MBH Analysis Center: Hungarians are taking more vacations and spending more abroad every year

At the beginning of the summer, the MBH Analysis Center examined, among other things, what destinations Hungarians choose for their vacation abroad and how much time they spend on it.

The statement recalled that, after the record year of 2023, the desire of Hungarians to travel abroad reached a new peak in 2024. Not only did the number of trips increase, but also the amount spent, although not as spectacularly as in 2023.

According to the analysis, Hungarian citizens spent a total of 1,733 billion forints during their trips abroad in 2024. This figure is nominally 9 percent higher than the 1,585 billion forints in 2023 and 60 percent higher than the 2022 level. This shows that the Hungarian population has returned to international tourism after the pandemic years and is spending more intensively than ever.

The exchange rate effect obviously played a role behind the jump experienced in 2023, with the average exchange rate of the forint strengthening against the euro from 391 to 382 this year, the analysis pointed out.

Last year, Hungarians spent a total of 66,000 days abroad, and nearby, easily accessible countries continue to be the most attractive for travelers. Thus, Austria, Germany and Slovakia are in the top three, followed by coastal destinations such as Greece, Croatia, Italy and Spain.

In terms of spending, a similar order is visible, but the data showed that Hungarian tourists spend more in Greece than in other coastal countries. And significantly less in Croatia, the statement reads.