The greatest depositories of Hungarian ecotourism are our national parks, the Ministry of Rural Development's Deputy State Secretary for Environmental Affairs and Conservation declared at the press conference organised to mark the launch of the campaign to promote the country's national parks. At the event, which was held in the Museum of Natural Sciences in Budapest, awards were also presented to the winners of the Magical Hungary photo competition. The Ministry and the organisation are jointly launching a new tender category entitles "Man in Nature".

András Rácz pointed out that there are over 300 ecotourism facilities in Hungary, half of which are run by the country's national parks and attract over 1.4 million visitors each year. The Deputy State Secretary said that in addition to conservation, cooperation with non-governmental organisations is also important, and accordingly he is glad that the Ministry, the Magical Hungary organisation and Tourism Magazine are launching a joint photo competition.

Mr. Rácz stressed that the the participants' common goal is to draw attention to Hungary's national parks and ecotourism attractions and to the country's natural treasures. This is also the objective of the Hungarian National Parks Campaign. In future, national parks will appear with a uniform image and joint logo, in addition to which the most important information, such as the wide program of events designed to showcase natural heritage sites, will all be available via a single portal from now on. Part of the Campaign includes the publication of previously unavailable information and booklets that present all ten of the country's national parks, ecotourism sites, the signature attractions of each natural park or the treasures that lie deep in Hungary's many caves.

"Man in Nature" has been chosen as the title for this year's photo competition, announced Péter Gaál, the man behind the Magical Hungary competition that has been held for the past five years, adding that the initiative is designed to promote the country's national parks by presenting the natural treasures of Hungary's national parks through the lenses of amateur photographers. With relation to the new tender category launched jointly with the Ministry of Rural Development, he said that it is only through working together that we can act to promote our national parks and protect our natural treasures.

Bence Máté, who has won the Nature Photographer of the Year Award on several occasions, has accepted the role of ambassador with regard to promoting Hungary's national parks. At the press conference, he said that as a photographer he is also working to bring people and nature closer together. His goal is to promote the beauty of Hungary's countryside and pint out that you don't have to travel thousands of kilometres to see a miracle of nature, he stressed.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)