Fewer guests spent fewer nights

On the commercial accommodation services market, the decline that started early 2009 continues, the trend does not seem to turn yet. In January-August 2009, 2,173 thousand foreign guests spent 6,350 thousand nights at commercial accommodation sites; compared to the same period in 2008, the number of guests and nights spent decreased by 12 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Fewer tourists came from 8 of the 10 most important sending countries, with only Austria and the Czech Republic as exceptions. In the case of Great Britain and the United States, the number of guest nights spent was down by 26 percent and 27 percent, respectively. At the same time, Slovakian citizens spent more guest nights, by 31 percent. In hotels, which make up for 77 percent of guest nights spent by foreign tourists, the number of nights spent decreased in practically each category. In the examined period, 2,761 thousand domestic guests spent 6,939 thousand nights at commercial accommodation sites, 6 percent less in terms of both indicators. In hotels (which make up for 59 percent of domestic guest turnover), the number of nights spent fell by 7 percent; pensions also fell behind last year’s performance in the same period, by 13 percent. In the examined period, the number of guest nights spent at Lake Balaton and Budapest was lower by 9 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Commercial places of accommodation generated a gross sales turnover of HUF 152 billion in January-August 2009.