Budapest attracted 23 percent more visitors during this year’s St. Stephen’s Day celebrations compared to last year, the national tourism agency Visit Hungary announced on Tuesday. Between August 16 and 20, the capital registered 35 percent more domestic and 20 percent more international tourists.
According to the agency, hotels in Budapest hosted 133,000 foreign and 26,000 Hungarian tourists during the period, with total guest nights rising to 300,000, a 16 percent increase over 2024. Olivér, Csendes CEO of Visit Hungary, credited a successful international promotional campaign launched in July, which drew nearly 40 percent of foreign visitors from Italy, Germany, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom.
Hotel occupancy peaked on August 19, with room usage above 74 percent citywide and nearly 80 percent in hotels—12 and 7.3 percentage points higher, respectively, than last year. Revenues also surged, with Budapest accommodations reporting 7.1 billion forints in income over the holiday week, 28 percent more than in 2024.
Visitor data showed the Parliament area, Margaret Island, and the Castle Garden Bazaar were the most frequented sites. Many domestic travelers came from Debrecen, Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Pécs, and Szeged, while Europe’s largest fireworks display attracted 13 percent more one-day visitors nationwide.
Visit Hungary also distributed over six thousand copies of its Treasures of Budapest guidebook to hotels, with QR codes directing guests to festival programs and venues.