Hungary recorded significant growth last year in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market, partially thanks to an increase in international events held in the country.
The number of conferences organized by domestic organisations rose by 21.6%, while the number of international events held in Hungary increased by 10% in 2017 from a year earlier, according to data from the Hungarian Tourism Agency (Magyar Turisztikai Ügynökség - MTÜ).
 |
The total number of participants was up by 6.5% at 647,640. Domestic events accounted for 495,448 participants within this total. Delegates at international events numbered 179,192, 11% more than in 2016.
British organizers had a 19.5% share in international conferences, followed by US, German and French organisations with 18%, 17.7% and 7.2%, respectively.
More than 80% of MICE events were held in Budapest, while the most popular countryside locations were Szeged, Pécs, Székesfehérvár, Debrecen and Visegrád.
The events lasted for about three days in average, unchanged from 2016, and most of them were organized in May, October and November.
