Bathhouses are taking a number of measures to cut costs over the winter period as a result of higher energy prices, such as partial restrictions on opening hours and the suspension of some services. By employing such measures, they hope to avoid closure.
“Everybody wants to stay open until the end of the year, most baths have a high turnover in December, Christmas and especially New Year’s Eve are important for everyone, and this year they are hoping for extra traffic from the winter break extended until January 9,” Zoltán Balogh, secretary general of the Hungarian Bathing Association, told Világgazdaság, a Hungarian economic site.
In Hungary, the government abolished the autumn break for schools this year, instead extending the winter break, and declaring a government administrative holiday. The break will now last three weeks, from December 22 to January 8.
Hungarians generally love going to thermal baths on weekends and holidays.
According to the general secretary of the bathing federation, the long winter break is the equivalent of a Christmas present for bathers, but they have a long way to go until then. He added that
none of the major players in the market are preparing to close, but are instead thinking of cutting back on services.
For example, the warm-water pool could become a cold-water plunge pool in some places, and opening hours would be shortened.
In the spirit of moving forward, a sauna competition will be held in Zalakaros, a famous spa town in western Hungary, at the end of the week, and similar thematic events are needed and demanded throughout the country.
Featured photo via MTI/Kovács Tamás; MTI/Komka Péter