Hungary tourism doing just fine in January

In January 2020, the number of nights spent by international tourists increased by 17% and that of nights spent by domestic tourists by 6.8% compared to the same period of the previous year in commercial accommodation establishments (hotels, boarding houses, camping sites, bungalow complexes and community hostels), the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said. Including seasonal and calendar effects, the number of foreign tourism nights grew by 15% and that of domestic tourism nights by 3.9%. Total gross sales revenues rose by 18% at current prices in commercial accommodation establishments.

In January 2020, compared to the same month of the previous year:

• The number of international tourist arrivals increased by 18% and of international tourism nights by 17%. 367 thousand guests spent 911 thousand tourism nights in commercial accommodation establishments. The number of the latter ones significantly increased in each type of accommodation except for bungalow complexes. 70% of international tourism nights were registered by accommodation establishments in the Budapest-Central Danube region, 18% more than in the same month of the previous year. The negative impact of the coronavirus epidemic has not yet affected arrivals during the period under review.
• Domestic arrivals and tourism nights were up by 12% and by 6.8% respectively to 379 thousand arrivals and 794 thousand tourism nights. The value of the latter indicator increased in all types of accommodation, with the exception of campsites having negligible guest turnover in January. The most popular type of accommodation was hotels with 81% of all tourism nights, the most visited regions were Lake Balaton and Budapest-Central Danubia.

However, the above figures are for January, and while the coronavirus epidemic only reached Hungary in full in March, the lower number of foreign visitors may have already affected February.

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