Foreign visitors kept Hungary’s tourism sector above water

Guest nights at commercial and private tourism accommodations in Hungary rose by 12.8 percent to 2,675,000 in December from the same period a year earlier, data released by the Central Statistical Office (KSH) on Tuesday show. Meanwhile, the number of guest nights Hungarians spent in Hungary fell by 5.1%.

The number of guest nights spent by domestic travellers increased by 8.3 percent to 1,188,000, and guest nights spent by foreign visitors rose by 16.6 percent to 1,487,000.

Visitors from the United Kingdom spent 84,600 guest nights at tourism accommodations in Hungary in December, more than any other nationality. Romanian visitors spent 82,200 guest nights and visitors from Italy spent 78,700. The number of guest nights spent by visitors from Asia reached 121,200, falling by 15.8 percent from the base period.

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The capital was the most popular destination in December, accounting for 922,000 guest nights. Lake Balaton was runner-up, with 240,000 guest nights.

Revenue of commercial accommodations, which include hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, camp sites, resorts and hostels, rose by 15 percent to HUF 50.5 billion forints (EUR 129.7m).