Hungary's tourism surplus jumps 44.8% in Q1-Q3

Foreigners' spending rose 5.2%, while Hungarians' spending abroad fell 12%. Hungarians were more frugal because of the sharp weakening of the forint during the period. Of the Ft 726 billion spent by foreigners, 36.7% was spent on accommodation and catering, 11.7% on food and drink, 15.7% on other goods and 9.5% on transport. Foreigners spent 7.2% on medical and health-related services and just 5.2% on cultural, sports and other tourism services. They spent 3.5% on fuel.
A total of 29.679 million foreigners visited Hungary in January-September. About 22.298 million spent just one day in the country. Of these day-trippers, 50.2% were just passing through the country and 22.4% came to shop. Visitors spending a single day in Hungary spent a combined Ft 182 billion in Q1-Q3, 42.4% of which was spent on shopping. 68.7% of foreign visitors who spent more than one day in Hungary were tourists and they spent Ft 545 billion in Q1-Q3. Business travelers accounted for 12.8% of foreign visitors for more than one day. They spent Ft 109 billion. 12,753,000 Hungarians traveled abroad in Q1-Q3, 7% fewer than in the same period a year earlier. The number of day-trippers fell 4.6% to 7,802,000 and the number of those leaving the country for several days declined 10.6%. 46.0% of those leaving the country for just one day went shopping, 15.1% left to work, and 31% were tourists. 76% of Hungarians traveling abroad for several days went on holiday, 9.4% went business trips and 9.2% left to work. Hungarians on one-day trips spent a total of Ft 65 billion abroad in Q1-Q3. 63.5% of this was spent on shopping. Hungarian tourists leaving the country for several days spent Ft 357 billion.