Number of tourist arrivals (1.1 million) up 1.1% year-on-year and tourism nights (nearly 2.7 million) down 5.9%
In March 2025, 1.1 million guests spent nearly 2.7 million tourism nights at tourist (commercial, private and other) accommodation establishments1. Due to Good Friday and Easter falling entirely in April this year and the 15 March holiday not linked to a long weekend, the number of tourist arrivals and that of tourism nights spent were 1.1% and 5.9% lower respectively than a year earlier. In January-March 2025, the number of domestic and international guests arriving at tourist accommodation establishments was 0.7% and 16% higher than in the same period of the previous year.
In March 2025:
Overall, the number of tourist arrivals and of tourism nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments decreased by 1.1% and 5.9%, respectively. Based on seasonally adjusted data, the number of arrivals expanded by 8.4% and that of tourism nights by 5.6% compared to March 2024. 73% of guests arrived at commercial accommodation establishments, where their number remained unchanged from the previous year. Private and other accommodation establishments recorded 4.0% fewer tourist arrivals than a year earlier.
The number of domestic tourist arrivals and of domestic tourism nights were 7.6% and 13% lower respectively than in the same month of the previous year. Based on seasonally adjusted data, the number of domestic arrivals grew by 4.5% and that of domestic tourism nights by 0.9% compared to March 2024. The 548 thousand domestic guests spent nearly 1.2 million tourism nights at tourist accommodation establishments, within which commercial accommodation establishments registered 419 thousand tourist arrivals and 885 thousand tourism nights. Hotels received 83% of the latter arrivals, where their number remained unchanged compared to a year earlier. The number of domestic tourist arrivals in private and other accommodation was 19% lower than in March 2024. The number of domestic tourist arrivals decreased in all tourism regions compared to the same month last year, with the largest decrease in the Sopron region (23%). The number of domestic arrivals in tourist accommodation establishments was 9.6% higher in Budapest and 8.1% lower at Lake Balaton.
The number of international tourist arrivals was up by 5.6% and that of international tourism nights by 0.7% compared to the same month of the previous year. Based on seasonally adjusted data, the number of international arrivals grew by 23% and that of international tourism nights by 16% compared to March 2024. The 601 thousand international guests having arrived at tourist accommodation establishments spent 1.5 million tourism nights there, of which commercial accommodation establishments registered 416 thousand tourist arrivals and around 1.1 million tourism nights. Hotels received 87% of the latter arrivals, where their number was 3.4% higher than a year earlier. The number of foreign tourist arrivals in private and other accommodation establishments was 10% higher than in March 2024. Compared to the same month of the previous year, the number of international tourist arrivals increased the most (by 34%) in the Pécs region and decreased the most (by 18%) in the Eger region. The number of international arrivals to tourist accommodation establishments increased by 9.6% in Budapest and decreased by 15% at Lake Balaton.
A total of 20,797 tourist accommodation establishments, within which 2,179 commercial and 18,618 private or other accommodation establishments welcomed guests.
Of commercial accommodation establishments, 919 hotels and 930 boarding houses were open for part or all of March.
The total gross sales revenue of tourist accommodation establishments amounted to HUF 69.1 billion, 6.2% more at current prices than a year earlier.
Széchenyi Recreation Card was used by cardholders to spend around HUF 2.3 billion, 12% less at current prices compared to the same month of the previous year, at tourist accommodation establishments.
In January-March 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year:
Tourist accommodation establishments recorded a total of nearly 3.2 million tourist arrivals, up 8.4%.
The number of domestic and international tourist arrivals was up by 0.7% and 16% respectively (1.5 million and nearly 1.7 million) in tourist accommodation establishments.
Summary data
| Indicator | Value | Change on same period of previous year, % | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2025 | January–March 2025 | March 2025 | January–March 2025 | |||||
| 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 tourist arrivals, thousands | 548 | 419 | 1506 | 1172 | –7.6 | –3.5 | 0.7 | 2.8 |
| International tourist arrivals, thousands | 601 | 416 | 1677 | 1145 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 16.4 | 10.8 |
| Tourist arrivals, total, thousands | 1149 | 835 | 3184 | 2317 | –1.1 | 0.0 | 8.4 | 6.6 |