The study reveals that in 2008 business travellers made up 15.9% of Hungary’s foreign visitors while 84.1% of them were leisure travellers. By 2015, the number of business travellers decreased by 28.2%, making up just 5.6% of foreign visitors that year.

The number of leisure travellers grew by 80.2% during the period. The structural changes have also affected hotel demand: overall guest nights spent by foreign visitors grew by 45% between 2010 and 2015 but guest nights in cheaper guest houses and hostels increased by 725%.

Cheap flights offered by low-fare airlines played a major role in attracting budget travellers to Hungary, the study said.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.