Lake Balaton Welcomed 45% More Visitors This Pentecost

According to Visit Hungary, which handles domestic and international tourism-related sales and marketing communications for the Hungarian Tourism Agency, the heatwave that hit at the beginning of June brought a real travel fever and outstanding results, with 288,000 guests, 20% more than last year, seeking relaxation at during the long holiday weekend.

The statement said the "king of Pentecost was the Hungarian sea," with 30% of all domestic guests cooling off on the shores of Lake Balaton during the holiday.

Accommodations across the country recorded 516,000 guest nights, surpassing last year's holiday traffic by 17%. The increase was particularly striking at Lake Balaton, where 78% more international and 37% more domestic guest nights were recorded than during last year's long holiday weekend.

After Lake Balaton, the most popular regions among travelers were the Mátra-Bük region, the Budapest area, and Debrecen and its surroundings, they said.

They explained that 70% of the country's guest traffic was enjoyed by rural destinations. During the first summer heatwave, 14% more domestic travelers, 169,000 in total, sought relief in the countryside than during last year's long holiday weekend.

They emphasized that the Visit Hungary domestic summer campaign also fueled Hungarians' desire to travel. After Budapest, most tourists headed for Siófok, Balatonfüred and Szeged. A surprisingly large number of Hungarian guests also visited the capital, where 17% more domestic travelers were registered than last year, spending 9% more nights in Budapest accommodations.

The announcement noted that 119,000 foreign tourists visited Hungary during Pentecost this year, surpassing last year's long holiday weekend by nearly 31%. Nearly two-thirds of international travelers chose the capital again, with the largest numbers coming from the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Romania, and Israel. At the same time, 37% more international tourists, 44,000 in total, were welcomed in the countryside, mainly from Germany, Romania, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland.

Most foreigners sought accommodation in Hévíz, Siófok, and Hajdúszoboszló, i.e., waterfront or spa towns.

They added that hotels also did well during Pentecost, with 48% of travelers staying in hotels and 32% choosing private and other accommodations. Four-star hotels were popular among both domestic and international tourists, with 53% of domestic guests and 54% of foreign guests booking hotels in this category. Their occupancy rate was also reminiscent of the peak summer season, reaching 73%.

Data from the National Tourism Data Center also revealed that the oldest guest during the hot summer holiday weekend was 100 years old and stayed in a community accommodation in Budapest, while the youngest was only a few months old and stayed with his parents in a four-star hotel in the capital, according to the press release.