Coronavirus aftermath: Hungarian wineries fight for survival

Considering the impact of travel and movement restrictions, tourism and catering services have been among the worst affected economic sectors. To compensate for their losses, adjust their business plans to the situation, and promote online wine ordering, Hungarian winemakers have launched the “Message in the Bottle 2020” campaign. Nonetheless, with the easing of restrictions, wine regions expect an increase in attendance.

Etyek is a Hungarian village surrounded by vineyards, approximately 30 kilometres from Budapest. As the weather gets warmer, many tourists visit the Etyek-Buda wine region for its famous fresh, crispy white and sparkling wines. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated tourism in Hungary, and wineries have also been severely affected, CGTN reported.

“We were hit hard by the pandemic, we had no guests for three months. But we are not yet bankrupt, we are doing everything with our own hands, we are a family business,”

winemaker Csaba Tiszperger said. Their business is rather versatile; they cure meat, make traditional bread, pickles, and syrups from local fruits, and produce organic wine. Despite their recent major expenses – they built a new oven and improved the dining area −, the Tiszperger family did not seek the government’s help.