Published on: 28 June 2024

The number of tourism nights increased by 13% and that of tourist arrivals by 18% compared to a year earlier

In May 2024, 1.6 million guests spent 3.7 million tourism nights at tourist (commercial, private and other) accommodation establishments1. The number of arrivals was 18% and tourism nights 13% higher than a year earlier. The number of nights spent by domestic guests increased by 5.1% and international tourism nights by 21%. In January-May 2024, domestic guests spent 4.9% and international guests 13% more tourism nights in tourist accommodation establishments than in the same period of the previous year.

In May 2024:

Overall, the number of arrivals and tourism nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments grew by 18% and 13% respectively. 70% of tourism nights were at commercial accommodation establishments, where turnover was 9.4% higher than a year earlier. Private and other accommodation establishments registered 22% more tourism nights than a year earlier.

The number of domestic tourist arrivals increased by 10% and that of domestic tourism nights by 5.1% compared to the same month of the previous year. Tourist arrivals numbered 822 thousand and the tourism nights spent 1.7 million at tourist accommodation establishments, within which commercial accommodation establishments registered 583 thousand tourist arrivals and 1.2 million tourism nights. 69% of the latter were spent at hotels, where the number of tourism nights was 7.3% higher than a year earlier. The number of domestic tourism nights spent at private or other accommodation establishments was up by 9.4% compared to May 2023. The number of tourism nights spent by domestic guests increased the most in the Sopron tourism area2 (by 13%) and decreased the most in the Tokaj and Nyíregyháza region (by 9.4%) compared to the same period last year. The number of nights spent by domestic guests in tourist accommodation increased by 19% in Budapest and by 5.8% at Lake Balaton.

The number of international arrivals increased by 29% and international tourism nights by 21% compared to the same month last year. The 789 thousand guests having arrived at tourist accommodation establishments spent around 2.0 million tourism nights there, of which commercial accommodation establishments registered 559 thousand guests and nearly 1.4 million tourism nights, respectively. 80% of the latter were spent at hotels, where the number of tourism nights was 18% higher than a year earlier. The number of international tourism nights spent at private or other accommodation establishments grew by 36% compared to May 2023. The number of international tourism nights increased most in the Gyula region (by 84%), and decreased most (by 16%) in the Pécs region compared to the same period last year. The number of international tourism nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments increased by 29% at Lake Balaton and by 21% in Budapest.

A total of 27,067 tourist accommodation establishments, within which 2,708 commercial and 24,359 private or other accommodation establishments welcomed guests.

Of commercial accommodation establishments, 979 hotels and 1,114 boarding houses were open for part or all of May.

The total gross sales revenues of tourist accommodation establishments amounted to nearly HUF 88 billion, which was 20% higher at current prices than a year earlier.

Széchenyi Recreation Card was used by cardholders to spend HUF 3.3 billion, 15% less at current prices, at tourist accommodation establishments compared to the same month of the previous year.

In January-May 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year:

Tourist accommodation establishments registered a total of around 13.7 million tourism nights, up 9.1%.

Domestic guests and international guests spent 4.9% and 13% more tourism nights respectively (6.4 million and 7.3 million) in tourist accommodation establishments.

Summary data

Indicator Value Change on same period of previous year, %
May 2024 January-May 2024 May 2024 January-May 2024
tourist accommodation establishments of which: commercial accommodation establishments tourist accommodation establishments of which: commercial accommodation establishments tourist accommodation establishments of which: commercial accommodation establishments tourist accommodation establishments of which: commercial accommodation establishments
Domestic tourism
nights, thousands
1 7161 2086 3734 7035.13.44.94.3
International tourism
nights, thousands
1 9901 3777 2945 09720.915.213.08.8
Tourism nights,
total, thousands
3 7062 58613 6679 80013.09.49.16.6