Modest year for hotels

Though the number of guests buying commercial accommodation services was up by 1-2 percent in 2008, they spent fewer nights there, compared to 2007. The revenues generated by accommodation services were down by one percent. According to a KSH report, 3.5 million foreign guests spent a total of 9.9 million nights using commercial accommodation services last year. The number of guests from Germany, USA, Austria, Italy was down compared to 2007. Three star hotels produced an increase of 1 percent in terms of foreign guests, while five star hotels produced stagnation and other categories experienced decline. The number of domestic guests was 4.1 million last year, with 9.9 million nights. The number of guests was up by two percent, while the number of nights was down by one percent. Foreign guests arriving on business or for conferences accounted for 32 percent of the total. 11 percent of the rest came to visit spas. 31 percent of all hotel guests stayed in spa and wellness hotels, with the latter producing extraordinary growth last year. Only 29 percent of the guests buying commercial accommodation services used travel agents for booking their rooms. 28 percent of guests booked accommodation using the Internet. The highest occupancy rate in hotels was recorded in August (63.3 percent). The average occupancy rate for hotels was 48.5 percent in 2008. Gross revenues generated by commercial accommodation services totalled HUF 245 billion, out of which room revenues were HUF 139 billion. This was 1 percent lower than in 2007. The average gross room rate was HUF 14,964, while REVPAR was HUF 7,263. The average price of accommodation services was up by 7.5 percent in 2008, compared to 2007.