Budapest – Türkiye is still not where it should be in the Hungarian tourism market, according to Tolga Deniz Sarıyüce, Co-Founder of Sun & Fun Holidays.
Sun & Fun Holidays recently brought together leading Turkish hotels and major Hungarian travel agencies at a two-day workshop held in Budapest. The event aimed to promote Türkiye as a destination while strengthening cooperation between Turkish hoteliers and Hungarian travel professionals.
35 Turkish hotels meet over 300 hungarian agencies
Speaking to Turizm Ekonomi, the sister portal of Türkiye Travel News, Sarıyüce said the workshop hosted representatives from 35 Turkish hotels and more than 300 Hungarian travel agencies. Having lived in Hungary for 17 years, Sarıyüce noted that Sun & Fun is the country’s largest Türkiye-specialist tour operator, with additional operations in Slovakia.
“Our core business is Türkiye, which accounts for around 80 percent of our operations. We also run tours to destinations such as Greece, Egypt, Bulgaria, and Dubai,” he said.
“A market with unique characteristics”
Sarıyüce underlined that Hungary has a distinct market structure. “Hungarians are neither Slavic nor of Roman origin. This uniqueness shapes consumer behavior, and companies that do not understand the market struggle to succeed,” he said.
“At the same time, Türkiye has not yet reached its deserved position in Hungary. We make significant efforts as a company, but there are limits to what a single operator can achieve. With broader support, I believe Türkiye can reach the position it deserves here.”
Preference for upper-segment resorts in Belek and Side
Sarıyüce noted that Hungarians typically travel as families and show strong interest in culture. “The family concept is very important in Hungary. They mostly prefer upper-segment, beachfront hotels in destinations such as Belek and Side. Hungarians enjoy exploring, learning, and experiencing culture, making this market valuable not only for beach tourism but also for cultural travel.”
“Our 2026 target ıs 48,000 tourists to Türkiye”
Sun & Fun operates in Hungary through two brands: the traditional tour operator Sun & Fun and the dynamic tour operator Last Call. “Our main focus remains Sun & Fun. In 2025, we brought 42,000 tourists to Türkiye. This year, our target is around 48,000,” Sarıyüce said.
He added that global conditions point to a relatively stagnant 2026 season. “2026 will likely be slightly better than 2025, but expectations should remain realistic.”
Competing destinations now cheaper than Türkiye
Addressing price competitiveness, Sarıyüce said rising costs in Türkiye have been reflected in hotel and airline prices, leading to package price increases of 15–20 percent.
“While prices in Türkiye have risen, competitors such as Greece, Italy, Croatia, and Egypt have become more affordable. This negatively affects price-sensitive customers,” he said.
He added that Croatia is the clear leader in the sea-sand-sun segment for Hungarian travelers, followed by Greece, Egypt, and then Türkiye.
Turkish hoteliers value the Hungarian market
Sarıyüce emphasized that Turkish tourism professionals are aware of Hungary’s potential. “They value this market and are willing to invest. The participation of 35 hotels in our workshop is clear proof of this. From tour operators to hoteliers and airlines, we are all working for Türkiye.”
“Hungarians see Türkiye as a brother country”
Sarıyüce believes Türkiye’s brand positioning in Hungary has not yet been fully established but expects rapid growth. “Hungarians love Türkiye not only for its hotels and service quality, but also due to historical and cultural ties. There is a sense of kinship; they see Turks as brothers, and this feeling is mutual.”
Expanding beyond Antalya to the Aegean
Sarıyüce also announced new initiatives to diversify demand beyond Antalya. “This year, we are launching Aegean flights with SunExpress. We will operate to destinations such as Didim, Kuşadası, and Çeşme via İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport. Our goal is to showcase Türkiye’s tourism diversity and regional richness.”
