Tourism-based development opportunities for rural areas on the example of the Siklós District

The study aims to answer the question concerning how effectively cities of the Siklós district can involve the surrounding settlements in the tourism economy, thereby promoting the development of rural areas. In addition to local governments and tourism organizations, our important goal is to understand the ideas of service providers and their guests related to rural development, as well as the space use characteristics of the latter group. The key method is the questionnaire survey, the target group of which is the mayors of all settlements in the district, as well as the guests of the accommodations belonging to the different product types. The primary sources are based on two further series of interviews, which explore the opinions of service providers and professional organizations. Empirical experience shows that thematic trips can play a prominent role in the development of the less frequented small settlements. The essence of this is to connect the places offering traditional crafts and local products by a bike route.

Keywords: rural development, rural tourism, Siklós district, space use, thematic road

Download