Hungary’s tourism takes flight in 2024: here are the key figures to watch

Guest nights at commercial and private tourism accommodations in Hungary rose 8.4pc to 2,941,000 in December from the same period a year earlier, data released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH) on Tuesday show. Check out Hungary’s tourism figures:

Hungary’s tourism figures for December, 2024

Tourism Revenue and Card Spending

KSH said that tourist accommodation establishments generated nearly HUF 90 billion in total gross sales revenue, a 22% year-on-year increase at current prices. In addition, Széchenyi Recreation Card holders spent approximately HUF 2.9 billion at these establishments, marking an 8.2% rise at current prices compared to the same month of the previous year.

Overall Hungary’s tourism Figures

In total, the number of tourist arrivals and the number of tourism nights spent at these establishments rose by 11% and 8.4%, respectively. According to seasonally adjusted data, arrivals increased by 8.5% and tourism nights by 5.4% compared to December 2023. Of all tourism nights, 71% were spent at commercial accommodation establishments—a 5.4% increase from the same month last year—while private and other types of accommodation reported a 17% gain.

Domestic Tourism

Domestic tourist arrivals and tourism nights both edged up by 0.6% over the same period last year. Seasonally adjusted data show that domestic arrivals grew by 4.3% and domestic tourism nights dipped by 0.1% relative to December 2023. Altogether, 544 thousand domestic guests spent 1.2 million nights at tourist accommodations. Within this total, commercial accommodations recorded 419 thousand arrivals and 922 thousand nights, 82% of which were at hotels—2.4% more than a year earlier. Private and other accommodation establishments also saw a 2.2% rise compared to December 2023. The largest jump (14%) in domestic tourism nights occurred in the Győr and Pannonhalma area, while the steepest decline (8.0%) was observed in the Tokaj and Nyíregyháza area. In Budapest, the number of domestic tourism nights grew by 1.6%, whereas Lake Balaton experienced a 2.8% drop.

International Tourism

International tourist arrivals increased by 20%, while international tourism nights went up by 15% compared to the same month a year earlier. Seasonally adjusted data indicate a 19% rise in arrivals and a 12% rise in tourism nights against December 2023. During the month, 715 thousand international visitors spent 1.7 million nights at tourist accommodations. Of these, 472 thousand arrivals (nearly 1.2 million nights) were registered at commercial establishments, 87% of which were in hotels—12% higher than the previous year. Meanwhile, private and other accommodation types recorded a 25% increase compared to December 2023. The Pécs region saw the biggest surge (33%), while the Gyula region experienced the largest drop (22%). International tourism nights climbed by 19% in Budapest but declined by 0.8% around Lake Balaton.

Accommodation Types and Availability

In total, 22,206 tourist accommodation establishments operated, including 2,149 commercial and 20,057 private or other establishments. Among commercial accommodations, 922 hotels and 924 boarding houses opened their doors for part or all of December.

2024 full year: More than 44 million guest nights spent

According to KSH, for the full year, the number of guest nights at tourism accommodations rose 5.8pc to 44,232,000. The number spent by domestic travellers increased 2.0pc to 22,008,000 and the number spent by foreign tourists climbed 9.9pc to 22,223,000.

Commenting on the fresh data, the National Economy Ministry said Hungarian households’ increased spending on recreation and travel showed strengthening consumer confidence.
It noted that accommodations at destinations other than the capital generated HUF 40.2bn of revenue in the month of December. Revenue of catering establishments rose 10.4pc year-on-year to HUF 166.2bn, it added. For the full year, revenue of tourism accommodations increased 16pc to HUF 1,050bn and catering turnover rose 11pc to HUF 2,005bn.
Tourism provides the livelihood for around 400,000 households in Hungary.

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