Tourism: More Overnight Stays and Guests in Hungary

In July 2024, 2.4 million guests spent 6.6 million nights in tourist accommodation (commercial, private and other). The number of guests was 4.1% higher and the number of nights 2.0% higher than a year earlier, the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) reported on Thursday.

The number of nights spent by domestic guests decreased by 0.3%, while the number of nights spent by foreign guests increased by 5.4%.

In July, 62% of all nights were spent in commercial accommodation, where turnover was 1.6% higher than a year earlier. Private and other accommodation recorded 2.7% more overnight stays than a year earlier.

The number of domestic guests was 0.5% lower and the number of nights spent by domestic guests 0.3% lower than in the same month of the previous year. The 1.3 million domestic guests spent almost 3.9 million nights in tourist accommodation, including 842,000 guests and 2.3 million nights in commercial accommodation. Hotels accounted for 60% of the latter, with 5.9% more nights than a year earlier. The number of nights spent by domestic guests in private and other accommodation was 1.4% lower than in July 2023.

The number of nights spent by domestic guests increased the most in Szeged and its region (11%) and decreased the most in the Győr-Pannonhalma tourist region (10%) compared to the same period last year. The number of nights spent by domestic guests in tourist accommodation was 9.3% higher in Budapest and 0.4% lower in Lake Balaton.

The number of foreign guests increased by 11% and the number of nights spent by foreign guests increased by 5.4% compared to the same month of the previous year. The 1.0 million foreign guests staying at tourist accommodation establishments spent 2.8 million nights, of which 703,000 guests and 1.8 million nights were registered at commercial accommodation establishments. Of the latter, 69% were linked to hotels, where the number of nights spent by foreign guests was 7.9% higher than a year earlier. The number of nights spent by foreign visitors in private and other accommodation increased by 9.6% compared to July 2023.

The number of nights spent by foreign visitors increased most in Debrecen and its region ( +11%), while the tourism region around Budapest recorded the largest decrease (+15%) compared to the same period last year. The number of nights spent by foreign visitors in tourist accommodation increased by 8.6% in Budapest and by 6.3% in Lake Balaton.

KSH also reported that 36,685 tourist accommodation establishments, including 2,997 commercial and 33,688 private and other accommodation establishments, welcomed guests in July.

Among commercial accommodation, 1,011 hotels and 1,178 guesthouses were open for part or all of July.

The total gross revenue of tourist accommodation establishments was HUF 134 billion, up 12% year-on-year at current prices.

At current prices, Széchenyi card holders spent HUF 7.5 billion, 3.0% more than in the same month of the previous year, according to KSH.

In January-July, a total of 24.5 million overnight stays were recorded at tourist accommodation establishments, up 6.0% on the same period last year. Domestic guests spent 1.9% more nights in tourist accommodation and foreign guests 11% more (12.4 million and 12.1 million respectively).