The Ministry of Rural Development and Hungarian tourist marketing organisation Magyar Túrizmus (MT) Ltd. are to continue the cooperation they began in 2007.

Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs Zoltán Illés and CEO of MT Ltd. Marianna Tóth Dené sealed the decision by signing a strategic agreement at Thursday’s Travel exhibition. The goal of cooperation remains the promotion of sustainable ecotourism, and the further development of national parks.

Domestic tourism, including ecotourism, is becoming increasingly popular thanks to the development of national parks, colourful programmes and continuous planning, announced the Ministry of Rural Development’s Minister of State for Environmental Affairs. According to Mr. Illés, the increased popularity of domestic tourism clearly indicates that Hungary offers visitors a very high quality of services at competitive prices.

Magyar Túrizmus Ltd. and the Ministry of Rural Development have been working together for several years to promote Hungary’s natural treasures and ecotourism destinations, said Marianna Tóth Dené. The MT CEO also noted that one and a half million tourists had visited the country’s national parks in 2012. The hope is that active relaxation and the services provided by our national parks will be even more popular this year, she added.

The objective of the environmental affairs administration and the national tourism marketing organisation is to include landscapes with natural and cultural heritage among the services offered by ecotourism programmes, and to increase public attention to the need for their protection and conservation.

The realisation of visitor and family-friendly during the planning and development of ecotourism facilities and the organisation of events continue to be important for both the Ministry and MT Ltd. Accordingly, this year a tender will once again be launched for the title of „Ecotourism Facility of the Year”.

One of the most important joint tasks will be Hungarian National Parks Week, organised for the seventh time this year. During the popular series of programmes, the country’s national parks offer many varied opportunities for visitors to become familiar with Hungary’s natural treasures.