From
the Midwest to
Budapest
As an underrated world city, Budapest has competition primarily from its neighbors –Prague and Vienna.
On the other hand, these three cities also are partners in that a number of tourists visit all three during one visit. Budapest, however, wants more visitors.
A man who knows this well is Márk Kincses, a senior project manager and strategic marketer for Hungarian Tourism, who has the task of promoting travel to Budapest and throughout Hungary.
Every detail, media deal and promotional project in Kincses’s toolbox are planned and executed at certain times to ensure that the campaign for tourism in Budapest increases visitors to his country.
The most effective way to promote tourism to Budapest and Hungary, Kincses says, is through television commercials. His agency’s recent campaign is “Think Hungary. More than expected.”
Budapest is a crossroads for most Europeans, and since the city is landlocked, most come to the city by plane.
The Top 10 countries whose citizens travel to Hungary every year are as follows:
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Germany
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Austria
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Russia
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United Kingdom
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Italy
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Czech Republic
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Poland
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United States
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Netherlands
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Romania
According to Kincses, 4.4 million people visit Hungary in a year’s time.
The issue that Kincses faces when coming up with his plans are that out of the 23 million guest nights that Budapest Hotels have, visitors just pass through Budapest, and they don’t make it a main destination to stop and stay.
Kincses’ challenge is to increase the number of nights visitors stay in Budapest. To make this happen, Kincses knows that Budapest has much to offer so he has a lot to work with.
Kincses starts with the thermal spas.
He talks about how his father used to come home from work and go to the Hungarian spas. Hungary is famous for its thermal spas and is the No. 1 destination in Europe for thermal spas.
Thermal spas are a popular attraction in Hungary, not only for visitors, but for the locals, too. Kincses said his Grandma would visit the spas for their healing powers. Kincses said that, once you go to a thermal spa, you will understand why.
The spas are a place to go to be pampered and relax. You can either wade or swim in pools of different temperatures. You can go to the saunas. You can relax in lounge chairs in salt rooms or in rooms surrounded by windows that allow the sunlight to shine on you.
Kincses took full advantage of his spa knowledge and created a package with hotels in Budapest that allows the guests to have a pass to one of Hungary’s spa, as well as be able to stay in a quality hotel in the city.
Next, Kincses noted that, when you come to Budapest, you get two cities for the price of one.
Budapest is not just one city. Historically Budapest is two cities, one being Buda and the other Pest. Each side has something different to offer.
Geographically, Buda is the hilly side of the city with residential areas. Buda also has a lot of important and famous landmarks as well. The Liberty Statue stands on a hill on the Buda side and is visible from almost any point in Budapest. The Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion and Presidential Palace are on the Buda side.
In Pest, you have the flat lands and more urbanized areas. Parliament, the State Opera House, Heroes’ Square, museums, City Park, transportation centers and restaurants. Pest also has shopping and the popular ruin pubs, which attract younger visitors.
The ruin pubs are special to Budapest and are another attraction that Kincses knows draws visitors to Budapest. No other cities in the world have pubs that compare to Budapest’s ruin pubs.
The ruin pubs are wonderful historical buildings in the old Jewish District that have crafted, colorful interiors that display taxidermied animals, strings of overhead lights, hanging bicycles, projections of visuals on the walls and live music. The atmosphere is something every visitor should stay extra nights to experience. You can wonder from one ruin pub to another by yourself or take a pub tour.
For other activities in the city and throughout the country, here are suggestions to make Hungary more memorable. You won’t necessarily find this information in travel books. The answers also reflect the cover stories of major travel magazines that rarely mention Hungary.
–World’s best hotel in Hungary – Four Seasons Gresham Palace
–Best new hotels in Hungary – Iberostar Grand Budapest, Spirit Spa Hotel Sárvár
–Where to spend New Year’s Eve in Budapest – Cinetrip Sparty
–Winter escape in Hungary – In Budapest during Advent with its charming Christmas markets and hot thermal baths
–Dream cruise in Hungary – Hydrofoil from Budapest to Vienna
–Tours of a lifetime in Hungary – Balaton Uplands National Park on horseback
–Fabulous family adventures in Hungary – Kolping Hotel near Lake Balaton
–Where to go where for privacy in Hungary – Private hot tubs are available in Gellért and Lukács Baths of Budapest. Other hot tubs are in some of the lovely villages in the countryside, for example at one of the great bed and breakfasts of Palkonya near Villány in Southern Hungary, in Köveskál or near the Balaton Uplands National Park.
–“Secret” Hungary – Shop at WAMP artist's market from local designers. Eat lángos (salty doughnut) topped with sour cream and cheese at some of the Central Market Hall. Party hard at a SPArty until early morning. (Yes, these are special events held in historic thermal baths, for example the 500-year-old Rudas Baths. See cinetrip for more.) Get soup to go from the LEVES Bar, and eat it on the Liberty Bridge.
–The new hideaways in Hungary – Őrség National Park, Kosbor Pension
–Hot bars in Hungary – A38 boat, Szimpla Kert, Instant, Spíler, Boutique Cocktail Bar
–Best restaurants in Hungary – Budapest - Onyx, Bock Bistro ... in the country: Kistücsök at Lake Balaton, Ikon Restaurant in Debrecen
–Best chefs in Hungary – Tamás Széll, Lajos Takács, Lajos Bíró
–Best island in Hungary – Óbuda Island during the Sziget Festival
–Best road trip in Hungary – From Eger to Lillafüred (by car or by motorbike) or from Keszthely to Tihany by bike through the Káli-basin on the Balaton Uplands
A life-changing trip in Hungary – Try one of the walking tours of Unique Budapest or Budapest Underguide
Hungary: a local’s pick – Historical thermal baths, Hernyák's wine estates at Etyek vineyards (near Budapest), Zsolnay Cultural Quarter in Pécs.
For people who haven’t visited Hungary, it might seem like a gray, post-Soviet communist country that is industrial and hard.
But Hungary is far from being a gray and cold place. The country, a young democracy, is full of charm, excitement and color. Hungary’s new tourism campaign tagline includes “More Than Expected,” and Hungary does deliver more than expected.
Picture Caption: Budapest is a place where people who love fun, excitement and new things should visit. The city is full of “real people and real experiences,” Mark Kincses (center, middle row) explained to Ball State students when he had breakfast with them at their hotel on Thursday of their visit.
Story by Abbey Venable
This group picture appeared in the Hungarian
Tourism's business-to-business newsletter after the group departed Budapest.
Turizmus Panorama Bulletin is the official trade newsletter of Hungarian travel professionals. This was picked up from the Hungarian Tourism's business-to-business newsletter.
Translation: American future Tourism editors return to Budapest Sheryl Swingley, teacher of the Journalism Department of Ball State University, Indiana organizes study trips for students to Budapest from year to year. She fell in love with the Hungarian capital city during her first visit.
Students write a blog, publish articles, editorials and interviews on the website created for the project. These pieces may be picked up by other American media. Mark Kincses, senior project manager of Hungarian Tourism Co. held a presentation over skype for the students prior to their study tour. He talked about the opportunities offered by Hungarian Tourism. The conference call has been followed up with a personal consultation in Budapest.