Small apartment, larger apartment building or hotel: the answer depends mainly on size and location

The short answer is not yes or no. The ROI of accommodation marketing in Hungary in 2026 not a general rule, but business model issue. The situation is different for a 2-apartment, 12-person accommodation, different for a 6-apartment, 27-person unit, and completely different for a larger hotel. In addition, a decisive factor is that the accommodation Is it among the strongest domestic tourist locations?, or rather operates in a settlement with weaker demand.

The Hungarian market is big enough in itself to be worth talking about. In 2024, nearly 18 million guests turned around, the number of guest nights 44.2 million increased, and accommodation revenue reached 1050 billion forints. This was a record year, and there was no sign of a collapse at the beginning of 2026: in January 2026 it was still close to 1.1 million guests and about 2.4 million guest nights appeared in domestic accommodations. That is, the demand exists. The question is, how to make the most of this demand Who takes a bigger part: the platform or your own channel?.

Why do many people feel that accommodation marketing is unnecessary?

Because platforms are truly extremely powerful. According to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), the number of short-term accommodation nights booked on online platforms in 2024 Increased by 17.6%. This is almost in line with the EU trend: the number of short-term guest nights booked on online platforms in the EU in 2024 854.1 million increased. According to the European hotel market benchmark, direct channels still accounted for the largest share in 2023, 50.9%, but the share of OTAs still 29,6% was, and Booking within the OTA market 71%-type This means that platforms are not just intermediaries, but the main engines of demand generation.

Therefore, the correct question is not whether marketing, but that Does it make sense to spend on your own channel outside of the platforms?. If your own marketing cannot return at least as much value as you would save on platform commissions, then you are actually just building a new cost into your operation. This logic is also supported by the European Commission's hotel distribution market study: OTA commissions are a clearly identifiable sales cost, while marketing costs alone do not guarantee bookings.

Location is not a secondary factor, but one of the main decision points

Hungarian tourism is highly concentrated. According to the KSH top list, Budapest generated the most guest nights in 2024, followed by settlements such as Hévíz, Hajdúszoboszló, Siófok, Balatonfüred, Bük, Sopron, Zalakaros, Debrecen, Sárvár, Eger, Szeged, Gyula, Miskolc, Pécs, Győr, Harkány and Keszthely. The NTAK also highlighted that among the strongest rural settlements in 2024 Siófok, Hajdúszoboszló, Hévíz, Balatonfüred and Zalakaros were in the lead. The Balaton region itself 8.6–9 million guest nights in 2024, and Budapest generated about 60%-at gave.

From a business perspective, this means that the same marketing budget is worth completely different in Budapest, Hévíz or Siófok than in a settlement with weaker demand outside the top 20. In a strong destination, marketing does not have to create interest from scratch; it is more important to better channel existing demand. In a weaker location, however, marketing often does not „drive” demand, but tries to buy demand itself, which is a much more expensive and uncertain game.

Small apartment: here the return on your own marketing is the weakest

For a small accommodation with 2 apartments and around 12 people, the biggest problem is volume. The total annual turnover is often simply not large enough to fund a separate marketing system. There is typically no strong brand, few returning guests, and the platforms are convenient and bring high conversion. Based on European benchmarks, smaller units are much more OTA-dependent than larger accommodation.

At this size, in-house marketing is usually only worthwhile if three conditions are met simultaneously: the location is strong, the accommodation stands out visually or in terms of experience, and there is a chance of direct rebooking. A small apartment in Budapest, Siófok or Hévíz starts from a better position than a less sought-after settlement with the same capacity. But even in top locations, the realistic strategy is often that the platform remains the main channel, and in-house marketing is more of an accessory: your own website, Google Company profile, remarketing, email collection, activation of returning guests. The goal is not to completely replace the platform, but to reduce dependency.

In Hungarian: for small apartments in Hungary in 2026, own marketing is mostly not the primary profit driver, but only in certain locations and for certain concepts it can become a sensible investment. For most of these units, OTA will remain the main sales infrastructure.

Medium apartment building: this is where the math can start to work out

The 6-apartment, approx. 27-person category is completely different. Here the volume can be so large that the saved commission can be a noticeable amount in absolute terms. If the accommodation is in a top 20 destination and has some of its own brand power or a returning base, then marketing can no longer be a mere experiment, but a realistic profit optimization tool.

In this category, the right goal is typically not to replace the OTA. Given the growth of platforms, this is not a realistic mass strategy anyway. A much better model is for the OTA to bring in the first booking, and the in-house system to try to get the next one. The stronger the location and the greater the differentiation that can be built from the guest experience, the greater the chance that the direct ratio will gradually increase. Lake Balaton, spa towns and several strong rural destinations are more favorable terrain in this respect than weaker, lesser-known locations.

Therefore for a medium-sized apartment building, the answer is no longer that it's not worth it, but that depending on location and positioning, it may be worth it. In a top location, with a good photo opportunity, with its own web booking option and follow-up, yes. Outside the Top 20, with weak demand and without a unique advantage, however, even at this size, the return on investment can easily slip.

Hotel: here marketing is more of a distribution control than an optional cost

In the hotel category, the issue is different. Here, own marketing is not simply an „extra channel”, but a means to ensure that the accommodation does not completely hand over customer relations to platforms. According to HOTREC data, direct channels continue to account for the largest share in Europe, and the role of real-time booking on the own website has also increased in the past decade. This shows that for hotel-sized players, their own digital channel is no longer a luxury, but a basic business infrastructure.

The Budapest hotel market is a particularly good example of this. According to CBRE’s 2024 Budapest Hotel Market Summary, hotel room nights and revenue figures in the capital city have remained strong, and the market has continued to expand, supported by international demand. With such volume, we are already talking about a significant amount when commissions, ADR and occupancy come together. For a hotel, even a few percentage points of improvement in the direct ratio can have a significant financial impact.

Therefore, hotel in-house marketing in Hungary in 2026 will typically worth it, especially in strong locations. Not because OTAs should be eliminated, but because having your own channel increases price control, improves profits, and reduces platform dependency in the long run. So for hotels, the debate is no longer about whether to have marketing, but about whether to what extent should you rely on direct booking in addition to platforms?.

What does all this mean in terms of the top 20 Hungarian tourist destinations?

The top 20 environment is actually a multiplier. It does not guarantee marketing success, but it significantly improves its chances. In the case of Budapest, Hévíz, Hajdúszoboszló, Siófok, Balatonfüred, Bük or Zalakaros, the destination demand is stronger, the possibility of repeat traffic is greater, and it is easier to build an offer that the guest no longer wants to buy exclusively through a platform. The same can work in Miskolc, Eger, Gyula or Pécs, but usually with less direct demand and a more sensitive return. Outside the top 20, however, the weight of platforms is even greater, so own marketing there is a much riskier investment.

So the point is not that „it’s always worth it in Budapest” or „it’s never worth it in the countryside.” But that the stronger the location, the more likely it is that in-house marketing can generate profit; the weaker the location, the more OTA remains the rational main channel.

Verdict: When is it worth spending on marketing in 2026?

If I had to summarize it in one sentence: In Hungary, in 2026, the marketing is not for all accommodations it's worth it equally. For small apartments, it is usually only possible in a strong location or with a special concept. For medium-sized apartment buildings, it can be realistically profitable, especially in top 20 destinations. For hotels, it is usually no longer an optional extra, but one of the main tools for profit and channel control.

The right strategy for 2026 is therefore not either platform or marketing. It is this: the platform brings the first booking, and your own marketing tries to get the next one, cheaper and with more control. For those who do this well, marketing will not be a cost, but a profit-enhancing tool. For those who cannot demonstrate enough volume, a strong enough location, or a good enough direct offer, the platform will probably remain a better business.

Ultimately, the question is not marketing or Booking.
But it is that who owns the guest: you are the platform.

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