Tourist agency: SZÉP card spending reached a peak

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 01. 17. 11:35

Spending on the SZÉP card peaked in 2023, the currency remains the engine of domestic tourism, the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) told MTI on Wednesday.

According to the information, SZÉP card spending last year exceeded all previous records: in 2023, users spent HUF 449.4 billion, which exceeded the previous year by 17 percent and more than doubled compared to 2019 (+136 percent), and it also rose by 61 percent in real terms.

The SZÉP card turnover of tourist service providers increased by more than 14 percent on an annual basis even though in the last five months of 2023 cold food could also be purchased with the cafeteria device. According to the data of the National Tourist Information Center, most of the SZÉP cards were spent in hotels, including four-star hotels.

Last year, 516,000 users used their SZÉP card to pay their bills at the accommodation facilities. In addition, they were still happy to pay with it in restaurants and at tourist attractions.