Balaton Wines Visitor Center inaugurated – PHOTOS
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The Balaton Wines Visitor Center was inaugurated in Balatonszőlős, close to the shore of Lake Balaton, on Thursday.
Balaton Wines Visitor Center opens
Hungary’s tourism sector continues to break records, with its direct and indirect contribution to the national economy now exceeding 13%. The Balaton region plays a central role in this growth, said Márton Nagy, Minister of National Economy, at the official opening of the Balaton Wines Visitor Center in Balatonszőlős. He emphasized the growing importance of wine tourism in the area.
Speaking about the region’s performance, the minister highlighted that in 2023, Lake Balaton attracted 3.2 million visitors—an increase of 7.5% from the previous year. Overnight stays rose by 4% to 9.1 million, while annual accommodation revenues reached HUF 200 billion (approx. EUR 515 million), marking a 14% year-on-year increase. “Year after year, Balaton continues to break its own tourism records,” Nagy said.
In the first four months of 2025, the region welcomed over 542,000 guests—8% more than during the same period last year. The number of international visitors is also steadily increasing, along with their purchasing power. “It’s no surprise that five-star hotels and world-class restaurants are opening up in the area, helping to elevate Lake Balaton to the global stage,” he added.
Nagy pointed out that more than 70 wineries have already joined the new initiative, which is set to further boost the region’s appeal. He described the Balaton Wines Visitor Center as a significant and innovative project on a national level, combining high-quality wine tourism, gastronomy, and experiential hospitality.
The new center could also help address several challenges faced by Hungarian wine producers, Nagy noted. Among these, he identified increasing the export of bottled wines as the most pressing issue. In 2023, Hungary exported a record 1.4 million hectoliters of wine—two-thirds of which was bulk wine. “We must increase the share of bottled wine exports, and the Hungarian government is committed to supporting this goal,” he stated.
He also expressed his gratitude to Miklós Forrai and Krisztina Forrai Kovács, founders of Casa Christa in Balatonszőlős and initiators of the new center. He praised their decades-long contribution to Hungarian tourism and gastronomy, calling their latest endeavor a model for uniting the region’s winemakers.
