New data from the Central Statistics Office (KSH) show a slight improvement for Hungary’s hotel sector in the first quarter of 2008, reports business daily Világgazdaság, with guest night creeping up by 1% and income by 3% over the same period last year. This as the number of foreign tourists increased year on year by more than 8% in January and February.
The gains were largely due to a 13% jump in foreign guests arriving from within the EU spending an average of 7% longer, compared to the same period in 2007. The figures were also influenced by the fact that Easter fell in March this year.
Meanwhile, the statistics for hotel stays by Hungarians were more mixed. Though the number of domestic guests increased by 2%, they spent 4% fewer nights in hotels and pensions. Broken down, the number of guest nights was a net increase of 1% for hotels, but a drop of 3% for pensions.
The overall occupancy rate was 39.3% on average, half a percent lower than in Q1 in 2007, but hotel revenues in the first two months rose by 12.5%, almost double the projected figure of 7%.
Turnover around the Lake Balaton area dropped by 4%, while it increased by 8% in Budapest hotels. The hotels with the highest turnover were in Western Transdanubia and Central Hungary, and the lowest turnover was registered in Nógrád and Tolna counties.
The average cost of one night was Ft 13,633 (€54.5), while there was a sevenfold difference between the prices in one-star and five-star hotels.
As of the end of Q1 of this year, 731 hotels, 886 pensions and 313 hostels and campsites were operating throughout the country.