Guest nights fall on holiday base effect

The number of guest nights spent by domestic travellers fell by 8.9 percent to 1,316,000, and guest nights spent by foreign visitors slipped 0.9 percent to 1,570,000.

In January-April, the number of guest nights at tourism accommodations rose by 7.7 percent year-on-year to 9,961,000. The number spent by domestic travellers went up by 4.8 percent to 4,657,000 and the number spent by foreign tourists climbed 10.3 percent to 5,304,000.

The capital was the most popular destination in April, accounting for 1,250,000 guest nights. Lake Balaton was runner-up, with 369,000 guest nights.

Revenue of commercial accommodations, which include hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, camp sites, resorts and hostels, rose by 3.6 percent to 69.2 billion forints (EUR 180m).

Commenting on the fresh data, the national economy ministry said that revenues from the tourism sector in the first four months had made a “significant contribution” to the country’s economic growth.