Hungary's public support for 2024 Olympic bid growing

About 63 percent of adult Hungarians queried support Hungary's bid to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to data from the latest public opinion poll taken in December and released on Wednesday by the Budapest 2024 Nonprofit Corporation.

That is a 12 percentage point increase in support since the last poll, taken roughly six months ago, Budapest 2024 said.

It also became clear that 95 percent of the 1,014-person random sample was aware that Hungary was among the bidders to host the Games along with Paris and Los Angeles.

The support rate among Budapest residents, the true perspective hosts, had also increased to 55 percent, bid organizers said.

Among young adults between age 18 and 29, fully 71 percent supported the bid, they added.

The poll included questions on why people supported the Olympic bid. Just under 90 percent thought it would get the world to know Budapest and boost tourism. About 76-77 percent agreed that it would be a source of pride to residents, enhance the national self-respect of Hungarians and/or that the Games would support the advance of Hungarian sports. Somewhat over 67 percent thought it would be a job creator.

According to Budapest 2024, 34 percent of respondents thought holding the Olympics in Hungary was economically unviable.

The poll itself was taken between November 30 and December 10, using Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). The pollster said the sample reflected the true socio-demographic ratios of the adult Hungarian public.

The International Olympic Committee will choose the host in Lima, Peru, on Sept. 13. Enditem