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Tour guides can transform tourist experiences. This is particularly evident in TV-series themed tours where tourists' expectations are more likely to be met if a guide leads them into different dimensions of space and time. Here, we develop a model of the multidimensional realities of mediatized places by applying grounded theory, capturing how the transformative role of tour guides is key to the creation of memorable experiences. We illustrate how guides choreograph the shifts between multidimensional realities (past, present, fantasy world). Finally, we show that this switching between multidimensional realities has significant implications, specifically resulting in greater tourist involvement and in experiences that are remembered as having been beyond expectations. Our findings reveal the importance of detailed knowledge – of both the relevant fiction and local history – in crafting memorable experiences; highlights the skills required to build trust among participants, and discusses the devices used to cross the boundaries between multidimensional realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) is the main driver of domestic travel in many countries. This study is one of the first to analyse VFR travel from a perspective of tourist experience. This study aims to investigate the complex dynamics behind VFR-related travel, especially in aspects of trip activities and tourist experience formation. Based on a survey (N = 879) examining domestic VFR travellers' trip activities in Hungary, the paper discusses the formation of a tourist experience in context of short-haul domestic VFR travel, especially the role of influencing factors. The results reveal differences between the segments with trip motivation of visiting friends (VF) and visiting relatives (VR) – the two main types of VFR tourists. It was found that independent variables such as VF, staying for longer and participating in leisure and tourism-type activities have a positive effect on tourist experience evolvement; however, factors such as VR, being rather passive during such a visit and focusing on social acts and bonding negatively affect the formulation of a tourist experience. The paper's novelty and uniqueness lies in applying a new perspective of analysing and discussing VFR travel: the theoretical concept of tourist experience formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between urban planning and tourism consumption is presented through one of the most attractive and popular districts of Budapest (District VII). Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and has a population of 1.7 million inhabitants making it one of the largest metropolitan regions in Central Eastern Europe. Budapest is typical of many other post-socialist cities in that its urban development process has followed a somewhat different trajectory from many Western European cities until recently, for example the relatively slow rate of gentrification in the post-socialist years. The paper will focus in particular on one central district of the city (VII) which currently contains a high concentration of hospitality and entertainment facilities (especially ‘ruin pubs’) and attracts a large numbers of tourists. The planning and development history of the district will be explained, including many controversies and conflicts which have arisen over the years. In addition to analysing the significance of the areas’ heritage and the intensive growth of the creative industries, the paper will also provide a case study about the Budapest-specific ‘ruin bar’ phenomenon, as well as data on the global issue of Airbnb, which is becoming an extremely topical and controversial issue in many other cities in the world today. ‘Ruin bars’ and Airbnb represent local and global examples of tourism consumption which have flourished despite or even because of an unstructured, often unregulated urban planning system. Through this examination, two main questions are addressed: to what extent has planning (or a lack of it) influenced urban development and the new trends of international tourism in Budapest? and what role has tourism played in the transformation of a central district within the inner city? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries of the Balkan region possess great endowed resources in health tourism, mainly in the area of natural resources, and Mediterranean diet in some countries. The question is whether these countries have already realized their uniqueness in this area? Conscious brand building starting at the so called brand positioning is crucial in the fierce competition of tourism, particularly on online platforms assuring the possibility of easy comparison. The main objective of the paper is to analyze by structured content analysis the issue how consciously Balkan countries build their brands in health tourism through their online communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces the behaviour of participants in transit tourism in Hungary with a focus on their expenditure. With the help of multivariable mathematical-statistical methods, the motivational background and the spending characteristics of foreigners visiting Hungary between 2009 and 2013 are explored; in addition, the factors influencing expenditure, according to nationality, are investigated. According to our investigations, people in transit, whose spending is continuously increasing, make up a significant share of the expenditure of foreigners arriving in Hungary. Typical types of spending during transit are fuel purchases and dining at restaurants. Among transit visitors to Hungary, Romanian, Serbian (including Montenegro and Kosovo), and Bulgarian nationals have the highest share. While the number and expenditure of transit visitors slightly increased during the examined period, the per capita spending decreased. The results of the study show that this is due to the changes in the composition of the countries involved. Changes in transit tourism expenditures are largely determined by nationality. The most important conclusion of our research is that the most significant characteristics of transit depend on general European trends (labour market conditions, tourism supply, etc.) and conditions (visa requirements, transport infrastructure, accommodation along transit routes, among others) provided for transit visitors by Hungary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, based on qualitative research in Hungary, we propose a new phrase for the field of tourist consumption. Our notion ‘anti-shopping tourism’ refers to the resistant attitude towards consumption and spending money during shopping-related tours. The research discussed in the paper analyses participants’ motivations, attitudes and behaviour on one-day coach trips that include various programmes, for example, sightseeing, lunch, spa visits and even a range of gifts, for a very low price, in exchange for participation in a professional sales show during the trip. Our main goal is to explain and, from an economic and anthropological point of view, conceptualise this form of tourist attitude, and to show how this unique way of travel may be situated in a certain historical setting in Hungary, more than two decades after the collapse of the socialist regime. In order to understand how the participating individuals negotiated this unique form of travel that exists in a grey zone of the institutionalised travel industry, notions such as debt, sacrifice, resistance, gift, seduction and informal contract are discussed and connected to the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]