EXISTING AND FUTURE TOURISM POTENTIAL AND THE GEOGRAPHICAL BASIS OF THEMATIC ROUTES IN SOUTH TRANSDANUBIA, HUNGARY.

Developing thematic routes in Western-Europe already began in the 1970s, recognizing the idea, that the appearance of common, interconnected themes may have entail synergy with several positive effects. The tourism attractions with a thematic character turned into increasingly more popular in the past decades. Attractions with a thematic character can be the thematic parks, thematic events and the thematic routes. With the increase of the thematic routes their functioning became more and more professional representing peculiar or extra special topics. Concerning supply trends they are characterised by a growing interest with also a considerable expansion of the tourist flow. In our study, beyond defining thematic routes, we wished to point out the role of the geographical conditions by concrete case studies in South Transdanubia. Another result of our research is pointing out the existing and future tourism potential of thematic routes in South Transdanubia, Hungary.