The 2025 season was professionally evaluated by MOL Nagyon Balaton, which has been a key player in the cultural and tourist life of Lake Balaton since 2013. This year, the events included in the program – including the Valley of Arts, Palozna Jazz Picnic, VeszprémFest, STRAND Festival, Tábor Festival, Plázs Siófok, Gyárkert, Kultkikötő, Be Massive series, Lidl Balaton swim and CODE Veszprém – attracted a total of around 730 thousand visitors to the region, writes Index’s recent analysis.
According to the professional assessment coordinated by Weekend Event, festivals and cultural events continue to be one of the most important driving forces of Hungarian tourism. Participants typically spend several days around the lake, book accommodation and generate significant turnover in the hospitality industry.
“Balaton has become a cultural brand”
“Since its inception, our mission has been to make Balaton one of the most attractive destinations for domestic tourism through cultural events,” said Norbert Lobenwein, one of the founders of MOL Nagyon Balaton. He added that the brand now also functions as a kind of trademark, designating those events that represent quality tourism. The majority of visitors buy tickets, consciously prepare for the events, and attract a nationwide audience – many arrive by train, bicycle or car, which also means significant revenue for the region’s service providers.
5000 programs in half a year
The events related to MOL Nagyon Balaton offered a total of around 5000 programs in 2025. The Valley of Arts once again stood out with its quality and quantity of offerings, while the Kultkikötő celebrated its 20th anniversary: the company organized regular theater performances and concerts in several locations in the Balaton region. The team led by Viktor Nagy, who was recognized with the Best of Balaton Lifetime Achievement Award this year, has done a lot to diversify the cultural offer at Lake Balaton.
According to the report, the popularity of domestic bands and performers has also increased: several hundred Hungarian performers gave concerts around the lake, but the number of international performers has also increased, which plays a key role in building the cultural brand of Balaton.
Stable attendance, increasing costs
According to the organizers participating in the survey, the number of paying guests has more or less stagnated during the summer season, which they consider a favorable result compared to previous expectations. Some events, including the Valley of Arts, the STRAND Festival and Peter’s Terrace, reported a smaller increase. However, costs have increased everywhere, while sponsorship revenues and per capita consumption have not increased significantly, emphasized Zoltán Fülöp, head of Weekend Event.
Based on feedback from participants and settlements, the programs received high satisfaction, with an average rating of four to five.
