Drastic price surge in all the Hungarian baths
According to the Bathing Association, Hungarian baths could be up to 20-25 percent more expensive. The entrance fee alone costs 1000 forints (€ 2.5) more than last year. The reason for the skyrocketing prices is that municipal companies have not been able to raise their prices for a year and a half because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The government is now giving permission to do so, which is why everyone is raising prices without exception. The increase is due to the energy price explosion and rising wage costs.
Beach prices are increasing
Prices at the Gyula Castle Baths rose last week. The decree which banned municipal companies from raising fees for a year and a half on the grounds of the Coronavirus pandemic, expired in June, rtl.hu reports. 95 percent of spas in Hungary are run by such companies.
The last time spas raised their prices was two years ago.
However, at that time, they increased a lot of their costs. In Gyula, the price of an adult day ticket has gone up from 2650 to 3200 forints (€6,6 to 8). This does not include the adventure pool and sauna.
Prices have also risen in the Hungarian capital. A family of 4 can go to the Paskál Spa for more than 10,000 HUF (€25,1) on weekends. This is 900 HUF (€2,3) more than before.
Tickets are 8.7 percent more expensive in Budapest, while season tickets are 10-14 percent more expensive.
Historic spas popular with foreigners have seen even bigger price rises. Here prices are up to 20 percent higher than before. At the Gellért Spa, for example, an adult ticket costs 7,600 forints (€19,1).
Increased costs
Unlike municipal companies, private companies have been allowed to raise prices in the past two years, and they have done so: just like Flux Thermal Spa in Mosonmagyaróvár. “Unfortunately, costs are eating up the spa, we need another 10-15 percent increase to keep the spa alive,” said Szilvia Husz, sales manager.
According to the Bathing Association, there will be no exceptions, as prices will rise everywhere.
“We will see more drastic price increases. So it will not be 5-10 percent, but 20-25 percent, and for some types of tickets, even higher,” said Zoltán Balogh, Secretary General of the Hungarian Bathing Association.
The reason for the increase is that spa operators have seen their costs rise. Energy prices have increased two to three times. Wage costs have increased, due to this year’s almost 20 percent increase in the minimum wage, index.hu reports. The price of chemicals has also doubled. Some water treatment chemicals are 280 percent more expensive! This is why the price of open-air baths has gone up less, because they do not have to use chemicals.
Source: index.hu, rtl.hu