NGM: the SZÉP card does not slow down even after the summer, people spent nearly 33.2 billion forints in September, 7 percent more than last year

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 11. 04. 11:41

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The government is constantly working to ensure that Hungarian families can spend as much time and as much time as possible on recreation. The SZÉP card was one of the most important driving forces of domestic tourism in the first month of this autumn: the amount of spending amounted to nearly 33.2 billion forints, which exceeded the use in September last year by about 7 percent, the Ministry of National Economy (NGM) told MTI on Tuesday.

It was added that the SZÉP card also significantly contributed to the fact that 1.6 million guests spent 3.8 million guest nights in Hungarian accommodation in September, which is a new high for this month of the year.

According to the government’s decision, between December 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, it will again be possible to use the card to purchase cold food amounts on SZÉP cards. In this way, the government supports the expansion of the retail concept through the SZÉP card, in addition to the carefree vacation of families and domestic tourism.

– it was highlighted in the announcement.

In September 2025, cardholders spent a total of 33.2 billion forints from their SZÉP cards, 7 percent more than in September 2024. The total value of top-ups increased by 3 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 27.4 billion forints. In the ninth month of the year, the number of acceptance points also continued to expand, so cardholders can now use their SZÉP cards at more than 159,000 locations, which represents a 7.3 percent increase compared to the previous year – they explained.

They detailed that the most revenue in September was also due to the SZÉP card in the Balaton area, where 7 percent of domestic accommodation spending was provided by this payment method. The highest proportion of revenue was due to the SZÉP card in the Gyula and surrounding tourist area, where 11 percent of accommodation revenues from domestic guests were settled with the SZÉP card during this period. SZÉP card spending at accommodation increased the most in September in the Pécs-Villány region, by 15 percent.

The SZÉP card was one of the most important drivers of domestic tourism in the first month of this autumn: in September 2025, more than 1.6 million guests arrived at domestic accommodation, 8.3 percent more than in the same period of the previous year. The number of domestic guests exceeded 781 thousand, which represents a 5.3 percent increase compared to last year.

The number of guest nights was more than 3.8 million, of which domestic guests spent nearly 1.7 million nights at accommodation. In order to further strengthen domestic tourism, the government is making a 2.5 percent fixed-interest loan available to tourism service providers through the Kisfaludy Tourism Credit Center.

The government’s goal is for the SZÉP card to support the domestic recreation of as many Hungarian families as possible

– they wrote.

In the first nine months of the year, the total value of SZÉP card top-ups approached 338 billion forints, which exceeded the result of the same period of the previous year by 5.4 percent. The total value of spending on SZÉP cards amounted to almost 361 billion forints, which was 10.3 percent higher than in January-September 2024.

At the end of September, a total of about 96.7 billion forints was still available on the cards to support Hungarian families’ autumn and year-end vacations. According to the government’s decision, between December 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, cardholders can again use the amounts on their SZÉP cards to purchase cold food, the Ministry of National Economy informed.