Article

 

RURAL TOURISM IN HUNGARY: CHARACTERISTICS OF SPONTANEOUS DEVELOPMENT 
 
by
 
Dezső Kovács, University of Agricultural Sciences, Gödöllõ
 
JEL classification : P210, L830
 
Abstract
Rural tourism is an important source of income for farmers in less favourable farming areas with natural attractions and amenities. Rural/village tourism in Hungary is in its initial stages. However, the general reasons for development are the same as in western countries- diversification of the family economy, generation of additional income, exploiting both rural amenities and the existing physical, human and cultural capital of rural communities. The aim of the paper is to describe the characteristics of spontaneous rural/village tourism development occurred in the past decades in Hungary and compare it to these of the EU and other countries.