- Title: HUNGARY: New Russian invasion helps Hungarian spa town flourish amid crisis
- Date: 30th April 2013
- Summary: HEVIZ, HUNGARY (RECENT) (REUTERS) SIGNS IN RUSSIAN ON SHOP FENCE EXTERIOR OF PLASTIC AND DENTAL CLINIC RUSSIAN SIGNS AND PRICES IN EUROS TOWN STREET TOURISTS LOOKING AT CLOTHES SWIMMING SUITS (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) SHOP ASSISTANT, EVA VIRT, SAYING: "They "[the Russians] are now coming with a completely different culture, and they also feel the change, they behave kindly." RUSSIAN CUSTOMERS IN LUXURY CLOTHES SHOP 'SILKA' GOLDEN SHOES AND BAGS WITH SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS RUSSIAN CUSTOMER LOOKING AT JACKET RUSSIAN CUSTOMER TOUCHING JACKET RUSSIAN CUSTOMERS LOOKING AT JEWELLERY BAG STUDDED WITH SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS SHOWN (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) OWNER OF 'SILKA' AGNES KANIZSAI SAYING: "It happened many times that we dressed up (a lady) and we wanted to put beautiful Swarovski jewellery on her neck and she refused saying she would only wear diamonds." HOUSE PLAN SHOWN RUSSIAN CUSTOMER LOOKING AT HOUSE PLAN WITH ESTATE AGENT RUSSIAN CLIENTS LOOKING AT VILLA VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN CLIENTS DISCUSSING WITH ESTATE AGENT AT TERRACE
- Embargoed: 15th May 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Hungary
- City:
- Country: Hungary
- Topics: Economy,Travel / Tourism
- Reuters ID: LVABYCD1F6XIVFWRQ12C2UAG9GSG
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: A small Hungarian spa town is experiencing a new Russian invasion, but this time they crowds are welcomed as they help the town to flourish amid the financial crisis.
A former Soviet army base that had MIG fighter jets landing on its airstrip for decades when Hungary was under Soviet rule now receives charter flights from Russia packed with tourists.
The flood of Russian visitors has helped the nearby small spa town Heviz to emerge as a success story amid the deep economic downturn and locals welcome the new Russian "invasion" which they say has brought wealth and new jobs, and has even boosted the moribund real estate market.
Russian tourists have been filling up 4 and 5 star hotels in Heviz in the past few years especially at their peak holiday season in early May.
Russia, the former overlord of ex-communist eastern Europe, still has a significant economic influence over the region as a supplier of gas and oil, and Russian businesses have established their foothold in other industries as well.
Unlike in some countries such as Poland, where the attitude towards Russians is still hostile, in Heviz in western Hungary the ill feelings are long gone.
Besides regular flights from Germany, now every Sunday two charter flights from Moscow land in the village of Sarmellek where a derelict former Soviet army base has been converted into a small commercial airport.
Russian troops left Hungary in 1991.
Lyudmilla Ilyina, who used to live in Hungary when the country was still under the Communist regime, has now come to try the thermal water lake in Heviz, famous for its healing medical effects, and which has been a favourite destination for German, Dutch and Austrian tourists.
" "A long time ago, in my youth, I had been living in Hungary for three years and it was very nice to fly back to see what's changed, if Hungary is more beautiful now. The people were very nice then, so, i will compareand of course, your wonderful Lake Heviz. We came to see it," said Lyudmila, stepping off the plane.
Heviz Lake has thermal water that many people believe has therapeutic effects. Visitors can bathe in the lake outside all year as the water temperature doesn't drop below 24 Celsius and can go up to 36 Celsius at times. The lake spa also offers various medical and wellness treatments too, including the Heviz lake mud wrap, and weight baths. The healing water of the lake has been a hit with the Russian tourists many of whom keep returning each year.
The small spa town, which has only 5,000 inhabitants, ranks now second behind the capital city Budapest in terms of annual visitor numbers which topped 1 million last year, and prosperity in the streets is tangible.
Nikolai Azorsky, 50, from Kharkiv in Ukraine has returned to Heviz for a second time after a visit in October, which helped heal his shoulders and knees.
"The Lake is very unique, the water is warm and it has some kind of magic. I don't know what but I had problems with my shoulders, knees, my joints on the wrists and it helps," he said.
The flood of Russian tourists to Heviz got a boost in 2010 when the 'Arab Spring' protests scared off tourists from long time favourite destinations such as Egypt, says Laszlo Konnyid, manager of a four-star hotel, which operates with room occupancy rates at 75 percent all year around, which is above the national average.
"We like the Russians for many reasons but why we value them especially is that they cherish the traditional medical treatment that was developed after 1769 by local doctors the most in Heviz ," he said.
Russian tourists spend a lot more than German visitors, and pop over to Vienna just to do some shopping. Locals in Heviz welcome the Russians now and even those who remember the old Soviet times are pleased to see a change in attitude. Many say that this is an 'invasion' but a welcomed one.
"They are now coming with a completely different culture, and they also feel the change, they behave kindly," said Eva Virt, who works in a clothes shop in the centre of town.
Building on the purchasing power of its new visitors, Heviz also has some luxury shops now, where owners say the sky is the limit when Russian buyers arrive.
"It happened many times that we dressed up (a lady) and we wanted to put beautiful ... jewellery on her neck and she said she would only wear diamonds," said Agnes Kanizsai, who opened her shop in May last year and now plans to sell diamonds as well.
Some Russian tourists are buying not just luxury items but also properties in Heviz and the surrounding area. According to the 'Exclusive' real estate agent 70% of their foreign clients are Russians or Ukrainians. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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