Unique Eco-Tourism Training at University of Sopron

Application deadline: August 27, 2025
Program start date: September 5, 2025
Location: Budapest (University of Sopron Lámfalussy Faculty campus)

As global demand grows for nature-focused, sustainable, and active leisure experiences, Hungary is also embracing a renewed push in active and eco-tourism development. The University of Sopron has launched the country’s only specialized postgraduate training in this field, equipping future professionals with practical skills and industry insights. Following its first successful year in Sopron, the program is now relocating to Budapest.

The one-year Active and Eco-Tourism Specialist program graduated its first cohort in summer 2025, offering hands-on, experience-based learning. According to Dr. Laura Bazsóné Bertalan of the Lámfalussy Faculty of Economics, the course goes beyond theory, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of active tourism systems, from hiking, cycling, and water-based tourism to destination management, marketing, and sustainable development.

Key industry partners, including Active Hungary Development Center and the Hungarian Hikers’ Association, are directly involved in teaching, offering real-world expertise and networking opportunities that could lead to future career prospects.

The first semester focuses on core theory—tourism and marketing knowledge, sustainability, generational trends, and development policies—while the second semester emphasizes fieldwork, project assignments, and professional workshops. Students gain real-world exposure through activities such as kayaking and cycling in the Szigetköz region, geological tours in the Sopron Hills, and on-site destination development tasks.

The hybrid learning format combines online flexibility with essential in-person field experiences, making the program accessible even for working professionals or career changers from diverse backgrounds, including forestry, business, or nature enthusiasts.