Digital visibility and the future of tourism: the HelloVEB Portal System in the Veszprém and Bakony-Balaton region

Digital presence is a critical competitive factor in tourism today. Modern tourists typically search for information online, and tourism businesses that lag behind in their digital presence may find themselves at a serious competitive disadvantage. That is why we can now talk about an IT imperative in tourism: those who do not have a digital presence are left out of the list of options. Ninety percent of travelers’ decisions are made online, meaning that the quality and availability of online information determine which service providers and destinations are included in visitors’ recommendations—whether generated for people or even by AI-based travel-planning algorithms. “One-stop-shop” digital experiences are becoming increasingly common in modern travel trends, allowing travelers to find inspiration, access information, make bookings, and even complete payments within a single interface. All of this virtually requires tourism destinations to maintain a unified and integrated online presence.

The HelloVEB Portal System is a unified, modular, multi-functional tourism platform based on a central database. Its purpose is to connects regional tourism stakeholders and content in a shared online ecosystem. The platform is part of the Tourism Management System (TMR) and public digital showcase, where partners (local governments, museums, associations, event organizers, accommodation providers, etc.) can upload their content (e.g., an event, attraction, or restaurant) via an administrative interface. This means that the same content appears on countless platforms at once with a single upload. The most important features of the system:

• Multiple websites with one engine: the HelloVEB Portal System has a modular structure, so a central system engine can serve multiple websites with different appearances , meaning that several different websites can run on the same back-end system. A database and admin interface operate the regional main portal (HelloVEB.hu – which brings together the programs of the entire Veszprém-Bakony-Balaton region), the thematic sports website (Sportregio2026.hu – which narrows down the list to active lifestyle programs), or the discount card pages (Veszpremkartya.hu, VeszpremBalatonPass.hu). Each page can appear as a separate brands, but they work from a common database in the background, so updates are immediately effective everywhere. This multisite architecture ensures that websites tailored to different regional target groups are always up to date and consistent with each other, while users can use the same profile wherever they are on the network. One admin, one upload, countless display options: this solution not only increases efficiency, but also creates new opportunities for customized marketing (e.g., landing pages, embedded microsites can be created within the system at no extra cost, with the help of special filters). We can provide specialized experiences for different target groups without having to redistribute data. The system is scalable: a new thematic page or even a microsite can be added with relatively little effort, as the content is already available, we just organize it from a different perspective.
• Integrated program calendar and content management: the HelloVEB Portal System allows you to upload all programs and events to one place, whether they are cultural events, sporting events, exhibitions, or festivals. Content uploads can be managed from a single administrative interface, and once uploaded, they appear on countless platforms. There is no parallel data upload, reducing human resource requirements while increasing coverage – the program can be found by anyone interested who browses the region. A central database of content ensures that up-to-date and consistent information is displayed everywhere.
• Multiple services on one platform: the HelloVEB Portal System is not just an event listing site, but combines several tourism functions. Its modules include a program guide (with an event calendar search engine and filters), a built-in DeepL translator, newsletter subscription, event reminders, online ticket sales system (Jegy.HelloVEB.hu), and the discount card system (Veszpremkartya.hu, VeszpremBalatonPass.hu). All of this works through a single user profile: visitors can access everything from a single profile by registering everything—event booking, ticket purchasing, coupons, and discounts—all accessible with a single profile. The digital &system connects the entire visitor journey: tourists register, collect the programs they like, buy their tickets, reserve their discount card, and this data (preferences, reservations) provides valuable feedback to destination managers.
• Free partnership and community content development: the HelloVEB Portal System is open to all local stakeholders: local governments, cultural institutions, sports clubs, event organizers, and tourism service providers can join and upload their content free of charge. This is a community-based content development model, in which everyone contributes to the common good and receives visibility in return. This is a conscious strategy in the interests of sustainability and content richness: the more partners join, the more complete the offering, which is more attractive to users, so ultimately everyone wins. For example, local governments can simply embed HelloVEB program listings into their own websites, thereby increasing visibility at the local levelThis is important because it allows smaller businesses and localities to participate. This is important because it allows smaller businesses and localities to enter the digital visibility arena, precisely those who would otherwise not have the resources for their own developments. To use the platform, the project owner organization - Veszprém-Balaton 2023 JSC.- provides continuous training and support, helping partners learn how to use the admin interface effectively. The system-driven analytics feature allows organizers to obtain statistics about visitors, such as where they came from, how many people viewed their program, and which periods are the most popular. This can help not only with conscious planning, but also with optimizing your offerings for the future.

Based on experience to date, the HelloVEB Portal System takes the region's digital competitiveness to a new level. TMR and the HelloVEB Portal System are not just technological innovations, but also the driving force behind the visitor economy: it connects tourism service providers, cultural institutions, and event organizers, facilitating their cooperation, and provides visitors with a transparent, convenient, and personalized experience. In other words, the system offers both B2B benefits (more efficient operation, data sharing, partner synergies) and B2C value (better user experience, discounts, more information in one place). With this, the HelloVEB Portal System bridges the gap between regional supply and digital demand, filling the previous visibility gap.

The long-term success of Veszprém and the Bakony-Balaton region is largely determined by its ability to keep pace with global trends while reinforcing its own local values. In 2023, as the European Capital of Culture, the region will be on the cultural and tourism map of Europe The goal now is to ensure the sustainable use of the ECoC heritage program. The HelloVEB Portal System helps precisely in this regard:

• Competitiveness and positioning: on the domestic tourism market, the Veszprém and Bakony-Balaton region now has a unique, innovative platform that sets it apart. While there are large portals at the national level, the HelloVEB Portal System is a specialized "smart" platform, which can provide deeper local knowledge and curated content in its own field. This can be your primary source of information at the local level: if you are looking for programs in the Balaton Uplands or Veszprém, you are sure to find them at HelloVEB.hu and find information that is richer in local context than a national website. The platform also keeps pace with national trends in terms of technology (a responsive design, mobile app, online ticket sales, multilingualism with DeepL automatic translation), so it is not lagging behind its larger competitors. This makes regional tourism more competitive both nationally and internationally.
• Support for local SMEs and micro-enterprises: there are many small service providers in the region's tourism sector (family guesthouses, sports clubs, wine cellars, craft attractions) that do not have strong individual marketing. The public platform provided by the HelloVEB Portal System gives them the opportunity to appear in a larger "shop window""showcase" without having to spend money on a separate development. This makes even the smallest players visible to the general public. This levels the playing field: not only the best-known attractions, but also hidden gems can be put in the spotlight. The digital ecosystem democratizes marketing, which is key to the region's economic development— tourism expenditure is distributed more widely among the players, increasing the region's retention power.
• Data-driven decision-making and destination management: by ensuring that every interaction (e.g., search, booking, marking favorites) takes place in the public system, destination managers (e.g., Tourinform, local governments) obtain valuable data on tourist behavior. It is possible to see which periods are the most popular, which programs generate the most interest, or where there are "gaps" in the offer. This data facilitates more informed planning: for example, if there are few programs available in a region on Monday, you can specifically promoteevents at that time, or if there is a sudden increase in demand for an attraction, you can prepare your capacity. This type of predictive analytics is an important element of modern tourism management (in many places, AI is already being used to forecast visitor trends). The HelloVEB Portal System allows Veszprém and the Bakony-Balaton region to proactively manage tourist flows, promoting sustainable capacity management (thus avoiding overcrowding in certain places and directing visitors to new experiences).
• Long-term sustainability and cooperation: the platform is also a community-based development - regional actors build content together and become visible together. This strengthens regional cohesion: the players do not operate in isolation, but act in the interest of a common goal (promoting the region). The HelloVEB Portal System maintains the cooperation network that was established in 2023 even after ECoC. In addition, the platform can be flexibly expanded with new modules and functions, enabling it to respond to future challenges. For example, if virtual reality tours or chatbot assistants become the norm in a few years' time, HelloVEB can easily integrate them (the platform is already ready to serve chatbots through structured data). All this ensures that the region does not fall behind in the digital race and that tourism develops in a sustainable manner in the long term.

The digitization of tourism is not an end in itself information technology, but rather a prerequisite for competitiveness and a high-quality visitor experience. The HelloVEB Portal System recognizes this and puts it into practice in the Veszprém and Bakony-Balaton region, connecting the dots between local values and the global digital space.

👉 Join as a partner and increase the reach of your events, ticket sales, and customer service at the HelloVEB Portal System!

The HelloVEB Portal System is available at: [email protected]. The ticket sales customer service is available at the following address: [email protected]. The customer service department of Veszprém Kártya is available at [email protected], while the customer service of partners is available at [email protected]. The customer service department of Veszprém Balaton PASS is available at [email protected], while the customer service of our partners can be reached at [email protected].