General tourism in Hungary has been higher in almost every month of 2024 compared to the statistics from 2023, according to the database of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH). Between January and September of this year, approximately 14 million guests stayed at domestic accommodation, marking a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Last year’s holiday season saw nearly 1.1 million guests spending their holiday season in Hungary. Although statistics for accommodation bookings for November 2024 haven’t been released yet, the consistently high rates of tourism thus far are seen as a cause for optimism for the last quarter of the year.
In the meantime, the capital city is once again hosting an array of Christmas markets, smaller gastronomy festivals and other seasonal activities, which are already attracting large crowds from both local and international communities.
The stunning Advent Basilica, taking place at the foot of the monumental Szent István-bazilika, is one of the biggest holiday attractions in the country. The fair has not only returned for its 14th year but has also broken a record; Advent Basilica has this year been voted “The Most Beautiful Christmas Market in Europe” for the fourth time, the first holiday fair to achieve this honor.
According to Hungary Today, nearly 375,000 travelers from 179 countries cast their vote, with Advent Basilica at the top of the ranking with 51,253 likes, the most votes ever recorded for a single fair. The award-winning advent market again boasts its own ice-skating rink with a tall, decorated Christmas tree in the center and nearly 150 exhibitors showcasing local and foreign culture in booths on either side. A stunning, colorful light show will also be projected onto the wall of Saint Stephen’s Basilica every evening.
Classic Christmas
The Vörösmarty Classic Xmas market hosted at the nearby Vörösmarty tér is also preparing for a large crowd; the market attracted some 600,000 visitors last year, making it one of the largest, most visited holiday fairs in Europe. Once again this year, exhibitors await visitors with handcrafted products, festive specialties and delicious Christmas treats. The main attractions of the fair are the 12-meter tall, decorated Christmas tree and the mini-railway chugging around the square.
Budapest’s two principal Christmas fairs will host “thematic gastro-weekends” throughout the holiday season, with different foods highlighted and served every weekend. Guests can experience local culinary traditions with goose, pork and fish dishes alongside stews and goulash, stuffed cabbage, desserts and a weekend of dishes centered around alcoholic ingredients.
The maximum price for each specialty meal during the thematic weekends is HUF 2,500. For good luck in the upcoming year, Advent Basilica will also host a Lentil Day festival on Jan. 1.
Returning for its second year after a positive reception by guests, the Corvin Hütte market will also host a wide array of exhibitors at the Corvin Promenade, centered around holiday gastronomy. Like the culinary concept at Advent Basilica and the Vörösmarty Classic Xmas, the theme of the dishes here will also vary weekly. Visitors can try local dishes and foreign specialties, meals and drinks alike, including vegetarian and vegan options.
The Corvin Hütte opened on Nov. 23 and will run until Dec. 24, while the main Vörösmarty Classic Xmas and Advent Bazilika markets opened on Friday, Nov. 17, and will welcome marketgoers until Jan. 1.
Opening hours vary for all locations, generally opening late in the morning until late at night. The fairs also operate on holidays with reduced hours, and admission is free of charge at every location.
Seasonal Boost
Although statistics from recent years indicate a consistent rise in Hungarian tourism during the holiday season, a significant post-holiday drop in visitors has also been observed. To combat this, Visit Hungary Ltd., a subsidiary of the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ), has launched its first winter tourism campaign from early January to late February 2025.
The campaign hopes to boost post-Christmas travel to Hungary in the winter months, with the agency offering a 20% discount on more than 300 partnering accommodation venues, regardless of the length of the stay.
The Hungarian Conservative cited Olivér Csendes, CEO of Visit Hungary Ltd., saying that the campaign also intends to incentivize Szép card spending among Hungarians, as “cardholders used over HUF 327 bln during the first nine months of the year, approximately HUF 92 bln still remained on these cards by September’s end, partly due to concurrent increases in Szép card top-ups.”
The annual Christmas markets and festive attractions contribute in large measure to the high rates of seasonal tourism in Hungary, with an increasing number of Hungarians choosing to spend their holiday season at domestic accommodation alongside guests from abroad. With the constant development of tourism campaigns and the expansion of Christmas attractions, the country hopes to see a surge in seasonal tourism rates in the coming years.
Editor’s note: The Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) was contacted on a couple of occasions to provide further background to this story but had not replied by the time we went to print.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of November 29, 2024.