More and more popular thermal baths in Budapest

Budapest, March 17 (MTI) – Revenue of Budapest’s thermal baths and open-air spas rose by 14 percent to 11.5 billion forints (EUR 37m) last year, operator BGYH said in Friday’s issue of business daily Világgazdaság.

Visitor numbers edged up 3 percent to over 4 million.

Visitor numbers at open-air spas were down because of inclement weather in the summer and the closure of the Dagály baths for the construction of an aquatics center that will be the main venue for the FINA World Championships, but indoor baths drew 10 percent more people. Some 1.5 million visitors bathed at the Széchenyi and almost 600,000 came to the Gellért. Visitors at the Paskál baths doubled to 170,000 after a 1.4 billion forint expansion. The Dandár baths attracted 140,000 visitors and the Király 90,000.

This year, BGYH targets another 2-3 percent rise in visitor numbers.

BGYH’s capital expenditures come to 5 billion – 6 billion forints a year, none of which are funded by the state, the paper noted.

Source: MTI