According to Zoltán Guller, president of the Hungarian Tourism Agency, it is a recurring phenomenon that rumors about a weak season at Lake Balaton spread every summer. He emphasized that such “fearmongering” is unprofessional and harmful, as tourists may avoid the region if they believe business is slow – he said in a recent interview with Index.
The latest data shows that nationally the number of guests exceeded 12 million, 7 percent more than last year, while guest nights rose by 3.5 percent and accommodation revenues by 17 percent. Catering revenues grew by 7 percent, and SZÉP card top-ups and spending increased by 8 and nearly 12 percent respectively compared to the same period last year.
At Lake Balaton, 2.3 million guests have been registered so far, nearly 2 percent more than last year, while accommodation revenues grew by 11 percent. In the summer months alone, accommodations generated revenues of HUF 88 billion, with hotel guest nights up 3 percent. Among foreign tourists, Germans, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks and Austrians were the most numerous, with Polish guest nights showing an increase of more than 16 percent. Data from BAHART also reflect positive trends: passenger traffic on pleasure boats rose by 6.8 percent in June, 2.8 percent in July, and 5.5 percent in August.
Local hospitality players: full houses and strong results
Key figures of Balaton’s hospitality industry also dismissed reports of a decline. According to András Csere, director of Hotel Helikon in Keszthely, hotels are operating nearly at full capacity, surpassing last year’s base by 7 percent. Balázs Csapody, owner of Kistücsök, said that tourism surged at the beginning of August, with quality restaurants experiencing full houses everywhere. He stressed the importance of extending the season, noting that both the pre- and post-season are visibly strengthening. Csaba Baldauf, director of the Kolping Hotel in Alsópáhok, reported a 7–8 percent rise in guest nights in June, near full occupancy in July, and strong bookings expected in August.
Lake Balaton keeps its record pace
According to the president of the Hungarian Tourism Agency, all indicators confirm that Lake Balaton is performing at least as well as last year’s record season. Although unfavorable weather and the absence of major events such as the Balaton Sound may have somewhat held back visitor numbers, advance bookings until the end of September remain strong, with nearly 122,000 reservations representing 372,000 guests.
Guller concluded that Balaton is a shared national treasure whose reputation must be protected. Hospitality stakeholders unanimously stressed: “thank you very much, Balaton is doing well.”
