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