Developing Senior Tourism in Remote Regions (TOURAGE)

The Lake Balaton Development Coordination Agency (LBDCA) is a nonprofit company and was established in January 2000 by the Lake Balaton Development Council (LBDC). The Agency performs professional and operative duties promoting the development of the LBRA and in relation to the activities of LBDC. The LBDCA employs 22 people working at three offices around the lake in Siófok, Keszthely and Balatonfüred.

The Lake

The surface area of Lake Balaton is 593 km2; elevation of the water surface is about 105 m above the Baltic Sea Level. Average depth of the lake is 3 to 3.5m, while its average width is about 7.7km. The widest section, with 12 km, lies between Siófok and Alsóörs. Total length of the lake is 77km. Total surface area of in-lake reed stands is 12 km2. The catchment area of Lake Balaton is about 5200 km2

The Region

The Lake Balaton Resort Area (LBRA) consists of 179 municipalities. The area has 260,505 permanent inhabitants and almost as many holiday home owners. 2,57% of the country’s GDP is generated in the region. The proportion of GDP per capita corresponds to the national average but is 26% higher than average for rural Hungary. The development level in the vicinity of Lake Balaton exceeds the average for rural areas by 10%, thereby playing the role of an economic centre.

www.balatonregion.hu