The Development of Wine Tourism in Hungary

The article examines the development of wine tourism in Hungary, with a specific interest in the recent developments. Wine tourism in Hungary is in its infancy, but recent years have seen considerable developments. The creation of wine routes and the “1999 — Year of Grastronomy and Wine” initiative are discussed in detail. It is argued that wine tourism can offer considerable benefits both for the wine and the tourism industry for a number of reasons. Firstly, wine tourism might contribute to the dispersal of tourist flows from the established tourist centres. Secondly, it can enhance the image of the destination and thirdly, it can create an awareness of the importance of the quality issues. It is concluded that the next step in promoting and developing wine tourism must go beyond the initial marketing efforts and that appropriate market research and development policies are needed for the long‐term development of a successful wine tourism industry in Hungary.