There is a growing demand for inspected dog-friendly accommodation, according to a joint survey by Szallas.hu and Kutyabarathelyek.hu. The dog-friendly search is the 13th most popular filter on RevNGo.com, used almost two hundred thousand times in May-August this year. Most of the owners travel with their dogs, so the destination and the choice of accommodation are influenced by pet-friendly options.
The camp of those who set out with their pets is growing, and more and more accommodation is opening their doors to them. 92 percent of animal-friendly screenings have looked for dogs in the last 3 years, according to an analysis by RevNGo.com. “The dog-friendly option is the 13th most popular filter on the site, used for nearly two hundred thousand searches in May-August this year, ” said Lili Kelemen, spokesperson for RevNGo.com. “ Its popularity has increased by 13 percent compared to last year, meaning it is being used at a higher rate, and its number has increased by 42 percent over the same period.” Only dog type filters, accommodation category, pool, SZÉP card and 100% financial security are more popular, but dog-friendly it precedes, for example, the category of spa accommodation or 4-star hotel. The cat-friendly filter is 51st on the list.
A surcharge of up to over HUF 5,000 can be charged for the dog per night
Together with Kutyabarathelyek.hu, Szallas.hu conducted a survey of 2,028 dog owners, which showed that two-thirds of respondents always, one-fifth usually travel with their dog, but every tenth rarely, and barely 2 percent of them never take their four-legged pet with them. Every second farmer travels domestically several times a year, 14 percent of them every month, and every fifth farmer gets up several times a month . When looking for accommodation, the basic consideration is whether the accommodation accepts dogs at all, and does so at an additional cost. Most hosts say that some important information may not be available on the accommodation data sheet so they need to follow up in person. “For example, for a host or dog company, it may be important how many dogs can come to an accommodation and what size, whether they can go up to the furniture and whether there are other dog-friendly places in the area such as restaurants, cafes, parks and where to go and where is not the dog - said Zsófia Schmidt, the founder of Kutyabarathelyek.hu. " At the same time, there is a huge demand for inspected dog-friendly places: 70 percent of respondents prefer these dog-friendly places."
Every second dog usually pays 10-20 thousand forints per night for accommodation, a third under 10 thousand forints and 15 percent between 20-40 thousand forints. In many cases, there is a surcharge for the dog. Most owners pay a maximum of one thousand or three thousand forints, 16 percent pay 3-5 thousand forints, the same 500-1000 forints as a surcharge, but 4 percent only go to a place where the dog can come for free. At the same time, one-fifth of them are happy to pay over 5,000 forints if they receive a quality service. Most owners prefer apartments, guest houses, cottages and boarding houses when traveling with a pet.
Although the majority is satisfied, there are areas for improvement
The survey also covered areas where dog guests feel deficiencies.
“Typically, there is a lack of an enclosed yard or runner or an intact fence around the accommodation, a dog shed or boarding house, a pool and bathing space, dog programs, and clear regulations on where and where the puppy can go,” said Kelemen Lili . The spokesman also added that in many places there is no dog dirt collection point and there are no clear markings on where the dog can go outside the room and where it cannot.
Lake Balaton, the capital and its surroundings, Northern Hungary and Western Transdanubia are the top destinations
Nearly a third of the domestic accommodation offer of Szallas.hu is pet-friendly, so those wishing to travel with a pet can choose from nearly 4,000 accommodation offers. Of these, 34 percent are in guesthouses, 32 percent in apartments, 11 percent in hotels, 10 percent in boarding houses, and 10 percent in other accommodation types. The highest proportion of hotels (49%) and boarding houses (40%) find a pet-friendly option. Of the accommodations prepared to accommodate four-legged people, 96 percent are dog-friendly and 78 percent are cat-friendly. According to Szallas.hu, every tenth dog-friendly option can be found at a wellness accommodation. Nearly two-thirds of the dog-friendly accommodations accept SZÉP cards. Similar proportions are true for cat-friendly places.
There is also a choice of preferred holiday areas. 25 percent of all dog-friendly accommodations are located around Lake Balaton, 9 percent in and around the capital, 12 percent in Western Transdanubia and 16 percent in Northern Hungary. This is good news for dogs, as according to the survey, Lake Balaton, the capital and its surroundings, Northern Hungary and Western Transdanubia are among the top destinations among them.
Not all four-legged guests can vacation with the owner
Those who do not travel with their dog usually leave their pet at home because they do not know dog-friendly places, or have a behavioral problem with their pet, or may not accept it due to being too old, young, or for other health reasons. But several stated that they could not relax if the quadruped four-legged was also there with them. “For a really relaxing dog holiday, a carefree trip, it is essential that our dog is properly socialized, knows the basic command words, listens to his owner. Without it, a hitherto unknown situation can generate tension in both the dog and the owner. ” - said Zsófia Schmidt - "In many cases, the dog owner has to decide as a responsible owner: there may be cases when it is in the dog's interest to stay at home." Puppies staying at home are usually sent to reliable relatives and friends, while the owner is on holiday or is visited and fed by neighbors and acquaintances. Only four percent of them can spend their “forced leave” in dog boarding, and 3 percent are cared for by a dog handler. The survey also found that 85 percent of campers traveling without their dog would take their dog with them more than once if they could choose from several dog-friendly places and find them easily.
(Source: marmalade.co.hu; szallas.hu | Image: pixabay.com)