Hungary’s tourism takes flight in 2024: here are the key figures to watch

Guest nights at commercial and private tourism accommodations in Hungary rose 8.4pc to 2,941,000 in December from the same period a year earlier, data released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH) on Tuesday show. Check out Hungary’s tourism figures:

Hungary’s tourism figures for December, 2024

Tourism Revenue and Card Spending

KSH said that tourist accommodation establishments generated nearly HUF 90 billion in total gross sales revenue, a 22% year-on-year increase at current prices. In addition, Széchenyi Recreation Card holders spent approximately HUF 2.9 billion at these establishments, marking an 8.2% rise at current prices compared to the same month of the previous year.

Overall Hungary’s tourism Figures

In total, the number of tourist arrivals and the number of tourism nights spent at these establishments rose by 11% and 8.4%, respectively. According to seasonally adjusted data, arrivals increased by 8.5% and tourism nights by 5.4% compared to December 2023. Of all tourism nights, 71% were spent at commercial accommodation establishments—a 5.4% increase from the same month last year—while private and other types of accommodation reported a 17% gain.

Domestic Tourism

Domestic tourist arrivals and tourism nights both edged up by 0.6% over the same period last year. Seasonally adjusted data show that domestic arrivals grew by 4.3% and domestic tourism nights dipped by 0.1% relative to December 2023. Altogether, 544 thousand domestic guests spent 1.2 million nights at tourist accommodations. Within this total, commercial accommodations recorded 419 thousand arrivals and 922 thousand nights, 82% of which were at hotels—2.4% more than a year earlier. Private and other accommodation establishments also saw a 2.2% rise compared to December 2023. The largest jump (14%) in domestic tourism nights occurred in the Győr and Pannonhalma area, while the steepest decline (8.0%) was observed in the Tokaj and Nyíregyháza area. In Budapest, the number of domestic tourism nights grew by 1.6%, whereas Lake Balaton experienced a 2.8% drop.

International Tourism

International tourist arrivals increased by 20%, while international tourism nights went up by 15% compared to the same month a year earlier. Seasonally adjusted data indicate a 19% rise in arrivals and a 12% rise in tourism nights against December 2023. During the month, 715 thousand international visitors spent 1.7 million nights at tourist accommodations. Of these, 472 thousand arrivals (nearly 1.2 million nights) were registered at commercial establishments, 87% of which were in hotels—12% higher than the previous year. Meanwhile, private and other accommodation types recorded a 25% increase compared to December 2023. The Pécs region saw the biggest surge (33%), while the Gyula region experienced the largest drop (22%). International tourism nights climbed by 19% in Budapest but declined by 0.8% around Lake Balaton.