Boogying in Budapest
Since she was a small child Mercedes Nieto wanted to dance, and like many little girls, her parents fostered her passion. At school, she danced ballet, modern dance, and various other forms of dancing, until one day, she discovered oriental dancing (often known as belly dancing) and she was captured.
Before long, Mercedes had become so consumed with this exotic and unique form of dance that she was off to Cairo to learn from masters of the art.
Invited to dance in Egypt, she soon became one of the world’s teachers and performers and returned to her hometown of Budapest to spread the world and start a festival. Before long the Cairo Festival in Budapest was born. Created by Mercedes and her friends, the festival is now in its third year and drawing in guests and dancers from all over Europe to enjoy a few days of belly dancing and fill a theatre or two.
Fostering international relations, helping people to discover new skills, providing happiness for hundreds of participants, assisting a fledgling small enterprise to be born and grow and become economically active – this is sustainable tourism at its best.
Find out more about Mercedes Nieto at: www.nietomercedes.com
Local Hungarians love hot water. Definitely not the sort of hot water you use to make tea – but the sort that you bathe in to heal all your troubles, in particular rheumatic troubles. Since the Romans were in Hungary, the hot baths have had some commercial value.
At one time thousands flocked to Hungary from all over Europe and overseas to get healed by the baths and a real industry was spawned.
Now it’s getting even bigger and more professional and, possibly, more effective – big enough to now become a significant sector of the tourism industry – ‘Tourism for health and wellness’ is becoming a big thing. Spas are popping up all over the place and benefits are being accrued for a wide cross-section of the local population.
High quality employment and training for locals, value added holiday offers and a real cultural experience for tourists are among the sustainable benefits of the activity. Plus, of course that the more tourists that visit to bathe, the better the bathing experience gets for locals.
Another thing that Hungarians like to do is to eat. And, in general , they like to eat their own specialities such as spicy Hungarian Goulash, rich, fabulous local duck’s liver pate, wonderful beers and typical wines such as Tokai and superb cakes and chocolates.
The food is so good that people will travel from thousands of miles away just to eat it, drink the wine and feast on the local sights, bringing, of course money to purchase these delectable items and supporting the local economy into the process.
Local food, local culture, local enterprises – it’s all part of the beautiful mosaic of sustainable tourism.
Valere Tjolle
Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite – special offers HERE
Valere
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026