Lake Balaton Town Is the Most Popular Rural Destination

According to the 2024 aggregate local overnight stay figures, the town of Siófok is once again the most popular rural destination in Hungary, with a total of 1.3 million overnight stays, second only to Budapest, Turizmus.com reports.

According to statistics by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), a total of three million guests spent 8.6 million nights in commercial and private accommodation in the Lake Balaton region. The number of guest nights is 4% higher than in the same period in 2023. 71% of the guest nights in 2024 were from domestic guests and 29% from foreign guests.

Among the municipalities of the Lake Balaton region, Siófok was the first in terms of total guest nights in 2024 (8.6 million in total), followed by Hévíz, Balatonfüred, Zalakaros, and Keszthely.

In a national comparison, in 2024, Siófok generated the highest number of nights after Budapest (16 million), followed by Hajdúszoboszló, Hévíz, and Balatonfüred.

The number of guest nights in Siófok recorded by the tax office of the municipality – calculated on the basis of tourism tax revenue – was 1,346,000 guest nights between January and December 2024. This is higher than the previous record year 2023, and 23.2% higher than in 2019. 61% of the guest nights in Siófok were spent in commercial accommodation and 67% of the guest nights were from domestic guests, meaning that the number of foreign guest nights increased by 4%, above the regional average.

Most of the foreign guests came from Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Austria.

In 2024, the Siófok Tourinform office in the Water Tower was visited by more than 46,000 guests, 9% more than in the same period in 2023. Office visitation figures for 2024, exceeded those for 2023, in all months except July, with March, November, and December exceeding 2023, by more than 10%, also reflecting an increase in popularity outside the summer period.

Summer attracted the most visitors to Lake Balaton, but the spring, autumn, and winter months were also favorable for city tours and other leisure activities. Many more people were interested in the cultural values of Siófok and the surrounding area, and in new attractions for children and families.

The emblematic Water Tower, an exhibition space and viewing platform since 2023, attracted more than 40,000 visitors last year.

Via Turizmus.com, Featured image: Facebook/Siófok Guide