What Can We Expect from This Year’s Autumn–Winter Season?

We sat down with our experts to explore the market dynamics expected for the final months of 2025 and early 2026.

Last year’s autumn season had a slow start, but many hotels could finally breathe a sigh of relief by year-end – though only after a serious sprint. The last two quarters of 2024 were clearly driven by a surge in last-minute bookings. The festive period performed far better for most properties, but the beginning of the year still required significant effort. Following a summer season made even more challenging by autumn-like weather, it’s only natural to ask: What kind of dynamics can we expect for the end of 2025? Is the amount of September bookings enough to relax a little? And how should we plan our resources for the weeks ahead? We explored all this with our experts.

Rural Destinations: Earlier Black Friday and Continued Price Competition

Last year’s autumn season painted a mixed picture. Based on data from June to August, most rural destinations (including Lake Balaton, the Mátra–Bükk region, and others) experienced significant shortfalls in advance bookings. In the end, it was extremely last-minute demand that saved the autumn of 2024, particularly for 3- and 4-star hotels, as well as 5-star properties in Balaton and Budapest.

At Lake Balaton, weather had a noticeable impact: occupancy data closely followed the weather – improving on warmer days, dropping on cooler or rainy ones.

So what should we expect this year?

We’re not predicting drastic changes, but there are key factors to keep in mind for the rest of the year:

• Last-minute bookings are here to stay:
  Individual travellers will likely continue the last-minute trend, especially in the still-warm months of September and October.
• Cautious corporate spending:
  In the group segment, companies are expected to remain cost-sensitive, leading to slower advance bookings in many regions. Especially before the holiday season, many corporates will finalise year-end event locations at the last minute – and they will be based on price.
• Intense price competition:
  With reduced corporate spending, rural hotels may face stronger price competition, with many likely to lower their average rates to maintain volume. The 5-star segment around Lake Balaton will be particularly competitive due to increased local capacity.
• Earlier Black Friday campaigns:
  In rural markets, Black Friday campaigns are expected to start as early as early November. Alongside major OTAs, hotels’ own direct voucher campaigns will continue to gain traction.
• Attractive festive packages are essential:
  Based on our experience, advance bookings for the holiday season began slowly but steadily in August. To maintain momentum, competitive, appealing packages are crucial.

• 2026 pricing is already live:
  Summer 2026 bookings have already begun in August this year, so early autumn is an ideal time to lock in high occupancy at strong rates to start the new year.

Budapest: Stronger Corporate Demand and Autumn Bookings – but More Work Ahead for Q1

Despite an unpredictable autumn start, Budapest hotels opened the season strongly in 2024. Even with a significant increase in available rooms, hotels managed to grow in occupancy, ADR, and revenue – even without major sporting events or international concerts.

How might the capital differ from other regions this autumn–winter?

• Advance bookings are key:
  While summer was clearly driven by last-minute demand, autumn and winter in Budapest often attract guests who plan ahead.
• Packages don’t attract international guests:
  In international markets, location and its advantages are more persuasive than bundled offers. Messaging should focus on accessibility, proximity, and experience – as these factors influence booking decisions more than discounts or packages.
• Seasonal promotions work:
  Black Friday and holiday campaigns have proven effective in driving demand in the capital – and should be a key part of strategy this year too.
• High interest in festive season:
  Christmas is becoming increasingly popular in Budapest. In 2024, average occupancy for Christmas already reached 60% by early autumn. New Year’s Eve was fully booked early on, delivering double-digit growth compared to 2023. November, however, remains a challenge – it’s traditionally hard to make attractive for potential guests.
• New flight routes show impact:
  Most visitors are expected again from the USA, UK, Germany, and Italy. But thanks to Budapest’s improved accessibility, the number of Chinese and Asian travellers is also on the rise.
• Corporate spending remains strong:
  Business travel and conferences are increasing again. However, last-minute corporate bookings are becoming more common, which creates major planning challenges – especially for traditional year-end corporate events, where stronger price competition is expected.
• Low direct bookings, high reliance on intermediaries:
  Direct bookings still hover around 10% for Budapest hotels, meaning most properties must continue to rely heavily on intermediaries. It’s also worth noting that January and February typically see weaker demand, and occupancy must be driven with continuously updated, competitive pricing.

The autumn–winter season of 2025 will not allow anyone to sit back. In addition to the individual traveller segment, groups and corporate bookings will demand even more attention. This unpredictable market requires fast reactions – but it’s far from unmanageable.

With Everguest Services’ outsourced revenue management, your hotel gets a full team to ensure you’re always present on every channel with the most competitive pricing. And when it comes to tactical communication, a performance-based, e-commerce-style approach can make all the difference.That’s where Everguest Services’ PPC and performance marketing team comes in. Get in touch with us today – and let us help you get the most out of the final months of 2025 and the start of the new year.