SabeeApp Research Reveals Key Summer Travel Trends in Hungary
In the early summer pre-season of 2025, occupancy at Hungarian accommodation providers increased by 24.9% compared to last year, according to SabeeApp’s research, Hungary’s leading hotel management software.
The growth is primarily driven by rural regions, where bookings rose by 37%. In Budapest, June and July are expected to be the strongest months, while in the countryside August remains dominant. Although last-minute bookings continue to be popular, this year more guests are planning ahead.
More travellers are booking in advance in 2025
SabeeApp has conducted comprehensive research on tourism trends for the 2025 summer season. The analysis examined data from nearly 600 domestic accommodation providers, including international hotel chains, family-run guesthouses and boutique hotels. The findings show that both Budapest and other regions of the country recorded almost 25% more pre-season bookings than last year, which is likely to result in higher occupancy during the summer months.
In 2024, pre-booking data for June indicated a projected occupancy of 17.3%; this year the same period shows 22.1%. In July, projected occupancy increased from 18.7 to 21.9%, while for August it rose from 14.2 to 18.7%. The growth not only reflects higher demand but also indicates that guests are planning their trips more consciously and earlier than before. This trend has been strengthening steadily since the pandemic and is expected to continue in the coming years.
“With nearly 25% growth in advance bookings at the start of this season, it is clear that accommodation providers equipped with digital tools, real-time data and flexible pricing solutions are in the best position to capture both planned and spontaneous travel demand,” said Szabolcs Herman, CEO and founder of SabeeApp.
Budapest leads early summer, while the rest of the country peaks in late summer months
Although the summer months are not traditionally considered a city-break season, Budapest is increasingly becoming a popular summer destination. Based on this year’s pre-bookings, guest arrivals in June are expected to rise by 32%, and in July by 18% compared to last year.
The trends suggest that June and July remain the most popular months in Budapest, while other parts of the country peak in August. Last year’s figures also support this: in August 2024, Budapest recorded 67% occupancy, while rural areas reached 71%.
Expectedly, the most sought-after destinations outside the capital include Lake Balaton and spa towns, where advance bookings are typically higher than in the rest of the country.
Top 5 cities around Balaton based on pre-season bookings:
• Siófok
• Balatonlelle
• Balatonfüred
• Balatonföldvár
• Szántód
Rural regions still see high levels of last-minute bookings
Although advance bookings are increasing year by year in both regions, last-minute reservations remain dominant across much of the country. According to SabeeApp’s data, around 72% of overall demand still arrives during the season itself or only a short time before the arrival date. This trend is particularly strong in rural areas of Hungary, where travellers often make spontaneous decisions based on weather, available leisure activities or short-notice family plans.
At the same time, a clear distinction can be observed between regions: guests travelling to Budapest tend to plan their stays more deliberately and further in advance, while travel decisions relating to the rest of the country are typically made with far less lead time.
SabeeApp: your partner in navigating an ever-evolving hospitality sector
At SabeeApp, we understand how rapidly the expectations of both guests and hoteliers are changing. Since the beginning, our aim has been to equip accommodation providers with the modern tools they need to operate efficiently and competitively. These include an all-in-one PMS, integrated payment solutions, guest communication and ID scanning applications, and housekeeping management tools.
“Hotel Rum already recognised in 2016 that a reliable digital system is essential for successful operations, which is why we chose SabeeApp. Since then, we have relied heavily on the PMS, Channel Manager and Booking Engine, which not only simplify everyday workflows but also make the entire guest journey smoother. For the teams at Hotel Rum and Hotel Gin, fast customer support and a user-friendly interface are particularly important – we can no longer imagine our daily work without them,” said Andrea Szabóné Horvát, Manager of Hotel Rum and Hotel Gin.