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Budapest spas and thermal baths prove some of the most popular in Europe

Visitor numbers were up 3 percent to over 4 million in 2016. Revenue rose by 14 percent to 11.5 billion HUF (37m EUR)

Budapest's world famous thermal baths and open-air spas have proved some of the most popular in Europe, it has been revealed.

According to MTI, revenue rose by 14 percent to 11.5 billion HUF (37m EUR) last year, operator BGYH said.

Világgazdaság reports that visitor numbers were up 3 percent to over 4 million in 2016.

The number of visitors to open-air spas was down because of inclement weather in the summer and the closure of the Dagály baths for the construction of an aquatics center that will be the main venue for the FINA World Championships in July, but indoor baths drew 10 percent more people.

Some 1.5 million visitors bathed at Szechenyi and almost 600,000 visited the Gellert baths. Visitors at the Paskál baths doubled to 170,000 after a 1.4 billion HUF expansion. While the Dandár Baths attracted 140,000 visitors and the Király 90,000.