Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1978. július-december (32. évfolyam, 27-50. szám)
1978-09-07 / 34. szám
Thursday, Sep 7. 1978. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO SOMOGY COUNTY One of the largest counties in Hungary, Somogy is situated in south-west Transdanubia and has an area of 6.086 sq. km. with a population of 362.000; the population density at 59 per sq. km. is comparatively low, although the county town of Kaposvár (70.000) has the highest population density of any urban area apart from Budapest. There are three smaller towns in the county: Siofok, on Lake Balaton, Nagyatád on the southern border and Marcali. Before the II. World War Somogy was economically one of the most backward areas, with agriculture and forestry dominant in its economy and growth. Post-war industrial growth coincided with reorganization of farming into large-scale socialist units. Industry by 1973 was employing 36.000 in 267 enterprises. Today, Somogy County’s farms hold a significant place in Hungary’s agriculture and comprise 5.8 % of the country’s farmland. The most important crops are wheat, barley and maize, along with cattle and pig raising in certain areas. The merging of the small units into producers’ cooperatives, has brought the economies of scale necessary for further agricultural development. A famous geographer and geologist, Prof. Jenő Cholnoky, calculated in the 1930’s that there was room on the ice of Lake Balaton for the whole of the world’s population at that time - 2.500 m people. Nowadays on a hot summer’s weekend it sometimes seems that the lake is no longer big enough. The weekend visitor population often tops half a million; last summer 13 m holidaymakers from Hungary and abroad arrived for a longer or shorter stay by the “Hungarian Sea”. vide more parking space, beaches, shops and restaurants, particularly along the more crowded South Shore of the lake, the side that is in Somogy County. We must also make further developments to the public utilities. But economic development must take second place to protecting the environment, because we have here around Balaton the most precious natural environment of any similar resort area in Europe, and the waters of the lake are of first- class quality by international standards. To protect these waters we have made a good start on modernizing the sewage systems of the communities in the area, we are spending 2.500 m forints on regulating the shore line, on dredging work, and on expanding domestic water supplies. All in all, 10.000 m forints will have been spent on developing the Balaton area between 1976 and 1980. FACILITIES FOR VISITORS Take Zamárdi, for example - one of the most popular resorts along the shore. A new lakeside recreation area has been laid out with two and a half kilometres of lakeside walk, a free beach and plenty of room for 15.000 visitors at a time. The chalets, shops and public'services to back it up are to be added shortly. New motels are being built at Siofok, Balatonszárszó and Fonyód. Camping sites are being enlarged and improved to provide space for several thousand more visitors? that involves 26 sites altogether. At Siofok, the most popular resort of all, new company and trade union hotels and holiday centres will provide accomodations for 8.000 extra along the Golden Lido. Then there are ambitious plans to help transport in the area: the M7 motorway from Budapest will be extended beyond Zamárdi to the end of the lake, a new relief road is being built at Siofok and the railway between Siofok and Somogymeggyes to the south will be modernized. Last year the Hotel Neptune, one of the most modern in the country, opened at Balatonfoldvar; it’s a 10 storey building and the first to be built entirely out of prefabricated components, at a cost of 160 m forints. It has 460 beds,attractive grounds, plenty of parking space, a sports area and even a playground for the children. WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO BALATON? Sunshine, fresh air, the clear, sweet water of the lake, the parks, and promenades, comfortable hotels, safe sandy beaches, fine views and the excellent cooking in the inns and restaurants. The Balaton Management Board was set up 20 years ago to oversee development around the lake. The number of hotel beds and places in restaurants for the visitors have both trebled, and turnover has grown fivefold. Regional development in those two decades has cost 20.000 m forints. Sándor Rosta, General Secretary of the Board said: We have to preserve and protect the natural beauty of the landscape, improve roads, and proOTHER KINDS OF ACCOMODATIONS BESIDE HOTELS Almost 25.000 families rent our private rooms in the season, and both the amenities and the prices charged are fully supervised by the local tourist offices. You can also arrange with IBUSZ or other travel agents to rent a complete flat or a summer cottage, if you like camping there are plenty of facilities, and at the bigger sites we are providing children’s playgrounds. The new site at Balatonbe- reny can cater for 1000. Other facilities include a picnic site for motorists by the lake at Balatonfoldvar, and a ‘forest gym’ in the middle of the Zamar- di woods. 9 WHAT ARE THE SPORT PROSPECTS LIKE? if it’s sailing you are interested in, Zamárdi’s the place. There is a brand new marina there with 30-40 berths, and we are planning a further ten such harbors at other resorts. The swimming of course is splendid, with gently shelving bathing beaches quite safe for children. There are even free swimming lessons at most beaches. As for other sports, eight new sports grounds have been opened on the South Shore and 14 on the North. But for boatingd would say there were still not enough opportunities, hotels and guest houses don’t have enough rowing boats and sailing craft to go round in the high seaSOn‘ M H Free trade terms are being assured by Hungary to 26 of the world’s least developed countries, following requests at UNCTAD conferences and meetings. Countries to whom the facilities have been offered include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Haiti, Laos, the Maldives, Nepal, the two Yemens and 18 African countries. The World Economic Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences recently initiated a 5-day conference in Budapest on economic cooperation between socialist and developing countries, sponsored by UNCTAD -the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
