Karmen Kanyo, Sales Manager at Hunguest Hotels Group – We are ready for business tourists, team building, conferences and seminars

(Karmen Kanyo) Hunguest Hotels is one of the biggest hotel chains in Hungary, with 24 three- and four-star facilities, nearly every one of which is connected to one of the renowned Hungarian spas and bathing complexes. The group includes family wellness hotels and congress, city and spa hotels. Finally, there are two hotels on the coast of Lake Balaton, which are ideal not just for summer, but for all seasons.

That tourists from Serbia are very important to this group is shown by the fact that Hunguest Hotels once again took part in the Belgrade Tourism Fair, where we talked to Sales Manager Karmen Kanyo.

We were interested to find out what the group offers to its business tourists, as well as those who wish to rest and relax in one of their hotels.

The Hunguest Hotels offer is so diverse that they have facilities with 20 rooms, as well as those with as many as 800 accommodation units. The number of rooms within the group amounts to a total of 3,900.

eKapija: Which countries do most guests come from? How many tourists from Serbia are there?

– Guests from Germany are still the most numerous, followed by those from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Poland. The number of Russians has increased again, and guests from Serbia are in the 8th spot. Last year, we had around 5,000 guests from Serbia. Your market is extremely important to us and we are constantly working on having more and more tourists from Serbia.

eKapija: What was the last year like when it comes to business tourism? Which conferences would you highlight?

(Conference hall at Forras hotel) – The last year was very successful for us. Recently, we've had increasingly more corporate contracts with big companies. I'd highlight Telekom, Bosch, pharmaceutical companies, medical congresses, faculties, Google congresses etc. The majority of conferences is still organized through intermediaries and professional organizers.

eKapija: How do you organize team building sessions? Where can Serbian companies find information about them?

– Guests from Serbia find the team building sessions in our hotels the most interesting. All hotels provide some kind of additional service outside the conference halls. There's a possibility of organizing programs in the aqua-park, the wellness section, the hotel's park, and, of course, we can also organize any type of external program through our animators. The ideal places for team building sessions are wineries, adventure parks, sports courts etc. Information on hotels and programs can be found on our website.

eKapija: Hunguest Grandhotel Galya is located on a mountain. Tell us more about this congress hotel.

– The hotel is located on the Matra, around 1.5 hour's drive away from Budapest. For those looking for fresh air, marvelous surroundings, peace and quiet, Hunguest Grandhotel Galya is the best choice. I would like to highlight the conference hall with a view to the mountain. The hotel is unique for the fact that the park features a jacuzzi with a view to Kekesteto, Hungary's highest peak. An adventure park is located nearby, offering numerous programs for companies.

eKapija: You also have a seaside hotel – Hunguest Hotel Sun Resort in Herceg Novi. What does this hotel offer to business tourists? How satisfied are you with business results?

– The hotel is located on the very coast of the Adriatic Sea, and is suitable for gatherings, conferences and seminars thanks to its spacious conference hall, featuring modern equipment and providing 135 seats in an amphitheater-style arrangement. Furthermore, the hotel contains a covered parking lot for around 70 cars. The three restaurants in the hotel's park offer Mediterranean and international food and drinks. As well, guests are provided with a grill-balcony, a brewery and an ice-cream shop. The complex also includes a multifunctional sports court for tennis, basketball, volleyball and other sports, and a bocce court as a special feature. We should strengthen seaside congress tourism in the preseason and the postseason.

eKapija: What sets Hungary apart from other countries when it comes to business tourism?

– Nearly all our hotels are directly connected to renowned spas or bathing complexes and therefore offer additional services to all companies. Aside from the business features, they are provided with an opportunity to fully relax. Aside from wellness, there are our world-renowned wineries and our unique fine food.

eKapija: What are the most popular destinations in Hungary when it comes to business tourism?

– The most popular destinations are Budapest, the Balaton area, Szeged, the Gyula spa and the mountains.

Hunguest Hotel Millennium *** superior Budapest

(Daytime relaxation) Hunguest Hotel Millennium superior Budapest is a city hotel with a capacity of 20 to 270 rooms. The hotel is located next to the Groupama Arena football court and the main bus station. The subway line 3 can be reached by foot in 5 minutes, providing quick access to the city's center to the guests.

Hunguest Hotel Forras *** superior Szeged

Szeged is the closest city to the Serbia-Hungary border. The fully reconstructed Hunguest Hotel Forras provides everything needed for organizing conferences. A trip down the highway from Belgrade to Szeged takes only two and a half hours. There's a reconstructed restaurant capable of accommodating 400 guests, a lobby bar, conference halls ( with capacities of 450, 150, 100, 80 and 50 guests) and sectioned halls for up to 20 guests. The hotel's unique garden is suitable for organizing top-standard programs and garden events. All halls are air-conditioned and feature natural light. Forras is the only hotel in Szeged connected by a warm passage to the bathing complex Napfényfürdő Aquapolis and is therefore a great choice for team building sessions.

Hunguest Hotel Erkel ***/****, Gyula spa

The Gyula spa is a place for a successful organization of any type of conference. Hunguest Hotel Erkel provides business guests with two buildings. The Hunyadi Matyas hall, with a conference area of close to 390 square meters can accommodate 290 people in a theater arrangement, whereas Hunyadi Szalon can take in another 100 people. Smaller meetings and gatherings can be organized in Erzsébet, Corvin, Beatrix, KinizsiPál, Kristófi halls in Hunyadi Janos. These halls are an excellent place for conferences, meetings, family gatherings, weddings and exhibits in a top-quality environment. Each hotel arrangement includes tickets to Aquapalota and the Varfurdo spa. Team building programs are organized per request, whether in a bathing complex, in a hotel with help by an animator, in the city itself...

Hunguest Hotel Bal **** near Lake Balaton

(Hotel Bal) Throughout the year, Hunguest Hotel Bal **** offers an excellent view of Lake Balaton. The facility contains a 500 m2 wellness center with a unique indoor pool, a steam bath, a Finnish sauna... In summer, Lake Balaton offers a variety of sports options, both in the water and on the beach. Guests looking for an active vacation shouldn't worry about the cold days either, as there are also fitness and aerobics facilities, as well as a squash court.

The hotel is suitable for both small and large events, with up to 500 participants, conferences and training sessions. Ski Lounge & Board Room, with its unique panoramic view of Lake Balaton, is located on the hotel's upper floor. It is especially suitable for VIP events, exclusive receptions and wine tasting sessions.

Hunguest Hotel Pelion **** superior

When it comes to Balaton and its surroundings, Hunguest Hotel Pelion in Tapolca, a city renowned for its cave, featuring 20 km long halls, certainly stands out. A 228-room hotel with a conference capacity of up to 800 people offers numerous programs for companies. The offer includes a wellness center with pools and saunas, squash and tennis courts, a wellness cave beneath the hotel, wine tasting, quad programs, paintball etc.

The Special Edition newsletter "Congress Tourism and Business Travel – Seize the Opportunity" can be found HERE.

Hunguest Hotels Zrt.