Hungary Achieves Unprecedented Tourism Growth in 2024

Synopsis

In 2024, Hungary experienced unprecedented tourism growth, with record international visitors, a surge in domestic travel, and accommodation revenue reaching new heights, according to Zoltan Guller, president of the Hungarian Tourism Agency.

Key Takeaways

Hungarian tourism hit record levels in 2024.
Over 18 million tourists visited, marking an 11% increase.
Budapest attracted nearly 6 million international tourists.
Accommodation revenue rose to 1,050 billion forints.
Tourism contributes nearly 13% to Hungary's GDP.

Budapest, Jan 14 (NationPress) Hungarian tourism has reached an all-time high in 2024, witnessing remarkable increases in the number of international travelers, a notable rise in domestic tourism, and record revenue from accommodations, Zoltan Guller, president of the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTU), revealed.

During a press briefing, Guller announced that Hungarian accommodations hosted over 18 million tourists last year, reflecting an 11 percent rise compared to 2023. This figure comprised 9.3 million domestic and 8.7 million international visitors. He emphasized that the growth in guest nights in Hungary “outpaced the European Union (EU) average by 150 percent.”

Both domestic and international travelers contributed equally to the 44.2 million guest nights recorded, indicating a well-balanced distribution, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Guller credited the outstanding results to strategic, data-informed tourism strategies, effective influencer campaigns, and the acquisition of Budapest Airport into Hungarian ownership. Preliminary statistics indicated that Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport facilitated approximately 17 million passengers in 2024, reflecting a year-on-year increase of over 17 percent.

Budapest was crucial in this record-breaking year, drawing nearly 6 million international tourists, a 24 percent rise compared to the prior year.

On a national scale, accommodation revenues surged from 906 billion forints ($2.37 billion) in 2023 to 1,050 billion forints in 2024, marking a 16 percent growth. Revenue in the hospitality sector also increased by 11 percent, reaching 2,005 billion forints.

Regional tourism providers significantly benefited from the increasing popularity of spa towns and Lake Balaton, which drew over 3 million visitors, a 7 percent increase, representing one-fifth of rural guest traffic.

Tourism continues to be a vital component of the Hungarian economy, contributing nearly 13 percent to GDP and enhancing economic performance each quarter.

Guller expressed confidence in the sector's prospects, noting that Hungary is on course to meet its ambitious long-term objectives of attracting 20 million tourists, achieving 50 million guest nights, and raising tourism's GDP contribution to 16 percent well ahead of 2030. (1 Hungarian forint = $0.0025)