From Frozen Adventures to Castle Explorations: Customized Two-Way Tourism Between Jilin and Hungary
When the next snow season arrives, travelers from Jilin, China may find themselves staying in a music-themed hotel in the hometown of Franz Liszt, while Hungarian families could experience sleeping on traditional heated brick beds during the winter fishing season at Chagan Lake.
Such scenarios are likely to become reality thanks to a cooperation agreement signed on April 7. On that day, the Jilin Provincial Tourism Association and the Hungarian Association of Travel Agencies (MUISZ) officially signed a Strategic Tourism Cooperation Agreement in Budapest. The agreement aims to promote in-depth collaboration in areas such as tourism resource sharing, market promotion, and cultural exchange.
Hungary was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and in 2015, it became the first European nation to join the Belt and Road Initiative. Since then, the bilateral friendship has continued to blossom, with political, economic, and people-to-people exchanges deepening and accelerating.
The signing of the Strategic Tourism Cooperation Agreement marks a new phase of cultural and tourism collaboration between Jilin and Hungary. The focus will be on comprehensive cooperation in areas including resource sharing, joint marketing, cultural exchange, and the development of tourism products—ultimately advancing tourism ties and growth between the two regions.
According to the agreement, the two parties will share tourism resources such as travel routes, attractions, hotels, and transportation, to promote mutual tourist visits. In the future, Jilin Province and the Hungarian Association of Travel Agencies will jointly develop customized travel routes and themed tourism projects tailored to the needs of tourists from both sides.
This cooperation is backed by sound commercial rationale: in the first 10 months of 2024 alone, 183,000 Chinese tourists visited Hungary. Meanwhile, Jilin’s ski resorts are tapping into the vast potential of the European market. The Vasaloppet International Ski Festival held every January at Jingyuetan Park in Changchun has already become a top-tier event attracting elite cross-country skiers from across Europe.
Established in 1986, the Jilin Provincial Tourism Association is a non-profit organization initiated by tourism enterprises, travel agencies, hotels, scenic areas, tourism colleges, and local tourism associations across Jilin Province. Its membership spans five main groups: comprehensive tourism groups, leading traditional cultural and tourism enterprises, innovative tourism businesses with growth potential, regional tourism associations, and outstanding individual contributors to the tourism industry.
The Hungarian Association of Travel Agencies (MUISZ), founded in 1971, is one of the most influential tourism organizations in Hungary. Its members include numerous qualified travel agencies, tour operators, and related institutions. MUISZ is actively involved in shaping tourism policy and works closely with the government and international tourism bodies to promote Hungary as a global travel destination.
A representative from the Jilin Provincial Tourism Association noted that Jilin and Hungary both boast unique tourism resources and rich cultural heritage. This partnership will create a platform for tourism enterprises in both regions to connect, expand areas of cooperation, and offer tourists a broader range of experiences and more memorable journeys.
