How Miskolc Won 1st Place in the Thriving Communities Category at the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards
At the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards, the story “Forest to Fork: Miskolc’s Bold Step Beyond Industrial Heritage” by Visit Miskolc received 1st Place in the Thriving Communities category. Led by local stakeholders in Miskolc, Hungary, including the grassroots network Bükki Kör and the destination management organisation MIDMAR, the initiative demonstrates how community collaboration and local identity can transform a destination’s future.
“An original and compelling story showing how gastronomy and local collaboration can successfully revitalise the image of a destination while strengthening local identity and value chains.”
The Challenge
For decades, Miskolc struggled with an outdated image shaped by its industrial past. Despite its rich cultural life and proximity to the forests of the Bükk Mountains, the city remained associated with hardship. Tourism development was fragmented, collaboration between stakeholders was limited, and one of the region’s strongest assets, its gastronomy, lacked a clear identity or coordinated promotion. As a result, Miskolc remained a destination with strong natural and cultural resources, but without a unified story or shared vision for tourism development.
The Solution
Change began with a grassroots movement, as local restaurateurs, winemakers, hoteliers, and tourism entrepreneurs formed Bükki Kör, a collaborative network determined to reshape how Miskolc was perceived and experienced. Together, they created innovative initiatives linking nature, gastronomy, and community identity. At the heart of the transformation is the Edible Forest program, which connects forest managers and chefs to bring seasonal wild ingredients from the surrounding Bükk forests into restaurant menus. Mushrooms, herbs, berries, and game sourced from the landscape became part of a powerful storytelling tool, connecting visitors directly to the region’s biodiversity and cultural traditions. The movement gained further momentum with GASTOUR, Hungary’s first international conference on sustainable gastronomy, positioning Miskolc as a hub for innovation in responsible food tourism.
The Impact
The results go far beyond tourism marketing. The initiative has:
- Created a network of more than 30 collaborating local stakeholders
- Increased demand for local products and services
- Strengthened partnerships between producers, chefs, guides, and accommodation providers
- Elevated awareness of biodiversity, foraging traditions, and seasonal food systems
The program has also embedded social inclusion into the tourism ecosystem through partnerships with organisations such as the Szimbiózis Foundation, which employs people with disabilities whose products are now featured in hotels and events. Perhaps most importantly, the grassroots movement has now been integrated into official destination strategy through the city’s new identity: “Miskolc, the City of the Bükk.”
What Other Destinations Can Learn
Miskolc’s transformation offers powerful lessons for destinations seeking more inclusive and sustainable tourism models.
- Start with local people: Community networks and entrepreneurs often hold the most innovative ideas.
- Build on what makes your place unique: Rather than copying other destinations, Miskolc focused on its forests, gastronomy, and cultural heritage.
- Connect grassroots action with governance: Real change happened when community initiatives aligned with municipal strategy.
- Use food as a connector: Gastronomy can link biodiversity, culture, economy, and visitor experience in powerful ways.
Share your destination’s best practices and join the Top 100 global community
🌍 Stories like this are what the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories Competition celebrates. We encourage destinations around the world to share their best practices and join the 2026 edition, inspiring others and showcasing their leadership in sustainable tourism.
