Tourism in Hungary is under threat due to a decrease in the water level in the Danube

Cruise ships were blocked north of Budapest due to record low water levels in the Danube, which dealt a blow to the economically important tourism sector of the country. This was reported on July 16 by the Reuters news agency, citing Laszlo Somody, director of the Hungarian tour operator MAHART-PassNave.

"Currently, river cruise ships can still enter Hungary, but several of them are stuck or waiting in ports due to low water levels," Somody said.

According to the Hungarian Water Resources Management, the river level has dropped to 41 cm in the capital, which is comparable to historically record levels. Because of this, according to Somody, several cruise liners are unable to continue their flights and are idle in Budapest and the southern city of Mojac.

According to the Hungarian tour operator, due to flight cancellations, the total number of bookings in July 2026 fell by 18%. Such a decline could be a significant blow to the economy, as with the development of tourism in the country, international river cruises began to generate most of the income for the Hungarian shipping industry, Somody said.

At the same time, he stressed that the decrease in the water level in the Danube is a long-term trend and, despite attempts by Hungarian shipping companies and ports to adapt, the water level is increasingly falling below operational limits.

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Bloomberg reported on July 15 that Germany's manufacturing sector is at risk of disruptions due to the drying up of the Rhine River in extreme heat. It was clarified that the decrease in the water level in the river makes it difficult to transport along this important waterway, which "overshadows the prospects for the recovery of Europe's largest economy."