A lot of Chinese tourists will flock to Hungary this summer

The first Chinese group with a Chinese group visa (ADS) arrived in Budapest yesterday on board of a direct Air China flight.

According to Budflyer, a Hungarian travel news Facebook page, the first Chinese group with a group visa arrived in Hungary. They were on board a direct flight that took off in Chongqing.

Zsófia Jakab, the deputy CEO of the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ), told turizmus.com that China is the world’s biggest market concerning tourism, with almost 200 million tourists. The Asian country was Budapest’s 9th most crucial market concerning the number of guest nights. The pandemic broke the positive trend.

The Chinese government allowed this February for groups to travel abroad. First, they opened that opportunity to 20 countries, including Hungary. Furthermore, Hungary was the only EU member state on the list. MTÜ cooperated closely with Chinese travel agencies to create new trips. The organised journeys not only include Budapest but also Pécs-Villány, Lake Balaton, Hévíz, Eger, Debrecen and Pannonhalma. Thus, such groups generate income and profit in many parts of the country.

MTÜ also takes part in creating regional tours for Chinese tourists. An exemplary cooperation is with Air Serbia in that regard. MTÜ is present on WeChat and Weibo, and they will go on a roadshow to Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai and Kwangtung to promote Hungary.

Currently, passengers can commute between Hungary and China with four flights taking off and landing at the airports of Shanghai and Chongqing. Unfortunately, Air China suspended direct flights to Beijing until November.

The Beijing-Budapest direct flight was announced in June 2022 by Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister. It commuted after 7 July and served the passengers by Airbus A330s. The flights took off once a week, on Thursdays. However, Air China suspended the service for the summer season.