Post-pandemic pursuits: Activity preferences of rural tourists in Western Transdanubia 283Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.DOI: 10.15201/hungeobull.73.3.5 Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 2024 (3) 283–301. Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic hit the tourism sec- tor the hardest all over the world (Gössling, S. et al. 2020), including Hungary. Researchers have pointed out that the COVID-19 pandem- ic has created an opportunity for the tourism industry to revise its services in terms of com- munity-based, socialized tourism services (Higgins-Desbiolles, F. 2020; Menon, D. et al. 2022). Many mentioned, that in addition to exploring innovative business models that generate new revenue streams (Breier, M. et al. 2021; Škare, M. et al. 2021), tourism managers must understand that in today’s uncertain world, what are the viable services and attractions provided to domestic tourists in order to keep the business alive if, for ex- ample, international demand ceases due to a future crisis (Tomassini, L. and Cavagnaro, E. 2020). In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandem- ic, just as the world was beginning to recover, the war in Ukraine disrupted many parts of the economy, with the tourism sector being one of the hardest hit. This conflict triggered a new cost-of-living crisis, persistent inflation, and soaring energy prices, all contributing to a sharp decline in demand. However, due to its proximity and offering of quieter, healthier recreation options, rural tourism emerged as a viable alternative, providing urban inhabit- ants with affordable relaxation and recreation opportunities (Wang, J. et al. 2022). This study examines the recovery of ru- ral tourism, focusing on people’s attitudes 1 Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem tér 1. 9026 Győr, Hungary. E-mails: darabos.ferenc@sze.hu, komives.csaba@sze.hu 2 Department of Corporate Leadership and Marketing, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem tér 1. 9026 Győr, Hungary. Corresponding author’s e-mail: roland.szabo@sze.hu Post-pandemic pursuits: Activity preferences of rural tourists in Western Transdanubia Ferenc DARABOS 1, Csaba KŐMÍVES 1 and Roland Z. SZABÓ2 Abstract This study examines the changing preferences of rural tourists in Western Transdanubia, Hungary, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to uncover how rural tourism has changed and identify the new winners of the shifting demand. In 2021, we conducted a comprehensive survey with 925 participants and introduced a novel activity-based segmentation of rural tourists, revealing a strong preference for complex service packages. Practically, our findings highlight that village caterers who have strategically segmented the market have emerged as winners, successfully attracting different age groups and genders with customized packages. Cluster analysis revealed a segment of rural tourists who, without exception, were enthusiastic about diverse activities. In particular, our cross-cluster analysis points to a significant amount of potential demand among middle-aged tourists. These findings help practitioners develop a targeted product mix and marketing strategy to meet the changing demands of rural tourism. Keywords: rural tourism, hospitality, crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, post-COVID, family travellers, entertain- ment, gastronomy, recreation. Received December 2023, accepted August 2024. mailto:darabos.ferenc@sze.hu mailto:komives.csaba@sze.hu mailto:roland.szabo@sze.hu Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.284 in the post-pandemic period, to reveal how rural tourism has evolved and identify the new beneficiaries of this demand. A ques- tionnaire survey conducted in 2021 with 925 respondents examined their motivations for rural travel. The results show that 49 percent of family travellers are open to or actively seeking new experiences and entertainment, whether gastronomic or sporting. In addi- tion, the results indicate that middle-aged families are the most reliable and active par- ticipants in rural tourism. Finally, village res- taurateurs who have strategically segmented the market have emerged as winners, suc- cessfully attracting different age groups and genders with customized packages. The results contribute significantly to informed destination development and management, a better understanding of markets and mod- ern marketing practices, and professional approaches to holistic and sustainability- enhancing management. The present article is organized as follows: an in-depth literature review of rural tour- ism is presented, then an introduction to the methodology used, the analysis and discus- sion of the results. Finally, the conclusions and limitations of the study are included. Literature review of rural tourism Consumers’ tourism decision is a very com- plex process, the result of which the decision is the selection of an action alternative. In general, this is influenced by many factors (Shuai, M. et al. 2022), such as age, income, education, family structure, the purpose of the trip, motivation, benefit, or activity etc. Furthermore, it is also important that eve- ry decision is made in some environment, which also limits the range of possible deci- sions (Belényesi, E. and Bokor, T. 2022). Fi- nally, the images of the destination also play an important part in influencing the decision (Wookhyun, A. and Alarcón, S. 2021). The most important driver of profitability in the tourism industry is customer satisfac- tion. Satisfaction with services results in ei- ther repeat visits or recommendations that motivate other travellers to visit that destina- tion (Huang, S. and Hsu, C.H.C. 2009). Rural tourists turn out to be relaxed and hedonistic, they primarily seek facilitated consumption experiences and privacy. Moreover, former research revealed that travel characteristics influence tourism de- cisions more than sociodemographic char- acteristics (Juschten, M. and Hössinger, R. 2021). Rural tourists are assumed to be less interested in crowded, tourist-attraction places. However, it should not be forgotten that there are various niche markets, such as hiking or golf, which are also forms of recrea- tion, but more active ones (Frochot, I. 2005). Botero, C. et al. (2013) studied 435 beach users and found a significant difference in the motivations of urban and rural beach users: those who preferred water and sand activi- ties preferred urban beaches, while those who preferred better water and sand quality pre- ferred more rural, secluded beaches. As dif- ferent beaches attract tourists with different motivations, it is essential and incomplete to investigate which local characteristics attract tourists (Dodds, R. and Holmes, M.R. 2020). Pesonen, J.A. et al. (2011) argued that tour- ists are driven by their own motivation to places where they expect their needs to be satisfied. These push motivators are recog- nized as the starting point for travel (Leiper, N. 1990). Once the desire to travel exists, pull motivators attract people to specific destina- tions (Crompton, J.L. 1979). These are desti- nation-specific attributes such as natural at- tractions, food, people, recreational facilities, or activities. Thus, pull motivators determine which destination a traveller will select in line with the traveller’s push motivators. Factors determining the demand for rural tourism Without rural tourism, we cannot talk about tourism or hospitality. Rurality is often de- fined in opposition to urbanity, while rural tourism is often described as the consumption of an idealized tradition (Helgadóttir, G. and 285Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301. Dashper, K. 2021). OECD (1994, 59) defines rural tourism as firmly based on the specific features of the rural world: open space, con- tact with nature, rural heritage, and society. The distinguishing elements of rural tour- ism are the local, authentic gastronomy; the remote landscape with beautiful panorama, animals, as well as renovated and converted farm buildings. Consequently, Helgadóttir, G. and Dashper, K. (2021) noted that the de- mand for rural tourism is rooted in tourists’ at- traction to traditional values and their need for quiet, idyllic domesticity. Moreover, Maestro, R.M.H. et al. (2007) highlighted that rural tour- ism is typically a short stay. Rosalina, P.D. et al. (2021) found that location is paramount and best understood from a geographic and social perspective; however, the presence of indigenous communities is also essential to providing rural experiences. Besides closeness to nature, culinary pleasures have also become one of the driv- ing forces of rural tourism. The “foodies” knowledge of local dishes is the determinant for the choice of destination and it is an es- sential variable in the composition of tourist satisfaction in the travel experience (Martín, J.C. et al. 2020). Because rural areas are inher- ently very different and unique, hence there is a wide range of needs they can meet and satisfy. Consequently, many scholars urged to segment the market in order to have the right value proposition for the target segment. These segments are closely linked to new trends in rural tourism, where tourists show respect for culture and tradition, authenticity, and sustainability (Martín, J.C. et al. 2020). Several researchers have been working on segmenting the demand for rural tourism, and their analyses focus on various types of motivation, which (Chen, L.C. et al. 2013) summarized, highlighting the importance of factor-based motivation testing. Park, D.B. et al. (2014) found 5 segments according to the benefits sought by tourists in rural settings: the pursuit of spending time with family, the pur- suit of escape from the daily routine, the pur- suit of learning and socialization, the pursuit of rural experience, and the pursuit of education. Frochot, I. (2005) segmented the Scottish market by factor-cluster analysis. As a result of his research, active, rural, resting, and contem- plative types emerged from the data. Taking it a step further, Kaptan, A.C. et al. (2020), as well as Roberts, L. and Hall, D. (2004) are the one of the many authors who describe rural tourism as a tourist activity associated with farm-based tourism, nature-based tourism, adventure tourism, wellness tourism, spiritual tourism, nostalgia tourism, heritage tourism, cultural tourism, agrotourism, and ecotourism. However, in their research Bel, F. et al. (2015) distinguished the group of people interested in gastronomy, with special attention to tradi- tions, and formed a separate cluster in French rural tourism. They urged to include gastro- nomic tourism and its connection to local prod- ucts and services as the future research direc- tion of rural tourism. Agrotourism offers an opportunity to restore and maintain the well- being of rural areas and to solve social prob- lems (employment, health, education, leisure). Eusébio, C. et al. (2017) in their research, also examined rural tourism in the Portuguese in- terior, which has many similarities with the rural space in Hungary. Based on the activities of tourists in the countryside, 4 clusters were formed: 1) Active visitors; 2) Passive nature observers; 3) Inactives, and 4) Summer fam- ily vacationers. The tasting of local food and wine was investigated, and involvement in the cultivation of climate-specific products (olives, grapes); however, no details of the content of food and drink were included. Darabos, F. and Printz-Markó, E. (2018) use the distinguished two main segments among Hungarian rural tourists: first, the holiday seekers at a wine or palinka maker, and second, the active recrea- tion in a village house with potential cycling activity or organized nature tours. The very many outdoor activities available in rural settings are important drivers for rural tourism since for example, hiking is an impor- tant leisure activity for urban populations vis- iting rural areas for recreation and well-being (Rodrigues, A. et al. 2010), as it offers a rela- tively simple wellness experience in nature. These activities are summarized in Table 1. Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.286 The former research high- lighted that there could be a significant variance in the mo- tivation of tourist sub-groups (Zimmer, Z. et al. 1995; Chen, L.C. et al. 2013; Rid, W. et al. 2014; Remoaldo, P. et al. 2020). Relaxation and escape from everyday life were some of the critical motivations for rural tourism. In addition, several factors can stimulate the deci- sion at the same time, such as a desire for historical or natural attractions. Some authors have distinguished between family gathering and socialization, where the latter refers to meet- ing the locals. At the same time, rural tourism can be good for refreshment, seeking novelty and excitement, but also for re- laxation, immersion in nature and complete relaxation. In essence, both are driving forc- es for escape from everyday life. Finally, as Table 1 shows, getting to know nature, histo- ry or other cultures is also an important factor. Besides the motivation to engage in certain activities, tourist demographics were questioned to play a signifi- cant role in rural versus ur- ban holiday decisions (Table 2). Pesonen, J.A. and Komppula, R. (2010) created the profile of the Finnish rural tourist, in which the typical represen- tative of the segment is the one who has been growing for 45–54 years, with a high education, and a household income is medium. The correlations between demographic, and social fac- tors and participation in ru- ral tourism were analyzed in Ta bl e 1 . S um m ar y of m ot iv at io n- ba se d fa ct or s a ffe ct in g ru ra l t ou ris m d ec isi on s i n fo rm er re se ar ch A ut ho rs M ot iv at io n- ba se d fa ct or s Le ar ni ng Re la xa tio n, se lf- fu lfi lm en t A cc es si bi lit y Ru ra l he ri ta ge , na tu re O ut do or ac tiv iti es , sp or ts N ov el ty , Ex ci te m en t So ci al iz at io n Su n an d be ac h G as tr on om y Fa m ily to ge th er ne ss Fr oc ho t, I. 20 05 . – X – X X – – – – – Pe so ne n, J. A . 20 12 . – X X X – – – – – X C he n, L .C . e t a l. 20 13 . X X X – X X X – – – Ri d, W . e t a l. 20 14 . X – – X – – X X – – Be l, F . e t a l. 20 15 . – X – X X – X – X – Pe so ne n, J. A . a nd Tu oh in o, A . 2 01 5. – X – – X – – – – X Eu sé bi o, C . e t a l. 20 17 . – – – X X – X X X – Re m oa ld o, P . e t a l. 20 20 . X – X – – X X – – X W oo kh yu n, A . a nd A la rc ón , S . 2 02 1. – – – X X – – – – X So ur ce : A ut ho rs ’ o w n el ab or at io n. 287Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301. Ta bl e 2 . T he fo rm er re se ar ch o n ru ra l t ou ris ts ’ d em og ra ph ic s A ut ho rs A ge G en de r O cc up at io n In co m e Ed uc at io n Ru ra l or ig in s N um be r of v is its Tr av el w ith Re si de nc e Fr oc ho t, I. 20 05 . X – X – – – – – X M ol er a, L . a nd A lb al ad ej o, I. P. 20 07 . X X X X X X X X X Pe so ne n, J. et a l. 20 11 . X X – X X X X X – Pe so ne n, J. A . 20 12 . X – – X X – – – – Be l, F . e t a l. 20 15 . X – – X X – – – X Sh ua i, M . e t a l. 20 22 . X X X X X – – – – So ur ce : A ut ho rs ’ o w n el ab or at io n. China (Shuai, M. et al. 2022). The researchers found that gender, age, occupation, educa- tion, and family structure did not signifi- cantly affect the choice of leisure agricultural trips. However, men’s consumption expendi- tures exceed those of women, which may be related to the fact that women are more cau- tious than men in the consumption process, or men bear the greater part of the expenses incurred during the journey of lovers. Bel, F. et al. (2015) found no socio-demographic dif- ferences in France between domestic tourists in the countryside and in the city in terms of age, educational attainment, household income, etc., are very similar. According to the study of Andriotis, K. (2011), in the rural area of Archaneas (a Greek county), the tour- ists are younger and more highly educated than tourists visiting Athens. For our research, important analyses were carried out by (Bel, F. et al. 2015) in the three rural regions of Aquitaine, Auvergne, and Rhône-Alpes in France. The results overlap with studies in Scotland (Frochot, I. 2005), Spain (Molera, L. and Albaladejo, I.P. 2007), and a study in Finland (Pesonen, J.A. 2012). Bel, F. et al. (2015) noted the main target group in rural tourism market segments are those interested in outdoor activities, excursions or family vacations. Families with children or groups of young adults are looking for outdoor activities. While those interested more in rural culture and visiting natural as well as heritage sites are typically older, lower- and middle- class tourists. Finally, they also found evidence that gastronomic tourism attracts tourists who spend more. All of these scholars nevertheless argue that in order to meet the demand, the product development activity must be adapted to the needs of the target groups. Succeeding in post-COVID times as a rural destination In practice, the competitiveness of a destina- tion depends to a large extent on the service experience: consumers evaluate the service not only in terms of its utility, but also ex- Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.288 perience it in an emotional, sensorial, and symbolic way (Lane, B. and Kastenholz, E. 2018). Today, according to Ellis, G.D. and Rossman, J.R. (2008) the “experience econo- my” is characteristic of all areas of life, where valuable resources (time, money, or other personal alternative costs) are exchanged for a benefit that is also associated with an experience. Thus, the experience of a trip is defined not only by the cleanness or beau- ty of the destination, etc., but – often more importantly – by the emotional and moti- vational states experienced during the time spent there. In this way, experience when it is created to enhance the value of a product or service, or it is provided as an independ- ent entity (Knutson, B.J. and Beck, J.A. 2004). The tourist experience is a very complex, multidimensional, highly subjective and dy- namic phenomenon, and it usually lasts over time; at the same time, from the point of view of tourism demand, the experience lived in the destination is crucial (Huang, S. and Hsu, C.H.C. 2009; Kastenholz, E. et al. 2018). The challenge from the point of view of suppliers is that experience is individualized, determined largely by the different backgrounds, values, at- titudes, and beliefs of each tourist; they “experi- ence” it through their individualized “glasses”. Consequently, no matter how hard someone tries to visualize an experience others are likely to end up saying, “You should have been there” (Knutson, B.J. and Beck, J.A. 2004, 25). Today’s affluent and demanding consum- ers along with the challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic together are escalat- ing the competitive rivalry in the industry (Komodromos, M. et al. 2022). Kastenholz, E. et al. (2012) prove that rural tourism retains its importance because tourists are increasingly looking for authentic experiences. The analy- sis of target groups involved in rural tourism is also interesting because potential tourists consider these rural destinations to be safer, where the possibility of spreading the corona- virus is lower (Lopes, A.S. et al. 2021). Hall, C.M. and Seyfi, S. (2021) citing UNWTO data, found that the COVID-19 pandemic has re- duced the number of international tourists by approximately 1.1 billion, putting 100 to 120 million jobs at risk. Özdemir, M.A. and Yildiz, L.D.S. (2020) have drawn attention to meeting the needs of post-pandemic tourists who want stress relief and refreshment in a natural environment through rural tourism. According to Zhu, H. and Deng, F. (2020), Wen, J. et al. (2021), and Vaishar, A. and Šťastná, M. (2022) the post-covid satisfac- tion of needs for physical and psychological well-being was considered to be solvable by rural tourism. The demand segmentation of rural tour- ism has been carried out based on the moti- vation of tourists, benefits, and activities in recent scientific research (Wookhyun, A. and Alarcón, S. 2021). For example, Pesonen, J.A. and Tuohino, A. (2015) used factor analysis to divide demand into three types of activities, bathgoers, well-being lovers and sporty. The commonality in these studies is that they arrive at very diverse results, difficult to compare as the locations – country specificity – largely determine the underlying motiva- tions. Pesonen, J.A. et al. (2011) noted that positive prior experience with rural tourism is likely to result in repeated travel. They also argued that international tourists differ in their demand, and there is great variance among the factors that attract various nation- alities to different destinations. For example, rural tourism for Germans is about closeness to nature and the farm lifestyle. In summary, the COVID pandemic has af- fected the entire tourism industry. However, scholars (cf. Kumar, A. and Nayar, K.R. 2021) have also pointed out that the COVID-19 ep- idemic has mental health and psychosocial consequences in addition to other health symptoms reported worldwide. On the one hand, the quarantine disrupted people’s usu- al activities and daily routines, often lead- ing to livelihood problems, and on the other hand, the constant stream of media (includ- ing social media) increased people’s sense of loneliness and isolation. Mood and emo- tional outbursts also became more frequent. In addition to anxiety and depression, panic and stress symptoms have increased. 289Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301. Others reported that once the travel restric- tions were lifted, people were keen to make up the lost opportunities and the tourism indus- try demonstrated its unique ability to bounce back (UNWTO, 2023). But the war in Ukraine since February 2022 has interrupted the stron- ger than expected recovery of the travel sec- tor, due to factors such as persistent inflation, high energy prices, cost-of-living increases, and labour shortages at airports. Rural tour- ism, however, has become one of the driving forces of post-covid tourism, as its offer and its typically short distances make it a perfect way to satisfy people’s need for health, relaxation, and recreation (Wang, J. et al. 2022). The effects of COVID-19 on rural attractions In the post-COVID years hence the role of rural areas as tourism is expected to grow (Liu, Y. et al. 2022) and the need to better understand the drivers and motives of rural tourists has become critical. Consequently, the present research fulfils an important role in investigating these preferences in order to facilitate a more resilient as well as effective rural tourism supply. Before the pandemic, guests sought “im- mersive” and “amazing” experiences, while after, they craved “reassuring”, “sociable”, and “unparalleled” gastronomic experiences, as well as an experiential home service deliv- ery. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, there has been an increase in perceived risk related to eating at a restaurant and a notable change in the usual clientele (e.g. an increase in younger customers), with a consequent change in customer needs. (Bonfanti, A. et al. 2023). Wine tourism has also been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and previous per- ceptions of safety in rural destinations may no longer hold (Niklas, B. et al. 2022). The post-COVID tourism market is un- dergoing a period of significant transfor- mation (cf. Kim, Y.-J. et al. 2021; Chin, C.H. 2022; Huang, T. et al. 2024). To illustrate, the competitive advantages typically associated with urban destinations, such as the creation and support of resources, are also evident in rural offerings. Conversely, traditional rural factors, such as inherited resources, are not always considered to be decisive in the com- petition between rural and urban tourism. It is posited that rural tourism has witnessed an increase in longer-term stays (Lyu, J. et al. 2021), potentially attributable to the height- ened challenges associated with overseas travel. New activities have emerged, includ- ing camping, drive-through destinations, and cycling (Chen, J. et al. 2023). Rural wine tourists are equally motivated by hedonis- tic and wine-specific activities (Gaetjens, A. et al. 2023). The appeal of ecological and nat- ural tourist sites has notably increased, large- ly because these destinations offer tranquil atmospheres and a lower density of visitors, allowing tourists to avoid close contact with others (Baloch, Q.B. et al. 2023). Moreover, the difficulties associated with overseas travel have contributed to an increase in the length of stay in rural areas. In light of the aforementioned evidence, the present study aims to test the following hypotheses: – H1/A: There is a significant difference in respondents’ gender and gastronomic pro- grams. – H1/B: There is a significant difference be- tween respondents’ gender and their pref- erence for touristic programs. – H2/A: There is a difference between re- spondents’ age and their participation in tourist attractions. – H2/B: There is a difference between re- spondents’ age and their participation in gastronomic events. – H3: There is a significant difference be- tween tourists’ education and their wine- drinking preferences. Methodology Our research focused on the COVID-19 crisis in the tourism industry for the period from 2019 to 2023. By conducting a questionnaire survey in 2021, we aimed to understand the social and Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.290 economic processes in tourism after the pan- demic and their impact on rural tourism. To gain an in-depth understanding, we analyzed secondary data sources to track trends in guest nights and examined how different types of ac- commodations were affected by the crisis. In particular, we compared the responses of small- er rural tourism accommodations with those of hotels. The tourism sector, which is sensitive to crises, also has a remarkable capacity for rapid regeneration. With this assumption in mind, the study also examined whether recovery has occurred, the duration of this recovery, or if it is still ongoing. Within this framework, we have contextualized the relationship of the clientele surveyed to rural tourism. The data for this research was gathered during the period of the COVID-19 pandem- ic, between January and June 2021, and the survey aims to examine demand in rural tour- ism focusing on being able to design optimal offers in the period following the pandemic. The topic of this study is the examination of holiday habits in Hungary with special regard to rural tourism. The sampling frame consist- ed of small and large families mainly from the Western Transdanubian region. The area un- der study is located in the “Golden Triangle” Vienna–Bratislava–Budapest, an economically developed region, and the Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma, which is located here, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. The sample is not representative, the respondents were selected using an arbitrary method. The formal questionnaire was divid- ed into four parts. The length of stay was mea- sured in days on an eight-point Likert scale, and the priority of tourism and gastronomic events was measured on a four-point Likert scale. A score of one meant strongly agree, and a score of eight meant strongly disagree. In addition to demographic data (age, gender, educational attainment, residence), informa- tion was gathered about the willingness to spend (on food and accommodation), length of stay in rural settings, travelling habits, par- ticipation in gastronomic events, participation in tourism attractions, and so on. All together a total of 28 questions were set in the survey. To answer our research question, we em- ployed a segmentation methodology. A pri- ori, or common-sense segmentation, groups tourists by known characteristics like age or gender. In contrast, a posteriori, or post-hoc, data-driven segmentation analyzes data to identify segments based on similarities and differences. While a posteriori segmentation requires more technical skill, it enables re- searchers to delve deeper into the data and un- cover hidden insights. This method often uses symptomatic bundles of advantages sought, travel motivations, activities, perceived des- tination qualities, and preferences to define segments (McKercher, B. et al. 2023a). Moreover, many studies have identified ac- tivities as an effective basis for segmentation. Activities are a crucial link between travel motivation and destination choice, influ- encing the image and reputation of a tourist destination. For example, Pesonen, J.A. and Tuohino, A. (2015) argue that the activities offered play a significant role in shaping how a destination is perceived and chosen by tourists. However, there are inherent lim- itations in surveying a specific, limited area. Mostly, the results may not be generalizable to the population as a whole. Nevertheless, such surveys can provide valuable insights for theory-building, especially regarding the evolution of representations and con- sumption patterns in rural areas (Eusébio, C. et al. 2017). They underline the importance of the sought activities as a relevant seg- mentation basis for visitors (Mumuni, A.G. and Mansour, M. 2014; McKercher, B. et al. 2023b). Results Analysis of the periods before and after the pandemic In 2019, the KSH (Central Statistical Office of Hungary) stopped monitoring private accommodation, and data on rural tourism are included in the special accommodation statistics. 291Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301. According to Table 3, other accommoda- tions also affected by rural tourism could not withstand the impact of COVID-19, with a decrease in the number of guest nights in all regions (KSH 2024a). The average de- crease was 17.3 percent. The rate of de- crease was smallest in Pest County, Central Transdanubia, Northern Hungary, and was the greatest (above average) in the Northern and Southern Great Plain regions, and in Western Transdanubia. The recovery pro- cess has already begun in 2021. In Central and Southern Transdanubia regions, and Pest County the values exceeded the num- ber of guest nights in 2019; approached it in Northern Hungary and Southern Great Plain. In 2022–2023, these values were above those of 2019 everywhere (KSH data includes both other and private accommodation). The number of guest nights in larger hotels and hotels, which are therefore more danger- ous in the crisis, has suffered a more signifi- cant decrease than in other accommodations (KSH 2024b) (Table 4). The average decrease is 44.5 percent, which is 2.5 times the decrease in rural tourism. The rate of decrease was above average in Pest County, Western Transdanubia and Northern Great Plain. In Pest County, the largest decrease in the number of hotel nights is matched by the smallest decrease in other accommodations. Central Transdanubia and Northern Hungary performed below average in both accommodation types (below average decrease), but the rate of hotel decrease was closer to average (higher) than other accom- modation values. The recovery process for ho- tels and pensions has been slower and lasted until 2023, and the inflation period has even been brought to a halt. Full catch-up with 2019 could take two or three times longer period than in rural accommodation. Overall, it was found that guest nights in other and private accommodation facili- ties are also affected by economic crises and health constraints. However, it can be con- cluded that, in times of crisis, tourists turn more towards other and private accommo- dation, which also occurs in the countryside, than towards hotels; And there they can cause Ta bl e 3 . N um be r o f g ue st n ig ht s i n sp ec ia l a cc om m od at io n in st at ist ic al re gi on s b et w ee n 20 19 a nd 2 02 3* Ye ar St at is tic al re gi on Pe st C ou nt y W es te rn Tr an sd an ub ia C en tr al Tr an sd an ub ia So ut he rn Tr an sd an ub ia N or th er n H un ga ry N or th er n G re at Pl ai n So ut he rn G re at Pl ai n N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) 20 19 1, 24 3, 80 5 (1 00 .0 ) 1, 08 2, 74 7 (1 00 .0 ) 47 6, 17 5 (1 00 .0 ) 87 0, 22 9 (1 00 .0 ) 69 7, 44 2 (1 00 .0 ) 71 5, 55 1 (1 00 .0 ) 25 4, 62 1 (1 00 .0 ) 20 20 93 7, 06 3 (7 5. 0) 98 4, 22 3 (9 0. 9) 40 2, 33 3 (8 4. 4) 70 7, 83 9 (8 1. 3) 45 5, 50 2 (6 5. 0) 55 0, 36 7 (7 6. 9) 24 4, 61 3 (9 6. 0) 20 21 1, 11 1, 38 9 (8 9. 3) 1, 11 6, 89 8 (1 03 .1 ) 48 7, 15 8 (1 02 .3 ) 85 5, 33 5 (9 5. 9) 54 6, 28 7 (7 8. 3) 70 4, 11 4 (9 8. 4) 26 3, 58 2 (1 03 .5 ) 20 22 1, 54 9, 72 4 (1 24 .5 ) 1, 36 3, 48 5 (1 25 .9 ) 1, 95 1, 92 6 (4 09 .0 ) 1, 30 7, 42 7 (1 50 .0 ) 91 9, 55 8 (1 31 .8 ) 1, 06 9, 94 1 (1 49 .5 ) 43 9, 59 1 (1 72 .6 ) 20 23 1, 51 5, 71 7 (1 21 .8 ) 1, 31 9, 83 4 (1 21 .8 ) 1, 94 3, 32 8 (4 08 .0 ) 1, 26 4, 49 6 (1 45 .0 ) 93 5, 27 1 (1 34 .0 ) 1, 01 1, 91 6 (1 41 .4 ) 41 2, 45 1 (1 61 .9 ) *2 01 9 as th e ba se p er io d. S ou rc e: K SH , 2 02 4a . Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.292 an increase in the number of guest nights even during the crisis. The economic crisis has af- fected accommodation less negatively than COVID. Significant territorial differences can be detected in the country, according to which the rural accommodation facilities of the more developed regions (e.g. Pest County and Western Transdanubia), and places with traditional offers (e.g. Northern Hungary), hardly react to negative financial flows. However, COVID makes more developed areas more resilient in this area as well. The recovery process can take up to a year for vil- lage accommodation and 3–4 years for hotels. Results of the survey In the survey, all 925 respondents were val- idated. Three different age groups were de- fined. Based on the biological criteria, young respondents belonged to the group between 16 and 29 years old, the second group was that of middle-aged respondents between 31 and 50 years, while 51 or older respondents belonged to the senior group. The sample is dominated by female respondents (59.9%) and also by people living in urban areas (53.8%) including the capital all together above 75 percent of the respondents. Most respondents have at least secondary edu- cation (52.0%) although 47 percent of them have graduated in higher education. This is very important, as education level is found to be a strong driver for travel decisions (cf. Zimmer, Z. et al. 1995). Young people are un- derrepresented in the sample. Five-day stay was the typical length of time spent in rural destinations. The distribution of the studied sample is shown in Table 5. Regarding the willingness to spend, results show that senior tourists are likely to spend the most on accommodation (mean 2.39) followed by the middle-aged (mean 2.35) and finally the youngsters (mean 2.29). The youngsters spend more on food and drinks (mean 2.95) spend much more than the elder- ly (mean 2.90) and middle-aged (mean 2.76). On average tourists spend between 9.9 EUR Ta bl e 4 . N um be r o f g ue st n ig ht s i n ho te ls an d pe ns io ns in st at ist ic al re gi on s b et w ee n 20 19 a nd 2 02 3* Ye ar s St at is tic al re gi on W es te rn Tr an sd an ub ia C en tr al Tr an sd an ub ia So ut he rn Tr an sd an ub ia N or th er n H un ga ry N or th er n G re at Pl ai n So ut he rn G re at Pl ai n Pe st C ou nt y N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) N ig ht s (% ) 20 19 5, 14 2, 88 9 (1 00 .0 ) 2, 17 6, 17 6 (1 00 .0 ) 1, 97 3, 76 6 (1 00 .0 ) 2, 16 5, 44 4 (1 00 .0 ) 1, 94 2, 46 7 (1 00 .0 ) 1, 57 1, 41 4 (1 00 .0 ) 1, 18 4, 94 9 (1 00 .0 ) 20 20 2, 48 2, 69 5 (4 8. 0) 1, 32 8, 01 1 (6 1. 0) 1, 21 2, 99 3 (6 1. 4) 1, 31 8, 69 5 (6 0. 8) 1, 04 0, 76 2 (5 3. 5) 89 6, 11 5 (5 7. 0) 54 1, 69 0 (4 5. 7) 20 21 3, 06 8, 40 2 (5 9. 6) 1, 39 2, 57 1 (6 3. 9) 1, 33 2, 77 5 (6 7. 5) 1, 36 2, 09 7 (6 2. 9) 1, 17 8, 76 0 (6 0. 6) 1, 05 0, 28 1 (6 6. 8) 65 8, 91 4 (5 5. 6) 20 22 4, 63 6, 88 2 (9 0. 1) 2, 05 7, 97 4 (9 4. 5) 1, 9 29 ,9 25 (9 7. 7) 1, 98 6, 82 0 (9 1. 7) 1, 84 5, 36 5 (9 5. 0) 1, 54 8, 55 2 (9 8. 5) 1, 17 1, 81 4 (9 8. 8) 20 23 4, 47 2, 78 4 (8 6. 9) 2, 05 1, 65 4 (9 4. 2) 1, 74 0, 50 4 (8 8. 1) 2, 06 8, 11 4 (9 5. 5) 1, 80 5, 40 3 (9 2. 9) 1, 51 3, 65 9 (9 6. 3) 1, 17 0, 18 0 (9 8. 7) *2 01 9 as th e ba se p er io d. S ou rc e: K SH , 2 02 4b 293Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301. and 14.8 EUR for one person/attraction. When attending gastronomic programs, the expendi- tures are higher, between 12.3 and 24.6 EUR. It is important to highlight that in the survey Forint, the Hungarian national currency was used and then converted to Euro (Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 406.09 HUF). To gain better insights into the tourists’ profiles, a continuous factor analysis was performed. Factor analysis can be one of the possible methods of multivariate statistical analysis, it defines a structure, while it re- duces the amount of data. The Kaiser-Meyer- Olkin (KMO) value is > 0.6 and the p-value in Bartlett’s test is less than 0.01 (p < 0.01), which indicates that the scale is suitable for continuous factor analysis. Moreover, when the coefficient is greater than 0.60 (0.817), this indicates that the questionnaire has good re- liability, and continuous analysis can be re- tained. The procedure measures all possible combinations of the questions the question- naire contains, the coefficient of reliability can be a number between 0 and 1. The closer the coefficient is to 1, the more reliable the data of the survey are. If the coefficient is between 0.9 and 1, they are excellent, between 0.8 and 0.9 they are good, between 0.7 and 0.8 they are acceptable, between 0.6 and 0.7 they are ac- ceptable, between 0.5 and 0.6 they are weak, and a coefficient below 0.5 is considered un- acceptable (Sajtos, L. and Mitev, A. 2007). Using SPSS 25.0 five factors were gained out of the original set of sixteen (Table 6), that explain more than 60 percent of total variance. Regarding the hypothesis testing, there are no significant gender differences in attending gastronomic events, hence H1/A has been rejected. Regarding other activities, we found that females tend to attend more of the local attractions (χ2 = 9.839, p ≤ 0.01), local heritage (χ2 = 17.58, p ≤ 0.01), or cultural and religious events in the neighbourhood of the destination (χ2 = 15.70, p ≤ 0.001). Other activities, such as hiking or cycling revealed no gender differences. That is why H1/B is only partially accepted. In line with the expectations, age affects greatly the tourists’ interest. The mid- dle-aged are more likely to be interested in outdoor activities, such as hiking or biking (χ2 = 30.967, p ≤ 0.01), they are also likely to be interested in socializing with others and attending events where this is facilitated, such as family fun (χ2 = 51.642, p ≤ 0.01) or folklore events (χ2 = 18.265, p ≤ 0.01). That is why H2/A is accepted. The middle-aged respondents also tend to be more interested in food tours with local dishes (χ2 = 15.986, p ≤ 0.01) or wine tours (χ2 = 14.504, p ≤ 0.01). There were no differ- ences in grilled or cauldron foods. Hence H2/B is also partially accepted. The results showed no difference in pref- erence for wine tours among the sub-groups by education level, hence H3 is rejected. Nevertheless, the higher educated sub-group tends to spend more than the tourists with primary or secondary education. After the factor analysis, the obtained factors were sorted into K-centred clusters. One striking difference between the clusters is that there is at least one factor that is not preferred by the respondents in all clusters. The members of the first cluster (142 Persons) like to taste local dishes, experience tradition, have a drink, as well as connect with oth- ers, but they do not like outdoor activities, hence this group is named “No hiking”. The Table 5. Distribution of the sample Variable N % Gender Male Female 371 554 40.1 59.9 Age Youngsters (16–29 years) Middle-aged (30–50 years) Elderly over 51 years 143 568 214 15.5 61.4 23.1 Educational attainment Higher education Secondary Primary 434 482 18 47.0 52.0 1.0 Residence Capital Urban Sub-urban 207 498 220 22.4 53.8 23.8 Source: Authors’ own elaboration. Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.294 members of the second clus- ter (145 Persons) are not mo- tivated to connect with oth- ers, hence this group is the “Just us”. The third cluster (129 Persons) explores tradi- tion and heritage around the destination, they rather pre- fer to do sports or taste wine and spirits. They are the “No tradition”. The fourth cluster (170 Persons) con- sists of those people who are not motivated by drinking tours, hence they are called “No wine”. The members of the fifth cluster are rather in- terested in outdoor activities only during their rural holi- days. They are the “Sportive” tourists (82). Finally, the last cluster has no opposition to- ward any activity, they are motivated to try out many new things as shown in Table 5. Hence this group is called “go for it”. Looking into details of the composition of travelers 5 sub-groups are identified (Table 7). Travelers with part- ners are typically not looking for meeting new people and connecting with locals, but rather they look for togeth- erness and withdrawal from the crowd. They are typically active, 44 percent of them be- long to the Sportive cluster. This is not surprising as they can refresh in nature while being active. Their travel decision is least motivated by visiting local heritage or tradition, probably the acces- sibility of nature – and the availability of hiking tracks for example – seems to be a decisive component. Ta bl e 6 . R es ul ts o f t he fa ct or a na ly sis Fa ct or s C om po ne nt s Fo od to ur s Ex pl or in g tr ad iti on C on ne ct in g w ith o th er s D ri nk to ur s O ut do or a ct iv iti es G ri lle d m ea ts C au ld ro n fo od s H om em ad e ha m , s au sa ge , a nd c he es e Tu rk ey d in ne r G oo se d in ne r Lo ca l d is he s V is iti ng lo ca l h er ita ge V is iti ng lo ca l a ttr ac tio ns A tte nd in g cu ltu ra l a nd /o r r el ig io us e ve nt s Fa m ily fu n Fo lk lo re e ve ni ng H or se -d ra w n ca rr ia ge H om em ad e sp ir it ta st in g W in e ta st in g C yc lin g H ik in g an d to ur g ui de d w al ki ng to ur C ro nb ac h’ s A lp ha Ei ge nv al ue s % v ar ia nc e ex pl ai ne d K ai se r- M ey er -O lk in M ea su re o f S am pl in g .7 93 .7 06 .6 85 .6 38 .6 12 .6 04 – – – – – – – – – – .7 32 4. 17 1 26 .0 68 .8 17 – – – – – – .7 77 .7 59 .7 47 – – – – – – – .7 01 1. 77 9 11 .1 18 – – – – – – – – – – .7 85 .6 92 .6 02 – – – – .6 22 1. 45 4 9. 08 5 – – – – – – – – – – – – – .8 40 .8 29 – – .6 39 1. 19 7 7. 48 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – .8 26 .8 20 .6 07 1. 07 6 6. 72 3 – N ot es : E xt ra ct io n m et ho d: P ri nc ip al C om po ne nt A na ly si s; R ot at io n m et ho d: V ar im ax w ith K ai se r N or m al iz at io n; R ot at io n co nv er ge d in 5 it er at io ns . So ur ce : A ut ho rs ’ o w n el ab or at io n. 295Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301. Table 7. Final cluster centres Activities 925 persons Clusters No hiking 142 persons Just us 145 persons No tradition 129 persons No wine 170 persons Sportive 82 persons Go for it 257 persons Food tours Exploring tradition Connecting with others Wine tours Outdoor activities .20708 .15755 .19328 .02244 -1.61189 .21863 .33572 -1.62302 -.06909 .22907 .19719 -1.53306 .10031 .31182 .35041 .23477 .15871 .50187 -1.24974 .34102 -2.23890 -.22021 -.04877 -.04269 .02204 .22232 .45833 .44215 .71036 .35288 Source: Authors’ own elaboration. The “no drinks” is the largest, respondents travelling with family seem to be least inter- ested in wine or spirit-tasting tours (Table 8). Nevertheless, it is surprising that respondents travelling with teams also score low on wine tours. 49 percent of large family travellers opt for the “go for it” option and are open to new experiences and entertainment, whether they come from gastronomic or sporting experi- ences. Moreover, taking it all together, app. 28 percent of the respondents are motivated to “go for it” when travelling to rural places. Discussion The COVID crisis has resulted in significant changes in the structure of tourism and the motivation of guests to travel. The recovery process following the downturn lasted up to 4 years in the case of commercial, larger-scale accommodation (hotels, pensions). Other smaller accommodations involved in rural tourism responded more flexibly and began to increase their visitor traffic within two years. People have turned away from mass tourism and have quenched their hunger for recreation accumulated during COVID-19 in smaller rural accommodations. Rural tourism offers a good opportunity to organise person- alised, alternative, combined programmes; in a calm, healthy natural environment. Health and authenticity have become more valuable. We investigated the post-covid motiva- tions of rural tourists and identified different segments based on their motivations, leisure Table 8. Distribution of family sub-groups by clusters Family sub-groups No hiking Clusters No hiking Just us No traditions No wine Sportive Go for it Total With family (parents + 2 children) N % 29 20.4 20 13.8 21 16.3 36 21.2 14 17.1 51 19.8 171 18.5 With big family N % 21 14.8 17 11.7 22 17.1 42 24.7 10 12.2 49 19.1 161 17.4 With team N % 16 11.3 9 6.2 13 10.1 13 7.6 5 6.1 30 11.7 86 9.3 With my partner N % 47 33.1 79 54.5 56 43.4 37 21.8 36 43.9 79 30.7 334 36.1 Alone N % 5 3.5 4 2.8 2 1.6 8 4.7 6 7.3 4 1.6 29 3.1 With a small family (parents +1 child) N % 24 16.9 16 11.0 15 11.6 34 20.0 11 13.4 44 17.1 144 15.6 Together N % 142 100,0 145 100.0 129 100.0 170 100.0 82 100.0 257 100.0 925 100.0 Source: Authors’ own elaboration. Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.296 habits, and expenditures. The study confirms that the spectrum of rural tourism is broad, but wine and spirit tasting was the least mo- tivating factor in the sample. There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon, such as the over-representation of family trav- ellers, or even the desire to compensate for increased stress and discomfort in the post-va- cation period with healthier recharging, such as active recreation. Moreover, the increasing expense of food and beverages is likely to re- duce the demand for such activities. Nevertheless, the middle-aged group out of the three sub-groups was the most receptive to food tours (local tastings of village cold dishes, local wines, dishes prepared in a caul- dron, and homemade cakes). On traditional events, they are likely to travel just to taste such dishes, for example on St. Marton’s Day which is associated with eating roast goose. Another result is that tradition and local heritage are less attractive in itself. The “go for it” type of tourists may participate in such an event, but for the destination having some historical or cultural heritage sites is usually not enough for demand generation. Also, kids may find it less attractive to visit ruins or mon- uments etc. hence families are likely to prefer activities which keep kids busy such as hiking or outdoor sports. Nevertheless, results may need to be confirmed by future research as the sample was dominated by families with kids. Although the identification of the multi-ex- perience seeker group, labelled as the “go for it” cluster, is not entirely novel, as previ- ously noted in research (Rid, W. et al. 2014), it remains significant that rural tourism in the post-COVID era transcends mere privacy and quiet self-fulfilment. Rural destinations can appeal to these travellers by offering comprehensive packages. Biking and hiking trails, as well as creative, playful and fam- ily-friendly activities including affordable eating-out offers, are likely to be part of the value proposition. The possibilities are end- less, nevertheless, treasure hunt activities in the proximity of a heritage site are likely to please the entire family, even if three gener- ations come together. In line with Bel, F. et al. (2015), and Eusébio, C. et al. (2017) findings there is an indepen- dent cluster for gastronomic orientation. The locally provided specialities do attract some demand but much less than originally expected. Probably the supply side needs to identify new target customers or reposition itself to be more attractive to both families and team visitors. As discussed earlier, the current energy and cost-of-living crisis make tourists more concerned with the expenses and when several persons are eating out the expenses are likely to grow and families may lose motivation. Age matters, middle-aged people are more likely to be interested in outdoor activities such as cycling and are also more interested in socializing with others and participating in events such as folklore activities. There is also significant interest in participating in gastronomy and wine tours among mid- dle-aged people. An important aspect of our research was to highlight the importance of authentic, personalized, unique offer elements in rural destinations. Our investigation put at the cen- tre the question of whether it can be demon- strated that there is a scientifically supported correlation between individual sociodemo- graphic factors and gastronomic, and oth- er leisure between motivations. It has been proven that in rural tourism after the COVID period, the value of traditional, non-massive personalized service coupled with increased value. In particular, the cross-tabulation anal- ysis has shown that in rural tourism, after the COVID-19 pandemic period, there is a signif- icant interest in traditional, non-mass, and personalized services. This is also support- ed by the strong interest of the middle-aged group, which represents the above-men- tioned reliable market demand. In order to meet the needs of this market segment and fully exploit the market potential, the activ- ities offered must be provided in authentic and unspoiled rural environments. Regarding the gastronomic offerings, the findings sug- gest that the demand of middle-aged must be met in rural destinations. 297Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301. In terms of gender, it is traditional visit- ing country houses is significant for females. The cross-tabulation analysis shows that, in terms of gender, visits to rural heritage sites are significant for women (hypothesis H1/B). However, urban residents, regardless of age and education, are particularly interested in rural touring, for whom socializing with lo- cals is still attractive, but family activities are also an attraction. The novelty of the research is the scientif- ic verification of the complexity of the rural touristic demand as well as the rise of rural tourism as a lower-cost and healthy alterna- tive to crowded tourist attractions. For practitioners, the results are also thought-provoking. The rural destinations can benefit from the current international pressures and reap many of the tradition- ally urban tourists. The demand side seems growing and in case the supply side can satisfy the growing need, then rural tour- ism will be more popular. Tailored offers and carefully invested utilities (to improve accessibility of the destination) are essential for meeting the demand. In addition, the pro- viders who effectively segment the market will be the winners as they can more easily provide value for the diverse motivations of rural tourists. We found a connection with previous stud- ies regarding wines since wine consumption is never alone, it is always together, whether in conjunction with gastronomic programs or during family and friend celebrations (Casadó-Marín, L. and Anzil, V. 2022). Conclusions Our research delved into the driving factors behind the choices made by rural tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic. By exam- ining distinct groups of tourists with unique characteristics, preferences, recreational ac- tivities, and spending patterns, we uncov- ered valuable insights into rural tourism dynamics. The findings revealed that while rural tourism offers a variety of activities, wine and spirit tasting garnered the least interest. This trend may be attributed to the prevalence of family travellers seeking health-promoting, stress-reducing activities, and the rising costs of meals and drinks. Middle-aged travellers exhibited the great- est interest in food excursions, relishing local foods, and engaging in traditional festivi- ties. However, heritage and local traditions alone were not compelling enough to attract a broad audience. Specifically, families pre- ferred activities that engaged children, such as hiking and outdoor sports, over visiting historical sites. This highlights the necessity for rural destinations to provide diverse and comprehensive experiences catering to vari- ous age groups and interests. The “go for it” cluster, characterized by a strong inclination towards diverse and ex- tensive experiences, is attracted to pursuits such as cycling, trekking, and family-friend- ly events. This suggests that rural areas can appeal to this group by offering innovative and inclusive travel packages. Notably, the current energy and cost-of-living issues have heightened tourists’ awareness of expenses, particularly when eating out, impacting their motivation. Age significantly influences choices, with middle-aged individuals showing a pro- nounced preference for outdoor activities and social events. Gender differences were also observed, with women demonstrating a distinct inclination towards visiting rural heritage sites. Our study emphasizes the growing impor- tance of authentic, personalized encounters in rural tourism post-COVID. The investiga- tion established a strong association between sociodemographic characteristics and moti- vations, particularly indicating a preference for non-mass, traditional services. Middle- aged tourists represent an attractive market segment for these offerings, and it is crucial to fully capitalize on this potential. These findings offer valuable insights for practitioners. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift towards rural tourism, driven by a desire for well-being, authentici- Darabos, F. et al. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 73 (2024) (3) 283–301.298 ty, and personalized experiences. By under- standing and addressing the nuanced motiva- tions of rural tourists, destinations can thrive in this evolving landscape. Rural destinations can capitalize on current trends and appeal to urban tourists by meeting the growing de- mand with tailored offerings and improved accessibility. Efficient market segmentation will enable providers to cater to diverse moti- vations, ensuring the continued popularity of rural tourism as an affordable and healthful alternative to overcrowded tourist spots. In addition, the findings of this study con- tribute to the development of current theo- ries. The results suggest that retrospective ac- tivity-based segmentation can be an advanta- geous methodological strategy. Additionally, this study adds to the ongoing conversation concerning shifts in tourist motivations in response to current crises, with a particular focus on changes in customer requirements. During the post-COVID period, rural tour- ism is transforming, moving away from the traditional focus on providing self-fulfilment and privacy. This indicates that rural regions have the potential to successfully attract tour- ists by offering comprehensive packages that include infrastructure such as bike and hik- ing trails, as well as creative, family-orient- ed activities and affordable dining options. Moreover, environmentally conscious activ- ities should be considered to be part of the offerings to attract rural tourism travellers, as suggested by Chen, J. et al. (2023). Overall, the results significantly contrib- ute to informed destination development and management, providing a better under- standing of markets and modern marketing practices, and professional approaches to holistic and sustainability-enhancing man- agement. However, the study has two pri- mary limitations. First, as mentioned in the methodology, there are inherent constraints in surveying a specific, limited area, making the results potentially non-generalizable to the broader population. Nonetheless, such surveys can provide valuable insights for theory-building, especially regarding the evolution of representations and consump- tion patterns in rural areas (Eusébio, C. et al. 2017). They underline the importance of sought activities as a relevant segmen- tation basis for visitors (Mumuni, A.G. and Mansour, M. 2014; McKercher, B. et al. 2023b). 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