The number of Hungarians travelling to European seaside destinations rose by 64% this summer compared with the same period in 2025, while total summer passenger traffic increased by 40%, online booking portal repjegy.hu told MTI on Tuesday, citing its latest booking data.
The increase in demand for summer travel may also have been supported by changes in prices. According to the portal’s analysis, airfares to most of the destinations surveyed fell by an average of 12–20% compared with the same period last year.
The company attributed the decline in prices partly to the strengthening of the Hungarian forint and partly to an expansion in supply. The two major low-cost airlines were operating simultaneously on several routes, which may have resulted in increased price competition, said Zoltán Holczinger, head of the online business division at repjegy.hu.
He added that the increase in summer traffic was not evenly distributed throughout the season. At seaside destinations, the number of passengers in May was only around 20% higher than a year earlier, but by July the increase had reached 80%. September is currently up 28%, although this figure could still rise as bookings for late-season trips continue to come in.
The company said this summer also brought several destinations into the spotlight that had previously been less popular.
Bari, Tirana and Alicante were among the destinations attracting the most interest, while passenger numbers to Malaga, Rimini and Zadar also increased significantly, reaching two to three times the level recorded in 2025.
The trend suggests that, alongside traditional holiday destinations, Hungarian travellers are increasingly looking for cities and regions that are directly accessible and offer a Mediterranean atmosphere while also providing a more novel experience, the company said.
(MTI)
