There is a geopark initiative near Lake Balaton and some parts of Bakony Mountains, called Bakony-Balaton Geopark, managed by the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate. The 1.600 km2 area of the geopark has a very rich geological heritage and a lot of cultural, historical and ethnographical values. There are some local communities and organisations involved in this special and new way of tourism, the sustainable geotourism, which is also a chance for improving the economy of the rural areas. The centres of the geopark will be the Hegyestű Geological Demonstration Site and the Visitor Centre in Tihany to be developed by the National Park Directorate in the near future.
The Balaton National Park Directorate wishes to apply for the membership of the European Geoparks Network, integrated into the UNESCO-endorsed Global Geoparks Network.

Bakony-Balaton Geopark Leaflet 2008

"Geoparks: geology, tourism and rural regeneration in Europe" a presentation by Patrick J. McKeever,
Geological Survey of Northern Ireland here.

For further information contact:
Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate
Geopark project co-ordinator: Barnabás Korbély
Phone: +36 87 555 287
Web: http://www.bakony-balaton-geopark.hu
E-mail: info@bakony-balaton-geopark.hu