Chinese Police Patrols to Assist Hungary With Surging Chinese Tourist Influx
The head of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office, Gergely Gulyás, has announced that Chinese police patrols will assist with tourists from China in Hungary.
This move comes as Hungary faces a surge in Chinese tourists, with numbers multiplying recently. Gulyás pointed out that similar agreements are already in place with Austrian, Slovak, and Slovenian authorities due to high tourist inflows from these countries, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
Prime Minister Gulyás also noted that while the Chinese police patrols will be present to aid tourists, they are not permitted to take action or use their weapons within Hungarian territory.
Hungary Considers Surveillance System Collaboration with China
Last month, Bence Rétvári, the government secretary for internal affairs, announced that Chinese officers would assist the Hungarian police, mainly in overcoming language barriers with Chinese tourists and protecting their interests in Hungary.
Rétvári also mentioned the possible cooperation with China in the surveillance system of the interior ministry, “Szitakötő” (dragonfly). This system aims to identify wanted vehicles or persons using its cameras quickly. The Hungarian government plans to install 35,000 cameras, with estimated costs reaching HUF 40 billion (€100 million), according to a 2019 article.
In 2022, a Chinese police service centre operating in Budapest was reported. The NGO Safeguard Defenders identified 54 such “police service centres” set up by the Chinese government in 21 countries, mainly in Europe.
Hungary Saw a Surge in Chinese Tourist Arrivals Last Year
In January-July 2023, Hungary saw a nearly fourfold increase in Chinese tourist arrivals compared to the previous year.
As the Hungarian Tourism Agency reports, Budapest remains the top choice for Chinese tourists, with Szentendre and Pécs also attracting significant numbers. Television shows promoting Hungary have boosted its appeal among Chinese travellers. Meanwhile, South Korean visitor numbers to Hungary also surged four times, and American tourists increased by 35 per cent.
In the first five months of 2023, Hungary welcomed 19,000 Chinese visitors who spent a total of 70,000 nights in the country. In 2019, Chinese visitors stayed an average of just 1.6 nights, but by 2023, this has nearly doubled to 3.7 nights.
In March 2023, Hungary also welcomed its first group of 22 Chinese tourists at Budapest airport, marking the end of nearly three years of COVID-19 restrictions.
The towns of Szentendre and Pécs were popular spots for Chinese travellers. South Korean tourists also increased, with their numbers four times higher in the first seven months of the year.
Most visitors were aged between 25-44, making up 52 per cent of South Korean tourists and 63 per cent of Chinese tourists.
