Lake Balaton Increasingly Attractive During Off-season

Domestic tourism reached record highs in November 2024: the number of guests increased by 17 percent, while the number of overnight stays rose by 10 percent compared to the previous year, the Ministry for National Economy said in a statement.

According to the data of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) and the National Tourism Data Supply Center (NTAK), 1.2 million guests arrived at Hungarian accommodation establishments in November 2024, an increase of nearly 17 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

Hungary is becoming an increasingly attractive tourist destination internationally, with the number of visitors from abroad increasing by 23 percent to 639,000.

The number of nights spent by foreign visitors increased by 15 percent compared to the same month last year.

In November, domestic accommodation registered more than 2.8 million overnight stays, up nearly 10 percent year-on-year. Nearly 54 percent of the country’s total overnight, or more than 1.5 million nights, was registered in rural areas.

Lake Balaton was the most visited destination in November.

This is an important step towards making the Balaton region an attractive and popular tourist destination all year round, the Ministry said.

Lake Balaton. Photo: Pixabay

Budapest was also popular, with 46.3 percent of overnight stays recorded in the capital. The number of overnight stays in Budapest increased by 20 percent year-on-year to 1.3 million in November.

According to the available data, 16.7 million guests stayed in Hungarian accommodation establishments in the first eleven months of 2024. In January-November 2024, accommodation establishments recorded a total of 41.3 million guest nights, 5.6 percent more than in the same period of 2023.

Commenting on the data, the Ministry said that, based on current trends,

Hungary remains a prominent destination for travelers, and the country’s tourism growth provides a solid foundation for economic development.

They added that in order to further boost the performance of the sector, the government has launched sector programs worth HUF 15 billion (EUR 36 million) to improve the quality and competitiveness of hospitality establishments.