Spiritual Quest in Rural Hungary and Slovakia: Developing an Innovative Thematic Route

The purpose of this study is to present a paper about the design of a themed route through rural areas in Hungary and Slovakia to promote sustainable rural tourism. Rural cemeteries were chosen as a focus because these cemeteries are laden with history, culture and associated narratives, yet there is a paucity of empirical research connecting rural cemeteries to tourism development. The ten cemeteries were selected based on desk research and field trips, following specific criteria set by the authors, including forest and water resources in the vicinity of the research sites. All of the chosen cemeteries have an enormous tourism potential and with the synergy of water and forest, rural tourism can be packaged and offered for visitors as a complete holistic experience. The proposed route is linear, yet participants are free to shorten the route or make a small circle and still have a memorable journey. The route can also be connected to the European Cemetery Route. This is a non-invasive development, building on and mixing existing natural and cultural resources and the final tourism product offered here is niche in nature. This case study shows the viability of a two - country cooperation in the field of sustainable rural tourism, which can also be integrated into a larger European initiative.