Christmas time: Budapest hotels are full of foreign tourists!

There are a lot of foreign tourists who plan to spend the holidays in the Hungarian capital. Budapest is a top-rated destination thanks to the colourful programs it can offer even during winter and the many tourism awards it received this year. 

According to the Magyar Nemzet, even small shopkeepers of the inner districts feel that foreign tourists booked almost every room in Budapest. For example, there are already no free hotel rooms during the Christmas holiday, and foreign tourists like to spend more during their stay than their Hungarian counterparts.

György Vámos, chief secretary of the National Commerce Association, added that among foreigners Christmas markets are very popular, but they are also present in the huge malls.

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The exact amount of money they spend in Hungary is hard to define, but they buy a lot of things Hungarians cannot. Not only the rate of foreign tourists grew but also those who come from neighbouring countries to do their Christmas shopping in Hungary. They follow the exchange rate of the forint and visit shops near the border or in the capital.

Hotels are full in Budapest, and this will remain even after Christmas and at the beginning of January. Mostly foreign tourists booked the rooms, but even in December, there are more Hungarian tourists than in any other previous Decembers. Tamás Flesch, President of the Hungarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, added that those foreign tourists who come to visit Budapest plan to spend their holiday there because

the Hungarian capital offers so many colourful programs even during the winter, and it is a very safe city, as well.

Just like in the case of summer tourists, those who come before Christmas spend more money than the average because they visit museums, cafés, restaurants, spas and take part in the many programs the city offers. The Christmas markets of Budapest are also full of foreign tourists. Among them, the award-winning market in the front of the Saint Stephen’s Basilica is trendy because, according to Mr Flesch, it outruns the similar Christmas markets in the neighbouring countries since it offers an excellent selection of handicraft products.

He said that there are a lot of

German, Austrian, British, Spanish, Italian and French tourists of all age in the Hungarian capital in December.

Furthermore, many come from Asian countries. According to Mr Flesch, until Christmas, there at least two more turns of tourists will arrive in Budapest. He added that those who come to spend Christmas in the Hungarian capital typically book their rooms from December 22 and arrive with their families.

Interestingly, and contrary to the general opinion, the rate of party tourists in Budapest does not reach 20 pc of the altogether number of foreign guests.

Source: Magyar Nemzet