Tourism is one of the top priorities of the current government. The Hungarian Tourism Agency disposes of sizeable funds, with subsidised investments in accommodation ranging from luxury hotels to rural tourism. High level sports events like the 2017 World Aquatics Championships or UEFA Euro 2020, and events like the International Eucharistic Concerts and a Hunting and Nature Exhibition (both in 2021) absorb billions of HUF. Until 2020 – before the capital was taken over by the opposition – the Budapest Spring and Autumn Festivals had a separate line in the central budget, and the Sziget Rock Festival (and its dependent festivals in the countryside) were considered gems of the tourism offer. Still, no concept or strategy has been created on cultural tourism, with the word culture missing from the 2016 festival law or its 2021 amendment.
Next to one-dimension festivals of rock, classical music, or theatre, events that combine all these and more (films, circus, literature, debates etc.) and offer an environment of popular festivities are a valuable feature of the Hungarian festival scene – catering for domestic tourists in majority.
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