State tourism agency Magyar Turizmus (MT) will focus on domestic tourism and increasing the number of tourists visiting Hungary from neighboring countries in 2009, MT Marketing Director Balazs Szucs said at a press conference in Budapest on Monday.
Magyar Turizmus Chairman Akos Niklai said that strengthening cooperation within the tourist industry, concentration of resources toward the promotion of tourism within Europe and maintenance of marketing activities at their present level with regard to non-European destinations are also among the organization’s 2009 objectives. Mr Niklai added that MT furthermore intends to intensify cooperation with airlines and to increase the number of visitors arriving to Hungary via bus and train in 2009.
MT CEO Ivan Rona said that the organization has outlined three priorities for the next three years — improving Hungary’s image, raising tourism revenue and reducing the territorial and seasonal concentration of tourism.
Mr Rona noted that MT expects that hotel and accommodation turnover stemming from both foreign and domestic tourism will stagnate in Hungary next year, while over the following two years the number of tourists will increase 3-4pc, the number of guest nights will increase 1-2pc and turnover will rise 3-4pc per year. MT estimates that foreign turnover at private accommodations in Hungary will increase by 5-7pc in the next three years and that domestic turnover will rise by 10-12pc at such accommodations in that time.
National Bank of Hungary data shows that Hungary recorded a tourism surplus of EUR 1.3bn in 2007 and EUR 619m in the first half of 2008.
Mr Rona said that MT will have access to approximately HUF 5bn in state funds in 2009, similar to the sum available in 2008.
Mr Niklai remarked that an expected decrease in real wages in 2009 could have a negative impact on tourism revenue, though this decline could also serve to increase the popularity of less costly domestic tourism destinations. Foreign tourists are likely to stay closer to home next year, while the average duration of tourist visits and expenditures are likely to decline.
Mr Niklai said that a resolution of the current strike at Budapest Ferihegy International Airport is of key importance to the tourism industry. The MT chairman noted that if the strike results in the loss of just 1,000 tourists, this would cost the Hungarian tourism industry some HUF 200m in revenue.