Benchmarking of the Tourism Performance of Hungary from a Territorial and Demand Perspective Between 2019 and 2022, With a Special Focus on The Tourism Performance of The City of Eger

Abstract

The results of the Author's research highlight the extent and direction of the spatial reallocation of domestic tourism indicators. Until 2019, the primary driver of spatial reallocation was the different allocation of resources. However, between 2020 and 2021, the pandemic also played a significant role in increasing spatial competition. In 2022, however, there were almost no restrictive measures to limit the flow of visitors and no change is expected for the rest of the year. This year could therefore be a key year for tourism indicators, which could be a predictor of the development of the competitiveness of destinations in the short to medium term. The present study uses these results to assess the current situation of tourism competitiveness in the city of Eger and to examine possible future directions. The tourism performance of the "Baroque capital" has always been of particular importance, as it was not mainly through the sale of health tourism products that it was able to be a prominent player in the list of the most visited TOP destinations in Hungary. However, this privileged status has come under threat in recent years, as several other settlements have appeared in the TOP category as challengers to Eger, which are similarly not based on health tourism products and are not settlements on the shores of Lake Balaton. The results of the study are of practical importance and can be used in the planned development of the city of Eger's tourism competitiveness.