It could be the death of Hungarian baths – VIDEO

Baths and spas have been important places in Hungary since the Antiquity when Romans occupied parts of Hungary (Pannonia). It has been part of the culture since then and was also a popular activity for tourists visiting Budapest, for example. We wrote many articles and recommendations about them in the past, but unfortunately, this long tradition and one of the most important features of tourism, both foreign and domestic, has been hit hard by the pandemic that plagues the world right now.

Many of the thermal baths and spas rely mainly on foreign tourists, especially in Budapest, but since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, measures introduced to slow down the pandemic have left a mark on many of them. In the first wave, almost all such places were closed down for a while. They could slowly reopen during the summer season, but with limited capacity. Although the health crisis brought with it a boom of domestic tourism in Hungary, the budget of many people has been cut due to uncertainties at their workplace, so the average tourist did not spend as much.

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The closing of borders and the lack of drive to travel have greatly affected foreign tourism even after measures have been relaxed in many places around the world during the summer season. The season would have been especially important for spas and baths.

According to CGTN‘s information, if these Hungarian establishments will not get any government funding, two-thirds of them might close by the next summer season.

Attila László Boros, the CEO of the Hungary Spa Association, said that: “by the summer, 40% of our yearly revenue was gone, and by the end of the year, 70% of the revenues will disappear at some of the spas”. CGTN says that even though during the first wave of the crisis, spas received some funds “to pay wages and were given a moratorium on loan repayments”, some of them still had to lay off a number of their employees.

Boros added, that “spas in Hungary employ 18,000 people altogether. Out of this, 4,700 people will be laid off by the end of autumn”.

Baths, although people mainly use them to relax, are more than that. Before the pandemic, these were places where people could meet and socialise. Many people, especially the elderly, could use it to work out as it is easier for some to do so in the water, but the health benefits of thermal baths are not negligible either. Unfortunately, many people are afraid of the COVID-19 pandemic and do not go to these places at all.

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Lukacs Baths told CGTN that they have not felt the effect of the pandemic as much as others, thanks to the fact that their clientele is mainly local. “We have mainly locals here as guests,” says Dániel Nagy, the manager of Lukacs Baths. “There are lots of artists, musicians, writers, and poets who come here. Many of them are regulars, coming here every single day of the year”. Anikó Reinhold, a regular, told CGTN that: “this is not an easy time for the people”.

Although the association is conducting negotiations about the future of the industry with the Hungarian government, there is no sign of any financial aid coming their way, as the outlook for an agreement is not good.

Source: Newseu.cgtn.com