Heves megyei aprónyomtatványok 1/P
Tourism in Mátra - history in brief The natural beauty of Mátra Mts. has attracted tourism for long time. The medicinal baths of Párád had a lot of visitors as early as the mid 19th century, whilst there were hardly any visitors to the historic Gyöngyös, Mátrafüred (thantime called: Bene, until 1893) Pásztó Sirok, Abasár communes. The branch office of the Hungarian Carpathian Association founded here in Gyöngyös in 1887, focused its efforts to Mátra area by promoting the construction of way-marked trails, look-outs, picnic areas and chatlets and began advertising. The deputy chairman of this association was Mr. Kolos Hanák who did his best for promoting tourist development in the area. His efforts were richly backed by the acting mayors of Gyöngyös between 1881-1919. At the turn of century lots of villas, chatlets, boarding houses and hotels were bulit in Mátra thus giving field for the increasing tourism. In Mátrafüred alone some 29 single- and 10 double „twin" villas were build until 1914. Visitors to Mátra were transported by the coaches of Deák-Wolf Travel Company from 1897. The first great period of tourism here in Mátra until 1914 initiated a joint touristic development both for Gyöngyös and Mátra. The favourable natural features, easy access and good quality wines attracted tourists from the whole contry and from abroad either. This flourishing tourism was brutally halted by World War I. and by the devastating blaze in 1917. Tourism began again in the autumn of 1919, after the promptly initiated developments. He continued the work of his predcessors. In 1922 and in 1927 he contracted with IBUSZ just to increament Office, and with the Recreation Area Society of Mátrafüred. The coordination of development went over to Gyöngyös Tourist Office in 1947. The winter sports arrangements and other tourist arrangements the so called „Gyöngyös-Mátra Week" in 1937. Direct bus-line linked Gyön- gyös-Mátra region in the mid-thirties, new hotels and other tourist amenities were build under the authority of Gyöngyös-Mátra Hotel Association (founded in 1943). All tourism halted by the end of World War II since Mátra region became a war-theatre. In the years of restoration and rebuilding lots of tourist attractions were rebuilt, boarding and quest-houses, hotels reoponed so tourism set forth. The tourism soon was controlled and coordinated by govermental or trade union (SZOT) authorities from 1949/1950 and onwards. Privatization begun in 1990. Until this year new hotels, boardinghouses, motels etc. were built and a whole-scale infrastructure was installed on the area mainly by state owned companies or by local Town Council. The building of tourist amenitis, such as Sástó recreation area, winter sports facilities, picnic areas, look-outs etc. were mainly financed by state budget. The privatization of hotels, restaurants in Mátra area is in progress, the quality
