Hungarian tourism has moved to the next level in recent years. The government’s goal is to turn Hungary into the region’s leading tourism destination, the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minster stated at a press conference held on Tuesday in Budapest.

Csaba Dömötör recalled that the government is helping the sector’s development with tax reductions, direct grant programmes and targeted promotional campaigns.

According to his information, last year the number of guest nights increased to more than 15 million which is double the 2010 corresponding data. At the same time, during the same period the number of passengers using the Liszt Ferenc Airport increased by 80 per cent. The sector provides jobs for more than 420,000 workers now which is the equivalent of more than 10 per cent of the total number of people in employment, the State Secretary pointed out.

Mr Dömötör said while in 2010 there was not a single Michelin-star restaurant in Hungary, today there are half a dozen, and last year as many as 5,000 conferences were organised throughout the country.

He highlighted that security which is an ever more precious asset in today’s world adds to Budapest’s natural appeal.

Budapest is one of the safest cities in the world and in Europe, and as long as this government is in office, it will stay that way, Mr Dömötör pointed out.

(MTI)