like the holiday will also be longer than last year: the average booking length is four nights this year, compared to 2-3 nights last year. The proportion of people planning a family holiday increased significantly at the beginning of March and this proportion has remained the same for the first half of April. According to Szallas.hu booking data, the average number of guests per booking is 3-4 persons.

The survey shows that 8 out of 10 holidaymakers will not stay in a hotel. According to Szallas.hu's booking data, although last year apartments (27.74%) and hotels (27.68%) had an almost equal share of guests, 33% of this summer's bookings are for apartments, while 25% are for hotels. But it's not just hotel drop-outs who prefer apartments: there's a much bigger shift for bed and breakfast places, where last year's 16% booking rate has fallen to 11% this year.