Starting from November, catering establishments and tourist attractions will also join the National Tourism Data Supply Centre (NTDSC), ensuring that Hungary’s most comprehensive, real-time big database will help the development of the Hungarian tourism sector. These goals were affirmed by the signing of a joint statement by the Hungarian Tourism Agency and major representatives of the profession.
With the addition of the catering establishments and attractions, a true picture of the entire sector will be available from the second half of next year. As a result, it will be possible to determine exactly who to target, where, and with what messages in campaigns, and where additional developments are worth supporting. Together with Hungarian tourism service providers, the Hungarian Tourism Agency is working to implement the digital transition in all areas of the sector, preparing players to move forward towards a more modern, successful future. This process has now reached another milestone.
A significant component in the amendment to the Tourism Act is that, following the accommodation sector (providing current data on 42,000 accommodation sites), catering establishments and attractions will also be required to join the NTDSC. After the transition, we will have a clear picture of catering establishment capacities, utilisation and the main consumption categories, all of which shed light on interesting correlations. In the case of attractions, we will be able to see what types of tickets are purchased at what time, what the preferred payment method is, and when the ticket is used. The system covers not only museums, manor houses and castles, but also festivals, baths, and all other venues where tickets are sold. Registration starts in November, and data reporting in July 2022.
The government has set the development of innovative technological solutions and processes as a strategic goal in tourism, as well as the encouragement of a digital attitude. The present step serves the same end, greatly contributing to making tourism a true leading sector in the Hungarian economy.
***
STATEMENT FOR THE DATA-DRIVEN TOURISM OF THE FUTURE
If our goal is the long-term competitiveness, sustainability and effectiveness of the branch, digitalisation is unavoidable and essential for companies working in the sector.
Together with Hungarian tourism service providers, the Hungarian Tourism Agency is working to create the conditions necessary for a digital transition in all areas of the sector, preparing players to move forward towards a more advanced, modern and successful future. In the interest of the above, the new National Tourism Development Strategy has marked out a hitherto unseen path for development centred around data-driven sector management.
With the introduction of the National Tourism Data Supply Centre, Hungary is at the forefront of this process. Since the NTDSC was launched in 2019, the entire accommodation service sector has entered the 21st century world of digital data recording. Statistical data are received daily providing a unique opportunity for tourism-related marketing activities and for planning support.
The tourism sector has now reached the next important milestone. By joining the system, the signatories consent to making current information pertaining to the entire sector available, thus contributing to the development of the Hungarian economy.
Though the tools may change, the goals remain the same:
- we are working on being able to welcome as many guests as possible,
- the sector should provide jobs for hundreds of thousands of people to make a living,
- tourism should again be a leading sector in the Hungarian economy.
We are convinced that by joining the system of regular, digital data reporting, Hungarian catering establishments and tourist attractions are serving the shared interests of the sector. Hungarian tourism can only become the leading sector of the future if there is comprehensive online data reporting. We believe that this cooperation can give the tourism and catering industries a new impetus. We know the goal, success only depends on us. A new age is dawning in Hungarian tourism.
2021.10.14. 
2022.01.04.
