Márton Nagy: it is important to strengthen wine tourism

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 06. 13. 10:53

The tourism sector is setting records, its contribution to the national economy directly and indirectly exceeds 13 percent, in which the Balaton region plays an outstanding role – said the Minister of National Economy at the ceremonial opening of the Balaton Wines Visitor Center in Balatonszőlős on Thursday, calling the strengthening of wine tourism important.

MTI/Tamás Vasvári

Speaking about the resort region, Márton Nagy said that 3.2 million guests visited Balaton last year, 7.5 percent more than a year earlier. The number of guest nights was 9.1 million, up 4 percent. The annual income of accommodation facilities increased to 200 billion forints, which is 14 percent more than a year earlier.

So Balaton is breaking records year after year – he said.

In the first four months of the year, Lake Balaton has already welcomed more than half a million, 542 thousand guests, which is 8 percent more than the same period last year – the minister explained.

He added,

the presence of foreign guests in the region is increasingly strong, and the demand for money is growing. “It is no coincidence that five-star hotels and restaurants have appeared that put Lake Balaton on an international stage,”

– he said.

The minister highlighted that more than 70 winemakers have already joined the new tourist attraction that further increases the appeal of Lake Balaton. He called the visitor center presenting Lake Balaton wines a significant, innovative initiative on a national level, which combines quality wine tourism, gastronomy and experience-based hospitality.

The new center can provide answers to several challenges of domestic wine production, Márton Nagy pointed out, calling the most important and biggest task the increase in sales of bottled wines.