Spa industry in Hungary - statistics & facts
Hungary is known as one of the most popular European destinations for health and spa tourism due to its abundance of thermal water springs and relaxation opportunities. By 2023, bath industry revenues had recovered from the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) and reached pre-pandemic levels, peaking at over 238 billion forints. However, these high revenues were generated by a considerably lower number of guests, with significantly fewer foreign tourists visiting the country’s thermal spas.
Even though Hungary’s baths have increased their revenues through hiking ticket prices, visitor number still have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. It remains to be seen whether the country’s spas have lost their appeal or guests will gravitate back in time.
Spa culture has a long-standing history in Hungary
The region’s spa culture traces its roots back to Roman times, as waters from thermal springs running under Hungary’s surface have long been known for having medical benefits. However, bathing culture truly started gaining popularity in the region during the Ottoman occupation. Over time, bathing complexes were constructed on the territory of today’s Hungary, ranging from traditional Turkish baths to modern bathing establishments. As of 2023, over 430 baths were registered in the country, out of which 137 were thermal spas. During the same year, baths operating in the country’s capital, Budapest, recorded the highest revenue totaling 49 billion forints, followed by Zala county with a revenue of 42 billion forints recorded over the same time.Are foreign tourists losing interest in Hungarian spas?
Wellness is one of the main pillars of the Hungarian tourism industry. Besides domestic visitors, each year, thousands of international tourists arrive in the country to visit its world-famous spas. However, while domestic tourism swiftly recovered after the years marked by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, international wellness tourism has lagged behind. The number of foreign tourists taking wellness trips to Hungary still showed a 53 percent decrease in 2023 compared to 2019 to, with only 235,000 inbound wellness trips recorded. Consequently, expenditure on inbound wellness trips was considerably low, registering only a slight increase compared to the previous year. Between 2018 and 2023, the spending of foreign tourists while on wellness trips in Hungary decreased by nearly 66 percent.Even though Hungary’s baths have increased their revenues through hiking ticket prices, visitor number still have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. It remains to be seen whether the country’s spas have lost their appeal or guests will gravitate back in time.
