The Possibilities for Tourism Utilization of Local Resources in Mátra Region with the Example of "Mátra Infopoint" Service Centre

The tourism sector produces the 8.5% of the Hungarian gross domestic product (GDP), provides 400 thousand workplaces and has an important role in improvement of commercial balance of the country. Moreover this sector makes a contribution in utilization of local resources as well as regional equalization and at the same time has a positive effect on quality of life. The key role of tourism is confirmed by the approximately one billion euros that serves the purposes of tourism development in Hungary between 2007 and 2013 supported by EU sources.
In the last decades the mobilization of local resources gets a more significant role in development activities that attach importance to regional approach and complexity. At present the potentially utilizable resources of the rural regions are underutilized or unutilized. The reason for this, that the local actors do not reach the critical size which can make profitable the resume of previously operable activities. The individual attractions are known almost without exception, however the frames of utilization are not appropriate, and those are not combined in programs lasting more than one day.
Our paper is a part of a research programme that lays the foundation of a new tourist information point in Gyöngyös which will help the tourists arriving into Mátra region to enter relations with tourist suppliers. In addition the Infopoint improves the service environment and establishes new attractions. We have defined the area of activities of the prospective tourist centre, where we perform field works. We identify the actors of the tourism region, such as accommodation suppliers, caterers, organizers of tourist events, "proprietors" scenic spots and producers of local products as well as associations that promoting traditions. The objective of "Mátra Point" is not only providing and marketing tourist services, the regional organizing and generating role is necessary too. Our studies make a survey of the connection points to potential partners and economic operators of the region. We try to predict the quality and measure of the results to be expected.
The majority of tourists travel within the own region. The journeys to the neighbouring targets have significant importance in a moderate travel demand. Consequently the visitors of the planned investment will arrive from the bordering areas. The accessibility within the region and to the neighbouring regions has a crucial importance, but this is determined by the local traffic conditions and we cannot influence it. The position of "Mátra Point" is very advantageous because it has good connection to a motorway and virtually it is the gate of the Mátra tourism region.
We examined the motivation of the potential target groups and the distribution of guest nights by type of quarters, so we can declare that the arriving tourists will have resort to the cheaper rural accommodations. On the basis of internal traffic the number of guests in rural accommodations is the highest in Northern Hungary. Considering the disadvantageous tendency of macroeconomic factors which have influence on travel habit, the potential guests will spend 1-3 nights in the region, who will arrive from within the region and from the neighbouring region. The other important target group is the population of the small region, who plan on e day excursions. Furthermore the number of visitors will show probably an altering dynamics in according to the number and theme of the programmes connected to the natural values.
The tourist role of the region is significant also at regional and national level thank to the natural values of Mátra Mountain and the settlements' rich cultural heritage. In the wider surroundings of the planned project we can find numerous tourist attractions, however the economic and social effects of these are not clearly measurable in the output of service sector. In the objected region manifest itself the East-West slope that is typical in the whole Carpathian Basin but its formation is mosaic because the interpolating peripheral regions. Almost all statistical indicators of the peripheral settlements point to its relatively disadvantageous position, such as high unemployment rate, low income, infrastructural deficiencies and increasing social problems. In the settlements which are not so well situated every single newly established workplace has considerable importance. These settlements have only a few take-off points, therefore the sustainable utilization of available internal resources, the development of tourism has high priority.
The successful operating of the investment prospectively will be limited by three main factor groups. On geographical availability we have not influence so we can treat as framework condition. We have not direct influence on the range of marketable tourism services in the tourist area is, but this we can partly compensate by continuous regional management activity. The macroeconomic processes we cannot influence too, but we can reduce the unfavorable effects by supplier (products, services), exact definition of target groups, monitoring of its demands and appropriate marketing strategy.
It is very important to mention that we can overstep the limited factors only in that case, if the tourist centre in addition to mediation of services, undertakes the development of touristic management and marketing of the region.

Keywords: tourist attractions, local resources, limiting factors, destination