Zsuzsa Deli-Gray (ed.)

Cases in Tourism Marketing III

Small-town Tourism and Destination Development – The Case of Szikszó

István Piskóti

We won the election! In the summer of 2019, my friends and I decided to take a more active role in the public life of our hometown – where I still live today. We were driven by the realisation that the local leadership, through an ill-considered – mostly industry-centred – development plan aimed at installing industrial parks everywhere, had begun to undermine the very conditions of small-town life and to disregard our environmental and green values. The project would have caused soil, air and noise pollution, created economic and employment imbalances, and – on top of all that – had not been pursued either efficiently or fairly. Our team received overwhelming public trust; we won by more than seventy percent of the vote. We felt the weight of responsibility, yet began our work with great enthusiasm. Staying true to my professional background, I accepted the position of Deputy Mayor, responsible for urban development, self repositioning and city branding. I was convinced that the future belongs to small towns – but the real question was: how could we achieve this in Szikszó?

The recent economic, social and environmental trends, together with lifestyle changes, have created a favourable environment for ambitious, consciously developed and self-repositioning-oriented small-town initiatives ( Piskóti, 2024 ). The negative processes of earlier decades – such as the lack of resources and competences and the migration of residents – now appear to be reversing, both globally and, to some extent, in Hungary as well. Small towns, acting as regional centres and integrators of surrounding villages, are playing an increasingly important role. They are becoming attractive places to live, competitive business locations, reliable partners and compelling tourism destinations – particularly those located in the proximity of larger cities ( Piskóti, 2023 ).

The foundations of small-town competitiveness are just as complex as those of large urban areas, hence success requires the right combination of effective solutions. The emerging directions of small-town success point towards a slower, more balanced and sustainable alternative – the so-called “slow city principle” – which rethinks how urban life and its conditions are managed ( Piskóti et al, 2023 ).

The international model for this is the Italian Cittaslow Movement, which promotes human-scale development and ecological awareness through sustainability, the strengthening of local food production and the reinterpretation and revitalisation of small-town traditions and community spaces. The slow city concept is realised through some two dozen cooperative networks of more than thirty countries and three hundred towns. Meeting the criteria of this conscious approach to urban development calls for a strong strategic vision and consistent operational practice.

Conscious and efficient energy and environmental management (urban parks and green areas, renewable energy, transport, recycling, etc.)
Coordinated infrastructural development (roads, pavements, stormwater drainage, water and wastewater networks, energy supply, public lighting, alternative mobility, bicycle paths, etc.)
Balanced, quality-of-life-oriented economic and industrial development (careful investor selection, utilisation of new technologies, strengthening local enterprises, etc.)
Support for integrative agricultural, touristic and artisan economies (production of healthy, local food; increasing the value of craftsmanship, etc.)
Improvement of hospitality and service quality (raising awareness among market actors, fostering internal cooperation, organising professional training, etc.)
Solutions enhancing social cohesion (preservation of traditions, promotion of health consciousness, inclusion of people with disabilities, combating poverty, supporting minorities, building civic communities, etc.)
Conscious integration of partnership and cooperation resources (regional integrity, collaboration with value-driven organisations and partner towns.)

The philosophy and mindset of urban development is therefore already in place. “Let us become a slow city ourselves,” we decided – and if we could find the right way to make this vision a reality, we might even join this international network. But what should we prioritise? On what foundations should we build the quality of life of Szikszó’s residents? How could the town become attractive, balanced in its development and truly liveable? During this planning process, I found valuable guidance in an earlier small-town research project conducted in partnership with the Hungarian Marketing Association and the National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ). One stage of this study involved asking mayors and local leaders about the strategic directions they intended to prioritise in their future development efforts.

Tourism is a key factor, given its substantial economic and social impacts – something local communities recognise (Piskóti et al, 2022).

I asked myself: which demand and supply-side tourism trends could underpin Szikszó’s development and positioning? Which anticipated positive economic effects – job creation, investor attraction, encouragement of local entrepreneurship, increased tax revenues, community building, and the strengthening of local identity – could secure the town’s consensus and active engagement in both development and tourism?

Although the slow movement does not directly focus on tourism, those who arrive in a slow city are welcomed by slow communities and friendly local residents. The slow philosophy builds on active local communities and the resources of local people, among which local culture is regarded as the most important value. Consequently, tourism development inspired by the slow approach has a particularly strong impact on strengthening local identity and social capital, thereby contributing significantly to the town’s overall attractiveness and competitiveness. This also aligns with the principles of the redefined tourism development methodology. Destination development that evolves within the slow philosophy represents an organic, integrative pathway for local growth – namely, a value-driven utilisation and enhancement of local resources for tourism purposes. Local residents participate in this process either as part of their everyday lives or by discovering new livelihood and entrepreneurial opportunities. The conscious development of small towns can thus be seen as a response to the new challenges of tourism development, providing conceptual, strategic and project-based solutions for localities, since:

the life cycle of large tourism destinations appears to stagnate when renewal in performance fails to occur;
there is growing demand for a new, fourth-generation, complex tourism model development, focused on small-destinations, characterised by authenticity, local values, human interaction and safety;
strengthening the quality of life of local residents can serve as a key motivational basis for development, derived from the principle of a human-centred society and economy, with a holistic understanding of health (physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being) and an integrated approach to tourism that supports local well-being;
interaction between tourists and local residents is not merely tolerated but constitutes an essential condition for vitality and competitiveness – additional demand is necessary to sustain services aimed at locals;
well-considered tourism development and small town branding (image-building) can become important strategic elements;
by connecting business and social innovations, new dynamic resources can be generated to support the development of both the small town and its tourism sector.

Tartalomjegyzék

Kiadó: Akadémiai Kiadó

Online megjelenés éve: 2026

ISBN: 978 963 664 217 4

Marketing Turizmus

The publication of the third volume of Cases in Tourism Marketing is truly welcome news from both an educational and a professional perspective. Through real-world, timely, and thought-provoking cases, this collection helps readers – students and practitioners alike – gain a deeper understanding of the complex world of decision-making in tourism marketing. The case studies not only convey professional knowledge but also develop analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking. One of the volume’s key strengths is its focus on issues that define contemporary tourism, including the role of digitalization, artificial intelligence, destination branding, and stakeholder collaboration in tourism marketing. Long-awaited and highly relevant, this third volume is a worthy continuation of the previous collections and will undoubtedly serve as a valuable resource in higher education in tourism, while also being highly recommended to professionals who enjoy reflecting on challenges and opportunities beyond their own immediate field of expertise.

Tamara Ratz PhD

Director, Centre for International Relations, Kodolányi János University

Head of Tourism Department, Professor of Tourism

It is an honor for me to recommend this volume to everyone who wishes to understand tourism marketing not only in theory, but also through its real business and human dimensions. The worlds of tourism and hospitality have undergone fundamental changes in recent years, which makes case studies based on real market situations, decision-making dilemmas and current challenges especially valuable in supporting both learning and critical thinking. This book provides not only professional knowledge, but also encourages a complex mindset, creative problem-solving and the ability to think in connections — exactly the skills today’s tourism professionals need most. I wholeheartedly recommend this volume to students, educators and tourism professionals alike.

Judit Fodor (Liptai)

Group Director of Sales and Marketing, Danubius Hotels

Hivatkozás: https://mersz.hu/deli-gray-cases-in-toursim-marketing-iii//

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