Has the frost become an unexpected economic driving force at Lake Balaton?

The aim of the initiative is to show that the reality of tourism in Balaton is much more colorful than what the statistics show. As Péter Éskovács, the project’s initiator, put it: “Many tourism and hotel marketers try to determine what works at Balaton from their offices, based on tables. However, the reality is not in the data, but in the field, in people’s behavior.”

Ice cream – a new symbol of autumn in Balaton

The example of ice cream shops clearly shows that local entrepreneurs respond flexibly to changes in demand. In Balatonfüred, for example, the Bagaméri Ice Cream Parlor will be open until the end of October and will continue to offer this year’s Ország Ice Cream. “Guests are no longer looking for ice cream only in the summer. Many people also come to hike in the fall, and for them it is just as much an experience as a cake with coffee,” says pastry chef Sándor Márton. In Balatonalmádi, the owner of the Amaretto ice cream parlor, Tamás Varga – a former Balaton Ice Cream Award winner – is also experiencing the shift in season. “Even in November, there are guests who come specifically for ice cream. And for the colder days, we came up with the ‘retro-style warm ice cream’.” The Erzsike ice cream parlor in Tihany does not close with the end of summer either; in addition to the ice cream selection, they also offer mulled wine and hot drinks, adapting to the needs of autumn and winter.

Field experiences versus statistics

The video series is not only a gastronomic curiosity, but also an attitude-shaping project: it presents the image of Lake Balaton through real, human experiences. According to Éskovács, tourism decision-making is often too data-driven, while the data does not always reflect current trends. “A table does not show why someone comes to a pastry shop in October, what motivates them, what kind of experience they are looking for. Tourism is not just about numbers – it is about people and moods.”

According to Tamás Fekete, president of the Balaton Tourism Association, ice cream has become an independent tourist attraction on Lake Balaton in recent years. “This is primarily due to the creative pastry shops, but the Association’s conscious communication work and the Balaton Fagyija election, which has been held for the twelfth year, have also contributed to the fact that many people visit the region in the fall.”