Tourism revolution: Thai investors are revitalizing Lake Balaton!

Tourism revolution: Thai investors are revitalizing Lake Balaton!

An investor from Phuket has launched a promising project to further develop tourism on Lake Balaton in Hungary. This was announced on November 5, 2025 by Tibor, a Hungarian representative. In his remarks, he emphasized the important role of relations between Hungary and Southeast Asia and the European Union. Although Hungary is not completely independent as an EU member, it supports strengthening ties between Thailand and the EU thanks to the diverse opportunities that can arise.

What does this mean for Thai travelers? Tibor also reported on discussions between local executives in his hometown and Thai investors from Phuket. These could not only boost tourism, but also create a "sister city" initiative, which would be a win-win for both sides. Particularly pleasing for Thai travelers: Hungary has agreed to support visa exemption for Thais who want to travel to Europe. This could be one more reason for many to visit Hungary and discover the beauty of Lake Balaton.

Tourism on Lake Balaton

With Lake Balaton, Hungary has a real treasure to offer. This lake is considered one of the country's biggest tourist attractions and attracts millions of international travelers in the capital Budapest alone. In 2024, Budapest ranked as the 51st most popular city in the world - clear evidence that Hungary is on trend as a travel destination. It is noteworthy that tourism revenue before the pandemic was over 9 billion euros and accounted for around 6.2 percent of the gross national product.

But the corona pandemic also hit Hungary hard - revenue fell by 60 percent to 3.7 billion euros in 2020. In recent years, the country has been struggling to recover from these setbacks. Each tourist entering the country spent an average of around 418 euros in 2022, which shows that tourism is still an important sector of the economy.

Increased cooperation and innovation

The Hungarian government has already taken steps to reform local administration and share information on decentralization with Thailand. Tibor, who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister in the past, would like to share Hungary's experience in this regard. The reason for this is the comprehensive reforms that took place between 2010 and 2014. It is hoped that this cooperation will not only boost tourism but also strengthen economic ties between Thailand and Hungary.

Thailand itself, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, has a fascinating history and today occupies a significant economic role in the ASEAN region. Over 66 million people live in this country, which is known for its rich culture and strong tourism economy. The plans to deepen bilateral relations fit well with the current trend, which shows Thailand playing an increasingly important role on the international stage.

It remains to be seen what positive changes the investments from Phuket will bring to Lake Balaton and how relations between Europe and Southeast Asia will continue to develop. It's clear that mutual support could be hugely important for travelers and investors. To find out more about Hungary and its tourist offerings, it's worth taking a look countrydata.info as well as comprehensive information about Thailand Wikipedia.