He is recognised as a leading specialist in cruise representation, with a strong track record in positioning premium cruise lines. He has build trusted, long-term relationships across the travel trade to support commercial success.

István possess a deep understanding of the Hungarian travel market and how to navigate it for brand growth.

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1. Where did you grow up?

Budapest. I grew up in the 18th district, which is the district of the International Airport, and looking back that seems significant given my career in the travel industry.

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

New York. Because that’s the place. I’ve done expat life before — in Baku and Belgrade. Even though it was great challange for my carrier, the homesickness made it a challenging time. But I always tell myself that New York is the one place where I’d love to try living, at least for a little while. It’s cosmopolitan, it’s challenging, and it’s full of opportunities.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?

Everything. Seriously — I’m so deeply connected to Hungary. I would miss my family and my friends of course, but most of all, I would miss the culture. I’m the type of person who goes to the theatre very frequently, often several times a week. I go to concerts, exhibitions — I’m genuinely interested in all these things.

You might say New York is the cultural capital, and in one sense that’s true, but the reality is that theatres there operate on a free market basis and are expensive, and play the same show for ages. In Hungary, theatres — even the smaller ones — are still supported by the state and feature a huge variety of plays. I know there are a lot of problems too, but even independent companies can somehow survive here. There are so many creative theatre groups, and that’s something I would really miss. I’ve never seen such a rich theatre life anywhere else, so that’s what I would definitely miss.

And of course, the food. I’m very open to other types — I love all kinds of different cuisine — but I also love Hungarian food, especially homemade dishes. I’d miss that a lot too.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend – what must they absolutely see and do?

Firstly, if I had to mention a sophisticated place to eat local food, I’d say Rosenstein. For something a bit more relaxed but still excellent homemade food, I’d recommend Pozsonyi Kisvendéglő, at the corner of Pozsonyi and Radnóti. It’s a family-run restaurant with the classic red-and-white checkered tablecloths. The portions are generous, the food is delicious, and it’s not just Hungarian — the owner is Jewish, so they also serve some traditional Jewish dishes too. This area is one of Budapest’s Jewish quarters, and the restaurant has a very local atmosphere, with a great vibe.

If there were a performance that evening that didn’t require knowledge of Hungarian we’d go to that, or I’d take them to the National Dance Theatre. The Hungarian contemporary dance scene is really rich and interesting, and it gives an impression of the country through something modern yet accessible to everyone.

And of course, the city itself is beautiful. In my opinion, wherever you go Budapest shows different lovely faces. Everything is becoming more touristy these days though, but I would definitely take them up Gellért Hill and show them some corners that tourists don’t usually visit. For a long time, I was so proud that Budapest was different from Prague, because I feel like Prague gave in to tourism many years ago — everything became so touristy. Sadly, that’s happening in Budapest now too.

I’d also show them some of the Art Nouveau buildings, and if we had the chance to enter any, I’d point out the staircases — many of them are absolutely unique and stunning.

5. What is your favourite food?

My number one dish — and it's one people either love or hate — is pacal pörkölt. That’s my absolute favourite - I always say it must be my peasant stomach! On the other hand, I’m a big sushi lover. Ever since I discovered it, I’ve really loved that type of food. But overall, I’m open to any culinary experience.

6. What is your favourite sport / form of exercise?

I have two Hungarian vizslas, and if you live with them, you don’t really have a choice when it comes to regular exercise. Every day I walk five or six kilometres with them — that’s the minimum. During Covid, it was even 15 or 16 kilometres a day. I usually go up to Normafa or around that area, and we have different routes and tracks, so we really walk a lot.

I wish I did some other kind of exercise, but I don’t really  these days — well only rarely. I used to run, even did half-marathons, but that was a long time ago.

However I love watching sports though, and I especially love tennis. I’ve been lucky enough to see the US Open and also attended matches in London at the O2 Arena — that’s the end-of-season tournament that’s kind of like a world championship, even if it’s not officially called that. I think tennis is such a clever sport.

My big dream is to go to Wimbledon one day — it’s on my bucket list — but getting a ticket is almost impossible. I always used to say I’d have a better chance of getting invited for tea by the Queen than getting Wimbledon tickets! They have a ballot system where you register, and then it’s pure luck whether you get a ticket or not.

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?

My favourite place in Hungary? Well I know it might sound silly, but it’s Budapest. I’m a huge fan of this city — I’m in love with it. I’m really proud of Budapest, as I’ve been to many cities all over the world, and I truly believe this is one of the most special places. You’ve got the urban side, the residential areas — you just cross a bridge and you're already somewhere quieter. Great restaurants, the culture — everything you need is here in the capital.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?

When I was younger, I always wanted to be a teacher. At first, I even applied to university with the aim of becoming one. It just happened that I ended up elsewhere — now it’s a university, something like the University of Economics — so that path changed.

Originally, I wanted to be a French and English teacher. It didn’t go that way, but that’s fine. Teaching, unfortunately, isn’t financially rewarding, but it can be incredibly fulfilling in other ways. I have many friends who are teachers, and I see how they struggle, yet they receive so much positive feedback and have so many beautiful experiences with their students. It must be a wonderful feeling to know you’ve passed information on, and that someone is using the knowledge you gave them and succeeding in life.

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?

A politician. That just wouldn’t work for me — I would avoid it entirely.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?

My last holiday was at the end of January, early February, in Ethiopia. It had been on my bucket list for a long time, and thank God I finally got to go. I loved every minute of it. That country has so much to offer — it has several UNESCO World Heritage sites full of wonders. We travelled to the south to visit different tribes, and it was just incredible. Absolutely incredible!

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one / what is your next dream destination?

I have a list of dream destinations. At the top right now are Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and also North Korea. I've already been to 162 countries, so I’ve got around 40 more to go. Most of the remaining ones are in Africa, so that’s where I need to start exploring more, although some of those places are dangerous.  Another one on the list is Yemen which technically, it’s open, but the most interesting part, Sanaa, is currently closed. You can only go to a region near Oman, which isn't as exciting.

At this point, the destinations on my list are the kind I haven’t visited yet because they were either too dangerous, too difficult to organise, or far too expensive. One place that’s also high on the list is Bhutan. It used to be very difficult to visit due to the high daily charge — around $400–500 per day — which included the hotel, tours, everything. That made it quite limiting. But this year, they changed the rules, so now you can organise things independently. The rate is more flexible, and it’s much easier to go. So Bhutan is definitely on the near horizon for me.

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?

My favourite film hasn’t changed since my teenage years — it’s still Hair by Miloš Forman. It’s a film with a timeless message, and I absolutely love the music. When I was in school, I was always dreaming about travelling, and what I loved most was learning languages.

Just a fun fact — in Hungary under the old system, we were obliged to learn Russian. We started at the age of ten and had four years of Russian in elementary school, then continued for another four years in secondary school. Everyone had to learn it, but most tried to avoid it. By the time we finished school, it was 1989. We had a very kind Russian teacher in secondary school, but the class pressure was so strong that she basically gave up, so we didn’t really learn the language properly.

Years later, I went to work in Baku, Azerbaijan, just after the fall of the Soviet Union. Most of my staff spoke Russian. I could manage a bit from what I remembered from school, but it wasn’t enough. Then during COVID, I thought — I can’t believe I studied Russian for so many years and still don’t really speak it. So I started learning again, because I’ve always loved the language and the culture. I love Russian literature, theatre, ballet, music — everything. I reached a B2 level in Russian at the age of 50. It took 40 years, but at least now I can speak it better.

Learning languages has always been a hobby of mine. I even had a friend whose father taught Swahili at university, and I went to some of his lessons. I thought it would be easy because it was an African language — but no, it turned out to be very difficult, with a complex grammar. I speak Hungarian, of course, as well as English, French, and now some Russian.

These days I’m learning Italian on Duolingo, though I plan to switch to a real teacher soon. Knowing French helps a lot with Italian — they’re very similar. But once you pass 50, you start to realise you’re not an exception — you forget things, it takes longer to recall names or details. So I tell myself: learning languages is something I love, and it’s also a good way to keep my brain sharp.

As for music, my favourite band was and still is LGT. And of course, we were kids during the disco era — that’s what we got in Hungary. Only later did I start discovering that music could be something entirely different.

13. Apart from temptation, what can't you resist?

Good food. And dogs!

14. Red wine or white?

If I must choose, then it’s rosé. I like wines from the Villány region — not because I’m a big expert, but because I’m a big fan of Hungarian wines overall and that’s a great area here. Sometimes when I go out with friends and we order a bottle, whether it’s red or white, it’s just so good — it could easily be served anywhere in the world. I understand why it’s not — most of the producers are small and don’t have the quantity to export — but the quality is outstanding. Fun fact: I’ve been all over the world, yet I’d never been to Tokaj until last September.

15. Book or movie?

I love books. I recently read one by this guy, Chris Broad, a YouTuber who went to Japan to teach English — it’s called Abroad in Japan, and I think it’s hilarious. At the age of 21 or 22, he ends up in a very small rural town in Japan as part of a program that brings people from all over the world to teach English, since the level of English in Japan is really, really low.

It’s so funny how he tries to blend into everyday Japanese life — which is basically impossible — and how he gradually realises that his fellow English teachers, the Japanese ones, actually can’t speak English. In Japan, to become an English teacher, you don’t necessarily have to speak the language. You just take written tests and exams, get the diploma and certificate, but not the speaking skills. So they teach in pairs: the Japanese teacher handles grammar, and Chris was there to teach speaking and conversation. The whole book is just hilarious.

And just by chance, when YouTube was still in its early days — it wasn’t even a major platform yet — there was an earthquake. Chris made a video at 3:00 in the morning, in his pyjamas, talking about it and uploaded it. By the next morning, he had around 200,000 views. That’s when he realised this could be a new way to make money. Today, he’s the most influential Japan expert on YouTube, helping Japanese companies and regions attract more people. His knowledge of the country, his friendliness — it’s really a very interesting book.

When I travel, I usually take one of the Agatha Christies with me — just for some easy reading.

16. Morning person or night person?

Night. Getting up in the mornings is the most difficult task for me every day. I don’t mind working late—actually, it feels quite natural. Our headquarters is in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Princess is in Santa Clarita, near Los Angeles, so with the eight- or nine-hour time difference, it often makes more sense for me to work at night. I might send an email at 10 or 11 pm and get an immediate reply. Very often I go to the theatre, come home, open my laptop, and do a little work. That’s pretty normal for me.

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?

Poverty. I think it's a huge injustice in the world, and I just cannot understand the greediness of corporations and individuals. We have a saying in Hungarian: you've never seen a dead person with a bag on his back. Once you've established a proper lifestyle for yourself—even a luxurious one, which I have nothing against — I believe the rest should go towards philanthropy and charity.

What I never understand, and unfortunately I’m not at that level myself yet, is how people can’t see that if they leave others behind — if they don't support the poorest segments of society—then eventually, there will be no market, no consumers. It's a huge problem in every country, with the middle class shrinking and people struggling.

Especially in Europe — but also in Hungary — there are still families who struggle just to provide food or a decent education for their children. That’s very upsetting. In the end, you take nothing with you.

18. Buda or Pest side?

Buda.

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?

Probably that I’ve managed to remain a normal person — someone who keeps both feet on the ground and who can find the right tone with everyone. Because of my job, I meet all sorts of different people. Sometimes I stay in luxurious properties, and that’s fine. But then I go to visit my cousins in a little village, and it’s exactly the same for me. I don’t feel that I’ve changed from who I was 30 or 40 years ago.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?

I’m trying to combine two — stay positive and carpe diem. I’m not always good at it, but it comes with age. I had a friend who had everything: a beautiful house, two lovely daughters — and then she just passed away. That really made me believe in carpe diem, because you just don’t know.

It’s funny, I often travel with friends, and it’s not easy to find people willing to go to certain places. Like once I said, “Why don’t we go to Afghanistan?” and they were like, “Are you crazy?” But I always tell them — I’ve been to amazing places I’d love to return to, like Rio de Janeiro — but I never know how much time I still have to travel. So now, I’d rather go somewhere new.

Twenty years ago, I didn’t think like that. Back then, I believed I had enough time for everything. But now, I really believe in carpe diem.