Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1988. január-június (42. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1988-05-12 / 19. szám
Thursday, May 12. 1988. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO 11. Staying competitive Hungary had a successful tourist year in 1987. Interest in this country is growing in the socialist and western countries. Last year brought 16% more visitors from abroad than 1986: 19 million of whom 6 million were from the West. The sector's foreign exchange earnings grew faster still. This year the aim remains to keep tourism competitive internationally and to raise the earnings even more. A wider range of programmes is being offered and the standards of the facilities are being improved. A new investment programme to improve hotels and other tourist facilities has been drawn up, and foreign capital will also be involved. The introduction of value-added tax in Hungary on January 1 has not left the travel trade unaffected. The VAT rate for tourist services is 15%, which raises prices. However, the travel agencies and hotel companies are not passing the full increase on to their patrons. In fact 1988 convertible-currency prices have hardly risen at all, thanks to the favourable exchange rate. The aim in any case is to balance higher cost by higher quality. The introduction of VAT is aimed at the entire economy. By associating prices more closely with inputs, it becomes easier to assess the performance of the economy and make the right decisions. In the longer term, we expect the new taxation system to bring the unit costs in tourism closer to the international average. Visitors from abroad can reclaim in forints the VAT paid on purchases worth over Ft 25,000 that they personally export. This is expected to encourage the purchase of fine and applied art objects and a variety of consumer durables. Tourists go particularly for Herend and Zsolnay porcelain and antiques. Most consumer goods bear a VAT rate of 25% but they are still relatively inexpensive by international standards. The booking of travel agencies and hotel companies for 1988 are promising and the new tax system is not expected to curb the travel sector's growth. Hungarian prices are still competitive, and that makes Hungary an attractive destination. I » Dr Janos Kovács Deputy General Director Hungarian Tourist Board ABOUT THE ENGLISH PAGE My children and grandchildren are asking you to continue the English page. They like to read news items and informative articles about the country of their parents and grandparents. p. Diamant * I Pete's mother is lying iU in the hospital when the boy goes to visit her. "How are you making out at home, son?" asks Pete's mother in a faint voice. "Don’t worry Mom," says Pete, "Dad and I are doing just fine. He does the dishes, and I pick up the pieces after him."-TH; pi7VC4£s OZ W I N Ej The International Office of Viniculture (OIV) declared 1987 the International Year of Grapes and Wine. As an old and famous wine-producing country and a founder member of the OIV, Hungary joined in the series of events. At the closing congress of the Year in Rome, the title City of Grapes and Wines was presented for the first time, and the 134 winners included 16 Hungarian towns. The rules were strict, £ut Badacsonytomaj, Balaton- füred, Boglarlelle, Budafok, Csongród, Gyöngyös, Eger, Hajos, Kecskemét, Kiskoros, Kiskunhalas, Pécs, Sopron, Szekszard, Tokaj and Villany all gained an extra honor to put on their labels in future. In Hungary the crowning event was the 21st National Wine Competition in Eger. The OIV director, Robert Tinlot, said in his speech: "The quality of Hungarian wines is known all over the world. I myself have a book in my. possession from the 19th c which praises the wines of Tokaj. Hungary still produces wines with personality and has nothing to fear on the world market, which is shifting towards quality wine consumption." Soupermen Fiery fishermen's! soup is a Hungarian speciality. In the Óbuda district] of Budapest the recipes are closely guarded secrets, and there's a big competition to decide which chefs are the soupermen. Competitors in the old market square in the autumn were from the Sipos Halászkert (Fish Garden), Vasmacska (Anchor), Postakocsi (Mail Coach), Sipos Restaurant and Radeberger Brasserie, before a critical jury of connoisseurs. The winning fishermen's soup was also tasted by the onlookers. There'll be more soupermen competing in Óbuda in the autumn of 1988. HOT NEW VIDEO it's finally out in video. We're talking about "Matewan", last year's outstanding ieature film by John Sayles about the men and women who fought West Virginia's bloody coal wars and their drive to overcome the mine bosses by organizing a union. Next time you want to spend an evening watching an exciting movie, ask for "Matewan" at your neighborhood video outlet. It's a film the whole family will find satisfying. The death of 2 girls We don't usually venture into the political theater. We leave that to the distinguished gentlemen who edit the other pages. But we think it worthwhile to highlight the treatment of 2 fifteen year old girls who died in Israel last week. Both items are from the N.Y. Times. A 15-year-old Palestinian girl, identified in Arab reports as Arish Ismail Daoud Adik, died today of wounds she received on Tuesday, when she was shot in the head during a demonstration near the West Bank village of Kafr al Dik. TOLL RISES TO 151 Military spokesmen said they could not state with certainly that she had been shot by the Israeli troops, who they said, used live ammunition against the demonstrators when rubber bullets and tear gas failed to stop them from throwing stones. The incident raised the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the uprising began in December to at least 151. Still, despite her death, that demonstration was small, and Israeli officials are beginning to suggest that the worst of the uprising may be over. REPORT ON ISRAELI'S DEATH The army released its official report today on the shooting of Tirza Porát, the 15-year-old Israeli girl killed during a clash between hikers and Palestinians on the West Bank this month. The report as expected, concluded that she died from a gunshot fired by one of her Israeli guards, Romám Aldubi who was said to have fired with "superfluous hastiness". A post-mortem found no other wounds of any sort, though initially it was maintained she had been stoned to death by Palestinians. Based on that initial assumption, the Israeli Army blew up the homes of 14 Palestinians. Today Col. Raanan Gissen, the army spokesman, said Mr. Aldubi would not be punished. "I believe the tragic incident and its result are already a penalty," he said. Mr. Aldubi was wounded in the incident and remains unconscious in an Israeli hospital. Continental one of the world's largest tyre manufacturers, brought a hundred of its sales force to Budapest on an incentive tour coupled with tyre testing at the Hun- garoring circuit. Guests were greeted with Gypsy music at the airport and a motorbike police escort to whisk them to dinner and a show at the Gundel Restaurant. They took a sightseeing coach round the capital, including the historic Castle District, and then boarded a train drawn by a 100-year- old steam engine to Lajosmizse for a horse show, carriage driving and a taste of fiery goulash soup. Testing the tyres took places on the last day at the race track at Mogyoród. This was followed bv a lunch and a cruise on the Danube before departure. Mr. Gieselman, Continental's sales manager, was satisfied with the organization work put it in by HungarHotels Tourist Service Office.
