More Tourists from the United States and the Far East

The number of tourists arriving from the United States, South Korea and China had increased by leaps and bounds by the end of July compared to the same period last year, the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) told MTI on Thursday. 

Year-on-year, 35% more American guests came to Hungary, while Chinese and Korean guests came almost four times as much as in the first seven months of 2022. Almost half of the visitors from the United States are over 45 years old, while the majority of Far Easterners are younger. Tourists from these three countries stayed mostly in hotels, with the majority choosing four-star accommodation.

According to MTÜ analysis, visitors from distant countries are generally interested in sightseeing and culture. Koreans also often come for business, work or study, while Americans are mainly interested in heritage, gastronomic specialties and thermal spas. In China, television programs can attract millions of viewers, and Budapest was recently the location for a popular Chinese program, they added.

Although the vast majority continue to visit the capital, more and more people are also visiting the countryside. After Budapest, it is Esztergom, Siófok and Tokaj that are the most popular destinations for Americans, while many Koreans visited the in Siófok at Lake Balaton as well as Lake Velen and many Chinese visited Pécs and Szentendre, the most attractive rural destinations in Hungary.