Hungary is overhauling the senior leadership of several key organisations within the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) group, with changes announced at Visit Hungary, the Kisfaludy Tourism Support Management Company and the organisation overseeing Hungary’s participation in EXPO 2027.
The changes were announced by István Kapitány, Hungary’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, who said the overhaul was aimed at putting several areas of tourism management on a new footing. The renewed leadership team is being formed under the direction of Olivér Csendes, who was appointed to lead the MTÜ in July.
Three new leaders appointed
According to Kapitány, Andrea Róna has been appointed to head the Kisfaludy Tourism Support Management Company, Andrea Tóth will lead Hungary’s EXPO 2027 organisation, while Botond Boros has taken over the leadership of Visit Hungary.
Kapitány said the government intends to make tourism support and tourism lending more transparent and efficient in order to support the sector’s development. He also praised Csendes’s professional credibility and the trust he has established with representatives of the tourism industry, saying these provided a strong foundation for achieving better results.
New plans for Hungary’s EXPO 2027 participation
One of the most significant announcements concerns Hungary’s participation in EXPO 2027 in Belgrade. Kapitány said the government would not automatically continue with the concept inherited from the previous administration. Instead, it will develop a new plan based on professional and financial considerations.
The government also plans to launch new public procurement procedures, with the stated aim of creating genuine competition between multiple bidders and securing the strongest professional results.
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Closer cooperation with the tourism industry
The minister said the government would maintain close professional dialogue with representatives of Hungary’s tourism sector, as well as with the Ministry of Transport and Investment. The changes come as the new MTÜ leadership seeks to accelerate decision-making and introduce changes across several areas of tourism policy.
Csendes was appointed to lead the Hungarian Tourism Agency on 21 July. He previously served as CEO of Visit Hungary and as director of digital and innovation at the Austrian National Tourist Office.
Kapitány said the first week under Csendes’s leadership had already seen numerous initiatives launched, suggesting further changes could follow as Hungary seeks to reshape the management and support of its tourism industry.
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