Hungary experiences total disappearance of Russian tourists
The number of Russian tourists visiting Hungary has dramatically decreased since the outbreak of the war, according to the Association of Hungarian Tour Guides. Due to sanctions, Russian tourists can only enter Hungary through transfers, which makes the journey more costly and time-consuming. The decline in Russian guests is visible in the statistics of hotel guest nights. At Lake Balaton, the number of Russian guest nights decreased to one-twentieth compared to 2019. In Hévíz, where Russian tourists used to make up a significant number of guests, there is a substantial decline. The loss of Russian guests is significant, as they usually spend 10-12 nights in Hungary using its many services.
The difficulty of air transport is the main reason for the bleak picture. The EU banned all Russian airlines from its airspace last February, making direct flights impossible. Hence the tourists mainly come from Baku, Istanbul and other cities by taking long detours. This situation is reflected throughout Europe, with the number of Russian tourists decreasing by 90-95 percent.
The Hungarian Tourism Agency emphasized that the decline in visitor traffic from Russia is especially felt in spa towns. Although the situation is not favorable for Hungary, Chairman Péter Szijjártó has noted that the country is developing new markets in Asia to compensate for the decline in visitors.
