Foreign tourists spend more but stay less in Hungary

The traffic of travelers increased in the second quarter of 2017, according to Turizmus Online. Tourists coming from abroad spent less time in Hungary, but their average spending rates were higher than in the first three months, as the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) revealed.

13.3 million arrivals were counted in the second six months in Hungary. 6.7 percent more arrivals occurred this year compared to the last one, 3.4 percent in the field of tourism.

About three quarters of the trips to Hungary were shorter than a day. This means 9.5 million travels. The number of multiple days long trips increased to 3.8 million. Only 8.7 of these trips were not related to tourism.

The number of tourist trips increased by 2.6 percent, while the number of non-tourist ones decreased by 14 percent. Most people who arrived for more than one day were from Romania (559,000), Germany (531,000) or Slovakia (374,000).

The average time of staying in Hungary decreased from 5.7 to 5.4 days.

Visitors from abroad spent about 1.5 billion euros in Hungary in the second quarter, 5.8 more than last year in the same period. About 80 percent of this comes from Europe, more than 10 percent from America, and 9.8 percent from Asia.

Germany spent the most in Hungary with 155 million euros. They are followed by Austria with 148.5 million, Romania and the USA with 123 million each. Tourism generated 1.1 billion euros of income. 69 percent of these expenses were spent on vacations, 6.7 on business trips, and non-tourist travels were 24 percent.

An average tourist usually spent 50 euros a day, 3 euros more than in last year’s second quarter. The average daily expenses increased: in the case of one-day-trips it was 39.3 euros from 36.5, and in the case of longer trips it was 54 euros from 49.

Hungarians travelled abroad 5.1 million times during the second three months of this year. It is 8.1 percent more than last year’s second quarter. 89 percent of the multiple-day-trips were related to tourism, as well as one third of one day long visits. The number of tourist trips increased by 8.2 percent with almost 2.8 million.

The time spent on trips increased by 5.7 percent compared to the second quarter of 2016. The average length of travelling abroad decreased from 5.9 days to 5.5.

The most popular destinations for one day were the neighboring countries, mostly Austria and Slovakia. 80 percent of the travels that took multiple days were to one of the EU countries. The number of trips to the most popular destination countries in Hungary (Italy, Croatia and the Czech Republic) increased by one fifth. France produced 20 percent, Spain and Germany 10 percent of increase in trips from Hungary. The interest towards the USA, the UK, Romania and Serbia decreased.

Hungarians who travelled abroad spent 659 million euros in the second quarter, 18 percent moe than in last year’s second quarter.

The sums spent abroad increased by 20 percent. The average daily expenses also increased concerning Hungarian tourists: it is 39.3 euros during one-day-trips, and 50 euros during longer trips.

The foreign trade surplus of services related to tourism was 820 million euros in the second quarter.

Ce: bm

Source: Turizmus Online