Social tourism in Hungary: from trade unions to cinema tickets

Abstract

The concept of social tourism is not new for Hungary. In the socialist era, social tourism took place mostly in mountain, lake-side or spa destinations, as a part of the social services supported by (state owned) companies and trade unions. The facilities, i.e. accommodation establishments of often low quality, were run by companies or trade unions. Employees, union members and their families were eligible to visit these premises. These trips were either free or heavily subsidised. Following the changes around 1990, the old support system collapsed. This system was replaced by the so-called supported holiday system. Social tourism establishments were either privatised or closed down. The role and power of trade unions diminished, the ministry's budget was cut and reorganised significantly. Organisations and companies allocated lower amounts for social benefits and gradually removed inherited obligations, i.e. social tourism. The paper discusses the development and transformation of social tourism in Hungary: from its origins to today's uncertain situation. Social tourism has undergone significant changes in the last decade, leading to a wider scale of supported services as well as increased demand for such services. As a consequence, in 2010, the state has introduced new measures to regulate the market, the end results of which are unforeseeable yet.

Keywords:

• social tourism
• welfare
• holiday cheque
• transformation
• Hungary

Notes

At the time, both of the authors worked at the TRC and were involved in the above-mentioned project.