Tourism, catering

It is particularly important to present, in addition to our regular and detailed publications, the current situation of the areas most affected by the pandemic with flash estimates using a limited information base. Our WEEKLY MONITOR presents the economic and social impacts of the pandemic through daily, weekly and monthly updated preliminary data as a collection of interactive diagrams.

In December 2020, food service sales totalled HUF 61 billion due to ongoing strict Covid-19 measures, down more than 50% from a year earlier at constant prices. Sales in December were also lower than in November, breaking the trend of previous years. Annual sales fell by 31.9%, with commercial food service providers seeing above average declines, and workplace food service providers recording below average declines. Workplace food service providers have a smaller market share than commercial food service providers.

As a result of border crossing restrictions and Covid-19 protection measures for commercial accommodation, domestic tourists spent 89% fewer tourism nights in commercial accommodation establishments (hotels, boarding houses, camping sites, bungalow complexes and community hostels) compared to the same period of the previous year. International guests spent 96% fewer nights. 70% of all tourism nights were spent by domestic guests. Total gross sales of commercial accommodation establishments, calculated at current prices, were 93% lower than in December of the previous year. The number of domestic tourism nights decreased by 53% compared to the previous month, based on seasonally and calendar-adjusted data. In 2020, the number of tourism nights was 58% less than in 2019.

Passenger traffic at Hungary's external Schengen border sections was 56% lower in December 2020 than a year earlier. 54% fewer people crossed the border last year than in 2019 as a result of the pandemic and related measures. The number of road border crossings fell most at the Croatian border (–63%) and least at the Romanian border (–43%), with mainly smaller border stations seeing above average decline.

In the third quarter of 2020, 50% fewer foreign visitors spent 54% less in Hungary year-on-year due to Covid-19. Very few visitors came from outside Europe. Working trips fell the least. Hungarian trips abroad fell by 54% in number, with overnight trips seeing a reduction of almost one day in average length of stay.