Viktória Kundi
59218005600
Publications - 8
DECIPHERING THE CRYPTOCURRENCY IMPACT ON TOURISM DYNAMICS: LEGAL INSIGHTS FROM SPAIN, FRANCE, CROATIA, AND THE NETHERLANDS
Publication Name: Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 58
Issue: 1
Page Range: 422-432
Description:
The research delves into the nexus between cryptocurrencies and touristic activity, with a special focus on the facet of legal regulations. The study's objective is to fathom how cryptocurrencies influence the tourism sector, how legal standards bear on transactions involving cryptocurrencies within the tourism industry, and to what extent they render the adoption of cryptocurrencies in tourism feasible. The principal aim is to unravel the interconnection between the employment of cryptocurrencies in tourist services and its concurrent legal governance in four handpicked countries: Spain, France, Croatia, the Netherlands The investigation encompasses, on the one hand, the exploration of legal case studies and, on the other, the evaluation of hypotheses using clustering neural networks to dissect the interrelation between cryptocurrencies and tourism. Clustering was achieved through SOM and PCA methodologies, which, in unison, proffer profound insights into the data's architecture and interconnectedness. The data was collected by scraping with an API key, allowing us to examine all cryptocurrency acceptance points by category in each country. During this process, we employed a big data setup. The research underscores that blockchain technologies, including but not limited to Ethereum's advancements that extend beyond just Bitcoin, are steadily gaining a more influential role in tourism. Furthermore, legal guidelines, especially within the EU, have a significant influence on transactions and operations associated with these digital assets. This becomes paramount as, in the scrutinised region, the count of cryptocurrency and blockchain acceptance venues correlates with the vigour of tourism. Blockchain technologies, which transcend just the realm of Bitcoin and encompass advances like Ethereum, are progressively playing a pivotal role in tourism sector. Legal regulations emerge as a cardinal determinant in the governance of blockchain and cryptocurrency-related transactions and operations. The interplay between tourism and these technologies calls for further investigation, especially against the backdrop of a mutable legal environment. However, a conclusion can be drawn regarding its multiplicative impact on the economic pulse of the tourism sector.
Open Access: Yes
DIGITALIZATION AND TOURISM: HOW X, Y, AND Z GENERATIONS MAKE TRAVEL DECISIONS IN THE ONLINE ERA
Publication Name: Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 60
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 1302-1314
Description:
This study aims to explore the impact of digitalisation on the travel decision-making process of Generation X, Y, and Z, as well as to identify generational differences in tourism consumer behaviour. The research places particular emphasis on the role of information sources and variations in decision-making preferences. The study employs a quantitative research approach, analysing the travel decision-making habits of different generations through survey-based data collection. A literature review was conducted to examine intergenerational differences and the relationship between digitalisation and travel-related decision-making. Results and discussions: The findings indicate that digitalisation influences travel decisions across all generations, albeit in different ways. Trust and personal recommendations play a crucial role for Generation X, whereas Generation Y relies more heavily on online reviews. In the case of Generation Z, social media and digital channels have a decisive influence. The study also highlights that price remains a key factor for all generations; however, expectations regarding quality and information-seeking behaviours differ. Generation Y and Z exhibit a higher demand for visual content and real-time information, while Generation X tends to value reliability and detailed planning. Furthermore, the results show a clear trend toward mobile-first decision-making among younger users, especially within Generation Z. The study's findings contribute to the development of tourism marketing strategies by enabling the more effective application of generation-specific communication tools. Based on the results, recommendations can be made for tourism service providers regarding the optimisation of their digital presence and customer communication. The insights gained can also support designing personalised digital campaigns, enhance customer engagement, and foster loyalty among different generational segments in the evolving digital tourism landscape.
Open Access: Yes
The Phenomenon of Greenwashing: An Analysis of the Hungarian Regulation
Publication Name: Journal of Sustainability Research
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 6
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The terms “sustainability”, “green”, “eco”, “eco-conscious” have become important buzzwords: they are fashionable, trendy; they make everything that comes into contact with them more attractive. Not only do a plethora of scientific articles cover the topic hallmarked by the above words, but they have also risen to the throne in the marketing communications of businesses and companies. They are used in many cases, even when the given product or service has either nothing to do with or only tangentially has a connection with the green character. The phenomenon of “greenwashing”, i.e., the case described above, when products and services are presented as environmentally friendly and green without real actions, is becoming more widespread. Today, consumers are also becoming more and more conscious; most of them demand correct information. In addition, the laws of individual countries place increasing demands on businesses, their environmental and social responsibility—so the use of green “practices” is often a means of staying on the market and surviving. The phenomenon is global. The European Union has recently adopted new legislation to prevent greenwashing, while countries are taking action against unethical corporate behaviour through their legislation and consumer protection authorities. This research aims to analyse the new EU directive and Hungarian legislation to see if there is a chance to eradicate the phenomenon completely. The research involved content analysis, as well as analysis of websites and case law. The results suggest that companies are always one step ahead and that only a unified trademark system can be the ultimate solution in the fight against greenwashing.
Open Access: Yes
Tourist Attitudes toward Heritage of a County in Western Hungary
Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland
Publication Date: 2024-07-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 13
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Preserving and passing on folk traditions and gastronomic culture to the next generation has always been an important task of elderly people in every single historic period. The main goal of this study is to provide a clear picture of travelers’ attitudes toward gastronomy and cultural values in a western Hungarian county. The presence of the Szigetköz Nature Park and some World Heritage sites (like Fertő-Hanság National Park and Abbey of Pannonhalma) requires responsible tourism planning that is environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. When conducting quantitative research (survey based on questionnaires), special attention was paid to tourists’ knowledge of gastronomy values and architectural, cultural, and natural attractions. Four hypotheses were formulated in this study. The data collection took place between 1 September 2023 and 30, October 2023 (N = 666). The sample is not representative since the respondents were randomly selected. As opposed to previous studies, the most important novelty of this research is that tourists’ visits to different destinations were assessed while previous studies mainly focused on the interests of tourists.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/su16135739
Relevance and legal background of tourist guiding in Hungary
Publication Name: Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development
Publication Date: 2024-01-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 12
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The profession of tourist guide has recently been subject to a significant loss of prestige in Hungary. There have been many career leavers who have been prevented from working due to an unregulated legal framework or a lack of government support during and in the post-COVID-19 period. The first problem-an ineffective and poorly regulated regulatory environment-has led to a significant increase in unauthorised tourism-related activities, undermining the reputation of the profession. As a result of the unregulated legal environment, the country-and Budapest in particular-is losing significant revenue and the situation is damaging the city’s image. Today, personal knowledge and experience are likely to be rendered worthless by the development of new technologies, tools and fast-paced lifestyles. Many people do not even know who exactly a tourist guide is, what their duties are and what regulations apply to their activities, despite the fact that tourist guides spend a lot of quality time with tourists visiting our country, providing them with information and acquainting them with our traditions. The transfer of value, which is the essence of their activity, is an important factor in shaping the image of the country and the perception of Hungary by visitors. Most people may not be aware of the remarkable difference between a qualified and licensed guide and an unqualified and unlicensed guide. The former presents a place authentically. This study aims to present the legal and professional background of this activity and the importance of this work in the light of current regulations, highlighting the important role of guides in the transmission of values today. It also focuses on the main changes and reactions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the uncertainties and concerns created by the legislative background. In order to illustrate the unique situation in Hungary, regulatory procedures and tourist management practices are also covered.
Open Access: Yes
Safeguarding natural environment in tourism—And the phenomenon of greenwashing
Publication Name: Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development
Publication Date: 2024-01-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
One of the important elements of corporate communication nowadays is to draw attention to the environmentally friendly and sustainable aspects of products and services. However, companies are profit-oriented, their goal is to win consumers and they are not afraid to get more passengers and more income by using green, often completely empty phrases. Despite the topicality of the subject, the need to examine the legal environment is indisputable. From a methodological point of view, this document presents a non-exhaustive list of the most relevant legislation and recommendations. This is also a novelty of the study, as the topic has not been examined from the legislative framework before. The purpose of our article is to present the phenomenon in the field of tourism, to shed light on the difficulties of the regulatory background of greenwashing. Many legal rules have been adopted to protect and safeguard the natural environment. In this article, we will look at some of the legal solutions and documents that attempt to serve this noble cause. All the international, EU and national standards that protect the environment are also relevant in the field of tourism. However, we will not go into these in this article. We will highlight a few standards which we believe may be of particular relevance in the context of tourism. Our selection is rather subjective, as there is no need for it to be exhaustive given the volume and complexity of the legislation, especially as all environmental elements are essential for tourism. As a result of the research, it can be concluded that despite the increasingly sophisticated regulation of the legal environment, there is evidence that companies are taking advantage of the opportunities offered by communication and consumer confidence, often through ignorance, to commit greenwashing.
Open Access: Yes
EU air passenger rights: challenges and legal developments
Publication Name: International Journal of Tourism Policy
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 5
Page Range: 426-439
Description:
This paper examines the terms and conditions of six major airlines operating in Europe, focusing on consumer protection and air passenger rights. It analyses how key information, such as policies on baggage, rebooking, and refunds, is presented on airline websites, and evaluates the clarity and accessibility of this information for passengers. The research also reviews recent legal developments in the European Union, particularly those concerning delays and market practices. It identifies gaps in consumer protection by assessing airline communication practices and the broader regulatory framework, and concludes by offering recommendations to enhance transparency and strengthen passenger rights in European air travel.
Open Access: Yes
The rise and fall of the Balaton Sound: The festival’s life cycle and its effects on tourist inflow and seasonality of tourism
Publication Name: Journal of Convention and Event Tourism
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study, grounded in Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle model, investigates the life cycle of the Balaton Sound music festival, with specific emphasis on its developmental trajectory, peak period, and subsequent decline. The analysis provides a structured framework for examining the evolution of the festival across six distinct stages and assessing its regional impacts. The research employs a mixed-methods approach. The qualitative component explores the festival’s life cycle stages, its social impacts on the local community, community responses, and shifts in the festival’s public image. The quantitative analysis includes data on visitor numbers, guest nights, and changes in the Gini index during festival periods. Findings indicate that the festival reached its zenith in the mid-2010s, characterized by both high tourism significance and elevated social prestige. The decline, however, was primarily triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts in consumer preferences, and declining perceived value, all of which diminished the overall festival experience. The study concludes that although Balaton Sound played a crucial role in shaping summer tourism in the region for over a decade, recent economic, environmental, and social challenges led to its discontinuation and the restructuring of Zamárdi’s tourism economy. The results are utilizable for DMOs and other industry stakeholders.
Open Access: Yes
