Chinese Tourist Groups Are Back in Hungary

The first group of Chinese tourists to arrive in Budapest on an official group visa since the pandemic, arrived on a direct Air China flight from Chongqing, and were welcomed at a ceremony at Liszt Ferenc International Airport on Wednesday, shared Zsófia Jakab, deputy director general for marketing and communications at the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ).

Yesterday’s event is a milestone in tourism, as China is one of the largest foreign markets in the world with nearly 200 million outbound travelers, which is also of great importance for Hungarian tourism. The travel offers of Chinese tour operators, which exclusively offer Hungarian destinations, could soon multiply the number of visitors.

Since the opening was announced, there have already been about 36,000 overnight bookings by Chinese people this year, and advance bookings in the country have tripled compared to this time last year.

Thanks to direct flights to Chongqing and Shanghai, inbound tourism from one of our most important long-distance markets could experience a huge boost, Zsófia Jakab said when welcoming the group of Chinese tourists.

Last week, only individual visa holders flew in, and on Wednesday, the first official Chinese group travelers arrived, she added, stressing that this could contribute to record guest traffic results again since 2019.

Since the reopening, the Hungarian Tourism Agency has actively encouraged travel agencies to take their groups on a longer trip to explore other parts of Hungary besides Budapest.

Thus, new rural destinations such as the Pécs-Villány tourist region, Eger, Lake Balaton and Hévíz, Debrecen and its environs, as well as Pannonhalma, have been included in Chinese tour packages, which have now been extended to 8-10 days.

Thanks to the developments of recent years, modern accommodation, renovated castles, palaces, and other attractions, the Hungarian tourism infrastructure has become even more competitive. This fits well with the changes in Chinese travel habits since the pandemic.

Tourists from China are more receptive to local, unique experiences and authentic cultures. They are more attracted to new or rediscovered destinations that they visit in smaller groups and are willing to spend more money on, the MTÜ concludes.

Featured photo via Tamás Kovács/MTI