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There is great potential in Hévíz, not only because of tourism, accounting for a tenth of the country’s GDP, but also because the future lies in health tourism, the Minister for National Economy said in Hévíz (western Hungary, some 10 kilometers from the western shore of Lake Balaton).
Márton Nagy, speaking at a ceremony to mark the 32nd anniversary of the town’s designation, noted that the western world was ageing and the proportion of elderly people was increasing, which would lead to a much greater demand for health tourism, reports Turizmus.com.
As Hévíz does not rely on domestic tourism, with around 120,000 Hungarian visitors a year, it must also compete to attract foreigners, requiring development. The politician stressed that these developments include the HUF 3 billion (EUR 7.7 million) renovation of Hévíz-Balaton Airport starting this year and the HUF 17 billion (EUR 43.6 million) earmarked for the planned modernization of the thermal lake and bath complex.
Thanks to the government support,
The building will be adapted to better accommodate passengers and ensure that it can serve both internal and external Schengen flights at the same time. The development of the airport is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
Photo via Pixabay
The Minister for National Economy recalled that
Hévíz is the third most visited thermal bath in Hungary, but according to the British magazine The Mirror, it is the seventh best tourist destination in the world.
Unfortunately, the recent period has been difficult for Hévíz due to the COVID pandemic and the war, mainly because of the lack of Russian tourists, but the number of visitors to the lake is already on the rise, with 1.1 million expected this year, approaching the annual peak of 1.2 million.
German, Austrian, Slovak, Czech, and Polish tourists are the most frequent visitors to Hévíz.
In 2023, the Balaton region recorded around 8.7 million overnight stays – 21 percent of the national figure – with Hévíz accounting for 13 percent of the region’s overnight stays, the Minister underlined. He added that this year had started well, with 67,000 guests and 196,000 overnight stays registered in Hévíz in the first three months, both figures representing a 23 percent increase compared to last year.
Thermal Lake of Hévíz. Photo via Pixabay
According to the Minister, more than HUF 12 billion (EUR 30.8 million) of development has been carried out in Hévíz since 2010. In the past 14 years, the water supply system in the northern part of the town, the main street, the farmers’ market, and the central car park have been renewed, and the area around the forest has been improved as part of the lake protection program.
Nagy also pointed out that “we are very close to signing” the purchase of Liszt Ferenc Airport, which will make tourism cohesion between the central airport and the rural airports much easier. This could be reflected in the optimization of flights and the launch of domestic flights.
Via Turizmus.com; Featured image via Facebook/Hévíz Az Élet Forrása