MTÜ president: Hungarian tourism made history last year

By: Trademagazin Date: 2026. 02. 02. 11:51

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Last year, Hungarian tourism made history, which is a common success for the tourism industry; growth was measured in all segments in 2025 – the president of the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) emphasized on Sunday at the 33rd Tourism Season Opening Gala at the Budapest Congress Center.

Zoltán Guller highlighted: a country of approximately ten million people welcomed more than twenty million guests last year.

The Central Statistical Office measured 19.5 million guests, but this does not take into account the approximately 600 thousand foreign tourists sleeping on hotel ships. This also means that Hungarian tourism has reached the twenty millionth guest number earlier than planned, he underlined.

He pointed out:

According to the data so far, the growth of Hungarian tourism exceeded the EU average by 2.5 times, and the tourism sector contributed 14 percent to the Hungarian GDP.

Among the achievements of the past ten years, Zoltán Guller highlighted the introduction of the National Tourism Data Service Center (NTAK) system, which provides accurate information on the situation of tourism, and on which data-driven sector management is based.

He called the airport’s recovery significant, because the dynamic increase in passenger numbers also stems from the fact that the state and the airport owner-operator finally have a common goal: that as many aircraft as possible arrive in Budapest.

He added: the reduction in VAT on hospitality or accommodation services and the accommodation development of the Kisfaludy program are important results, with the latter providing more than 400 billion for the development of hotels in rural Hungary, and in addition, for a few months now, the Kisfaludy Tourism Credit Center has been providing fixed 2.5 percent loans to all tourism businesses.

According to Zoltán Guller, Hungarian tourism has reached a stage where it is not possible to invite significantly more tourists to Hungary with these current capacities. In the coming years, they are working to ensure that not more tourists come to the country, but tourists who spend more and stay longer.

The president asked the industry to think together on several topics, including the example of a shortage of 10-15 thousand hotel rooms in Budapest, which the market should build up over the next four years with the help of state loans.

Another issue is the Airbnb issue, which will also disappear in two districts of the capital. The issue of Danube tourism in Budapest is also important, as there will be new regulations for ship moorings from 2027.

The systemic renewal of hospitality is also such a topic, partly with the already announced 5+1 package of measures, which will return approximately 100 billion forints to the sector, in accordance with the detailed rules to be published in the gazette next week – he listed.

He also asked for suggestions from the profession on the topic of the renovation of Budapest’s historic baths and the energy development of baths of national importance, as he called the creation of a new, large-scale tourist attraction necessary.

The industry’s opinion is also awaited on the topics of digital, data-driven and sustainable tourism. He announced: Olivér Csendes’ mandate as CEO of Visit Hungary will expire at the end of February.

Olivér Csendes said that his mandate will end. He recalled:

According to the National Tourism Development Strategy, the sector has set a goal of reaching 20 million guests and a 14 percent GDP contribution by 2030.

He called it a huge achievement that these numbers were already achieved last year. This could only be achieved through teamwork, he emphasized.

Máriusz Révész, State Secretary for Active Hungary, spoke about the fact that the economic potential of active tourism is growing year by year, and anyone who ignores this will suffer a competitive disadvantage.