 This gastronomic tradition, which earlier had been preserved merely in rural Szekler communities, gradually found its way back to the culture of the Hungarian elite, mainly due to tourism.By the middle of the 1990s, kürtőskalács became popular in most cities in Hungary, and tourists visiting Hungary reported on "the gorgeous, sweet, tubular treat" with admiration.Because of international migrations and tourism, however, kürtőskalács is also no longer regarded as a solely Szekler or Hungarian symbol, but rather as representative of European gastronomy.