Hungarian spas: challenges and opportunities

According to Zoltán Balogh, Secretary General of the Hungarian Spa Association, guest traffic in 2024 will still not reach the level of 2019; the 90% decline is primarily due to inflation. Due to rising food prices and general living costs, many people are visiting spas less often. In addition, the prices of spa entrance tickets have also increased, partly due to significant energy price increases.

Spas are energy-intensive facilities, where the cost of electricity and gas has increased dramatically. In addition, water and sewer fees for non-residential consumers have tripled since this year. Additional burdens are posed by stricter regulations, which have made it mandatory to increase the frequency of water testing, review chemical use, and modernize medical pools.

As a result of rising costs, several spas were forced to switch to seasonal opening hours, while some places were forced to close. In the case of some settlements, maintaining the spa was such a burden that local governments could no longer finance the institutions.

According to Balogh, the stabilization of inflation and the increase in the minimum wage may offer some hope that more money will remain with families, which they can spend on leisure activities. At the same time, the possibility of using the SZÉP card for home renovation may further reduce the money flowing into spas. On the other hand, it is positive that use for sports purposes can increase the number of visitors to sports pools.

The Hungarian Spa Association has compiled a list of lesser-known but affordable spas, such as the Salvus Spa in Bükkszék, the Borgáta Spa or the Borbála Spa in Algyő. These facilities exude a more family-friendly atmosphere while tempting guests with lower entrance fees.