Work-free Sundays open a new window of opportunity for the tourism and recreation sectors by lifting turnover at tourism services providers, Deputy State Secretary for Tourism Ádám Ruszinkó stated at a joint press conference organized by the Ministry for National Economy and several national tourism institutions and associations. He added that recent criticism related to work-free Sundays has focused exclusively on consumers instead of human beings, whereas the economy shall serve people and not vice versa.

The main objective of the Government is to improve the quality of life for Hungarians. This goal can partly be achieved by providing higher disposable income. Over the past years the extension of family tax allowances, lowering of public utility prices, improving conditions for the SZÉP Card among employee fringe benefits and the conversion of forex loans have all significantly contributed to obtaining this goal.

50-60 percent of absence at workplace stems from fatigue and modern employers are very well aware that work performance suffers without sufficient employee leisure time. Investing in leisure time generates two or three times higher profits, therefore the SZÉP Card is very popular and it has a positive effect on domestic tourism.

Speaking about debates, Ádám Ruszinkó stressed that measures aimed at clearing catering establishments of tobacco-smoke were also condemned by some people, but nowadays gastronomy has been flourishing and services providers are increasingly optimistic. Usually every change faces misgivings in Hungary and the introduction of work-fee Sundays is no exception. This measure, however, is expected to boost the recreation and tourism sectors and generate a significant number of new jobs, he stated.

“Development projects are useless unless people have the time to enjoy them,” President of Hungarian Baths Association Szabolcs Juhász said, adding that there are 220 baths in Hungary, of which 120-130 are open all year round.   They attract 30 million guests per year. Thanks to SZÉP Card, turnover is expected to increase by 20 percent.

Deputy Director of Hungarian Natural History Museum Zsófia Medzihradszky remarked that domestic museums offer a wide range of brilliant exhibitions and entry tickets are cheap.

Budapest Zoo Spokesman Zoltán Hanga said that last year the number of visitors in the zoo – the most popular cultural institution of the country -- was 1 million 77 thousand, following the completion of an investment project.

Referring to the previous speaker, Hungarian Ramblers Association Director Tamás József Győri said that hiking has also seen unprecedented development projects financed by domestic or EU funding.

Recreation sector representatives agreed that nowadays it is extremely important for parents, who according to statistics spend on average 7 minutes per day with their children, to find quality time for family programmes and the fostering of social relations.

(Ministry for National Economy)