Brutal prices at the beaches of Lake Balaton
There is an increase in prices every single year at Lake Balaton. This summer, however, it is higher than ever.
As Hungary is in the process of re-opening, due to the successful vaccination process that made it possible for the country to be one of the safest zones in the region, tourism is slowly starting to recuperate.
After last year and especially last summer, businesses around Lake Balaton also need to make up for their financial loss. For this reason, we have to get ready for a considerable increase in prices.
According to RTL Klub Híradó, after last year’s 5% increase on the beaches, this summer further shocks us with an even higher jump:
we need to prepare for an enormous, 15-20% price increase.
What does this mean in practice? Portfolio.hu gives direct examples to make it easier to understand. Last summer, the most popular beach food, lángos, cost around 600 forints (1.7 euros) at one of the beaches of Lake Balaton. This year, in general, it will cost about 200 forints more, while some small beach diners can sell them for up to 1400 forints (4 euros). A simple Hungarian pancake can cost up to a euro, while they can charge you over 3 euros for a 0.5 glass of beer.
There are fewer people this year who can afford to travel and they even have less money to spend. Nevertheless, the basic prices of ingredients keep increasing, which results in a general increase in prices.
Tamás Fekete, vice-president of the Balaton Tourism Association, explains that these
increases are driven by the amelioration of the quality of the services and by the fact that human resources, meaning the employees and their wages, also require more money.
They need to provide accommodation for seasonal workers who do not live near Lake Balaton, which naturally will influence the final prices.
It is important to mention that this huge jump is not only visible when it comes to foods and drinks, but also regarding the accommodation possibilities. The increase in the prices of the ingredients and resources, which also includes maintenance works in hotels, for instance, all push prices upwards. Daily News Hungary already wrote about the financial claims of chefs and restaurant workers working through months of the intensive summer schedule.
Chefs at Lake Balaton could ask for a salary of 1 million forints
It is not very surprising that we will feel the highest price increase in hotels or any other forms of accommodations right next to a lake, and naturally, at Lake Balaton.
Once we have our hotel and we calculated approximately how much money we need for food, we still have expenses to think about, such as the entry fee for the beach.
Kisfaludy Beach at Balatonfüred, for instance, has an adult entry ticket for 1200 forints (3.5 euros).
They offer special prices for numerous families, and in general, the more you intend to visit the beach, the bigger the discount will be. Moreover, the town offers a half-price beach ticket for its residents, and the “Balaton Best Card” provides further discounts, as well.
The increase in prices also include some infrastructural developments, such as a mobile application
that some beaches already use. You can buy your entry to the lake in advance, thus avoiding long queues in the sun.
In case you do not want to spend that much this summer or you prefer to avoid huge crowds around the country’s biggest and most popular lake, take a look at this list of many wonderful opportunities to relax in the heat next to a lake for significantly less money.
16+ lakes in Hungary that are worth checking out
Source: portfolio.hu, RTL Klub Híradó