Awarded for her achievements in industrial heritage tourism, Enikő’s work preserves and revitalises sites that reflect Europe’s historical identity while fostering sustainable visitor engagement.
Revitalising Industrial Heritage Through Community and Sustainability
Enikő Fekete-Angyal is honoured for her outstanding contribution to reinventing Miskolc’s industrial legacy through an ambitious, sustainability-focused tourism transformation. Her work positions industrial heritage not as a relic of the past, but as a catalyst for community pride, ecological awareness and innovative visitor experiences.
For decades, Miskolc struggled with an outdated industrial image that overshadowed its natural assets, cultural richness and local traditions. Enikő has played a central role in reshaping this narrative, helping the city shift from post-industrial decline to a forward-looking identity grounded in collaboration, creativity and sustainability.
A New Identity for a Historic City
Working with local partners, Enikő helped drive one of Miskolc’s most significant destination rebranding efforts: “Miskolc – the City of the Bükk.” This new identity embraces both the city’s industrial past and its deep connection to the surrounding Bükk Mountains, where natural, cultural and historical elements intertwine.
This rebranding was not a top-down announcement but a grassroots movement shaped by restaurateurs, foresters, winemakers, hoteliers, artisans and cultural actors. Enikő’s role has been essential in bringing these groups together and ensuring that heritage — industrial, natural, and gastronomic – is integrated into a unified, sustainable vision.
Innovative Projects That Bring Industrial Heritage to Life
One of the most impactful initiatives supported by Enikő is the Edible Forest program, an original concept linking the region’s forest ecology with its culinary traditions. While not industrial in form, this model provides a framework for reconnecting communities with historic landscapes shaped by industry — from forestry to mining — and transforming these spaces into contemporary tourism assets.
Through collaborations with chefs, forest managers and local producers, Miskolc’s gastronomic scene has been revitalised around seasonal, wild and locally sourced ingredients. This approach echoes the city’s industrial roots while charting a new path based on sustainability, environmental education and cultural storytelling.
From Industrial Legacy to Thriving Community Tourism
Enikő’s leadership also supports the emergence of Bükki Kör, a dynamic alliance of local tourism and gastronomy actors who joined forces to redefine the city’s future. Their work has strengthened community resilience, stimulated local value chains and breathed new life into areas long shaped by industry.
The movement has delivered results across multiple dimensions:
- Economic impact: increased demand for local products, new collaborations between producers and hospitality providers, and growth in local markets.
- Social cohesion: over 30 tourism and gastronomy actors collaborating for the first time under a shared vision.
- Environmental awareness: programs that highlight biodiversity, seasonality and ethical foraging, helping visitors and locals rediscover the ecological heritage of the Bükk region.
- Cultural identity: reinterpreting industrial and natural heritage through food, storytelling, events and place-based experiences.
A Model for Regenerative Industrial Heritage Tourism
Enikő’s work demonstrates that industrial heritage tourism is not only about preserving old structures, but about reviving identity, empowering communities, and building sustainable futures. By integrating nature, gastronomy, culture and social inclusion, she has contributed to a holistic model that positions Miskolc as a rising example of regenerative tourism in Europe.
Her vision shows how destinations shaped by industry can transform themselves through creativity, collaboration and sustainability — turning challenges into strengths and heritage into opportunity.
