Dombóvár - new sustainable urban role of a regional center

Dombóvár is located in the South Transdanubia region, in Tolna County, and is the seat of the Dombóvár district. The district includes 15 municipalities in addition to the center, the area of ​​the district is 509 km2, and its population is 28,625 people. Dombóvár is the third most populous settlement in the county, with a population of 17,500. It was granted city status in 1970.
Due to its role as a district seat, Dombóvár performs a number of central administrative functions, and also plays a significant role in the organization of healthcare and education. The territorial service obligation of the Hospital extends to areas beyond the county borders in the case of inpatient and outpatient care, and certain rehabilitation services cover a significant part of the southern Transdanubian region. The central role in regional education is primarily ensured by the city's three secondary educational institutions, in which the proportion of incoming students shows an increasing trend. Among secondary school students, the proportion of students coming from other settlements is about 40 percent, and among primary school students, 20 percent, which means about 850 incoming students every day.
In economic terms, Dombóvár's role is also significant in terms of the wider area of ​​the city. The city is the third largest employer in Tolna County after Szekszárd and Paks, with nearly 8,000 local employees, of whom more than 2,600 commute daily from other settlements.
The biggest challenge for the town is that its population has decreased above the national average in the last three decades. The city must strengthen its regional role and highlight those functions and assets that create a livable environment for local residents. This can be achieved primarily through effective strategic planning/implementation and above-average self-government operations. Dombóvár is looking for good examples from Europe for these goals.