Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Constantia Anastasiadou
Introduction
international tourist arrivals (WTO, 2005a).
More specifically the existence of the EU has
had a profound impact on the growth of
intra-regional travel with almost 85% of inter-
national
The EU is characterized by a complex web of
institutional structures and multi-level relation-
ships. Unlike other regional trading areas, eco-
nomic and political integration has progressed
in the EU far and wide (McCormick, 1999), cov-
ering an ever-growing number of policy areas
and with a significant transfer of authority from
the national to the supranational level. It would
be very difficult, if not impossible, to think of
an issue area in Europe that has remained
untouched or uninfluenced by the EU.
Tourism is one of the areas that have influ-
enced and have been influenced by the estab-
lishment of the EU. Its contribution to further
European integration and the enhancement of
the European identity has also been highlighted
(Richards, 1996). In addition, tourism's role in
urban and rural regeneration and its job creation
ability have deemed it a preferred economic
activity. Statistics show that approximately
9 million people are directly employed in tour-
ism, which contributes close to 5.5% of the EU
GDP (CEC, 2002).
According to the WTO (2002), the high
level of economic development and integration
in Europe means that international travel has
become an integral part of the lifestyle of a
substantial part of the population. In 2004,
414 million visitors were attracted to the area,
a figure that corresponds to 54% of world
arrivals
to
the
region
being
intra-
regional travellers (CEC, 2003).
However, Europe's world market share of
international arrivals is still in steady decline,
from 72% in 1960 to 58% in 2002 and 54% in
2004 (WTO, 2002, 2005a). In 2004, world tour-
ism achieved its best growth rate for 20 years.
Europe experienced the slowest rate of growth
than all other regions, an increase of 4% when
the world average increase was 10% (WTO,
2005a). Åkerhielm
et al
. (2003) argued that
Europe would need to act as one group if it
wishes to maintain its position as the world's
most visited area and urged for the EU to
undertake a more proactive role.
The Central and Eastern European (CEE)
countries that joined the EU in May 2004 have
the potential to become the new motor for
European tourism by being primarily a receiv-
ing and potentially a generating area for the
region (Mintel, 2004). According to the WTO
(2005b) the rise in arrivals in 2004 for Europe
was driven in part by the excellent performance
of countries in Central and Eastern Europe
(
+
8%). New and upcoming destinations in
Eastern Europe are rivalling those of the more
established southern destinations, as they offer
novelty and a good value for money.
