The Issue of the Utilization of Thermal Resources in Somogy County (1960-1990)

Abstract

The purpose of the study. To examine how the situation of thermal tourism in Somogy county developed during the period of socialism. The importance of the use of thermal wells for tourism or industrial purposes was considered by the county council and the organizations of the Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party (MSZMP). Applied methods. Literature review, especially the development of thermal tourism. The overview includes general processing of economic and tourism history. We place great emphasis on the use of archival materials. It is also important to examine the local press and use the collections of legislation. Outcomes. In Hungary, more and more economic policy measures have been taken since the 1960s to develop tourism. In some rural areas, this was linked to the increased number of oil drillings at the time, as hot water was found in many cases during the test drillings, on which thermal tourism could later be built. Despite the fact that Somogy County was already a prominent tourist destination through Lake Balaton, until the mid-1970s, 22 springs were found during the test drillings where the temperature of the water breaking to the surface exceeded 35 °C. Some of these wells were closed, but the issue of their exploitation could not be circumvented, which caused a number of problems due to a lack of material and human resources. At the same time, the Somogy County Council and county organizations of the Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party (MSZMP) took the issue of thermal tourism extremely seriously and developed a concept for their development on two occasions. However, this only applied only to four major spas: Nagyatád, Igal, Csokonyavisonta and Kaposvár. The smaller spas were entrusted to local maintainers.