Gastro-Tourism Becoming Increasingly Popular in the Country

Gastronomy tourism is on the rise in Hungary, with more and more people coming to the country to get to know the best of Hungarian cuisine, experts say.

Balázs Csapody, president of the Pannon Gastronomic Academy (PGA), told MTI that with the growing gastronomy tourism, the number of Michelin star restaurants in Hungary could also increase. There are currently two 2 Michelin star and seven 1 Michelin star, as well as six so-called Bib Gourmand restaurants in the country. The latter are restaurants with high quality cuisine, where you can get good value for money and high quality food at a lower price, he said.

He added that the number of these restaurants will continue to grow, with an increasing number of restaurants offering high quality. There is also a demand from customers, as more and more of them are looking for high quality and are making a conscious choice. A lot of people are also buying good quality meat or bread from local producers, and

some foreigners are also choosing to visit Hungary because of the restaurants and wines.

According to Csapody, the number of visitors is likely to increase further this year, domestic tourism will pick up, and people are expected to spend more as real wages rise.

László Kovács, president of the Hungarian Hospitality Industry Association (MVI), said that

the fact that the Hungarian team qualified for the final of the Bocuse d’Or international cooking competition in Lyon this year also shows that the country has excellent professionals.

Hungarians are at the forefront of Europe, and their work has a great impact not only on their immediate environment but also on the profession as a whole, he stressed.

He added: “Hungary’s good position in gastronomy is not only in the region but also globally; Hungarian cuisine is world class.” He cited the example of the diversity of Hungarian soups, which is not found in many other cultures. More and more foreign tourists are coming to the country specifically to get to know Hungarian gastronomy and to try a dish, he said.

Kovács said that the Tourism Advisory Board that was set up in March, has already held its first meeting. The board will act as an advisory and consultative body to the Ministry for National Economy on issues affecting the tourism sector, and will meet on a quarterly basis.  He called the creation of this body a huge importance, as it is expected to provide the government with information and suggestions directly from the actors in the sector to help it make better-informed government decisions. In this way, they will also help to make more effective use of the potential of tourism in Hungary, so that Hungary becomes an even more attractive destination for foreign and domestic tourists alike.

Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Petrányi Pince és Borterasz