Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tourism in the accession states has bene-
fited from significant EU funding to improve
their infrastructure and transport networks
(DG Regio, 2003) and their accessibility has
improved in psychological and pragmatic terms.
Similar assistance has been offered to existing
member states to develop new tourism products
or improve the existing ones. Nevertheless, the
involvement of the EU in tourism has been
questioned for some time especially as there is
little coordination of activity and no overarching
tourism policy in place. Is the support provided
for tourism through other policies adequate? Is
the EU doing enough for tourism or should
there be greater direct involvement?
The aim of this chapter is to provide exam-
ples of the EU's involvement in tourism and to
discuss potential areas of involvement as these
have been suggested in the tourism literature
and were identified by institutional stakeholders
at the supranational level.
development of Europe. In the period from
1994 to 1999
€
4.4 billion were disbursed for
tourism-related projects (DG Enterprise, 2004).
However, there is little overview of where this
support is going, there is no evidence of how
the established tourism products fit within exist-
ing tourism demand (Hjalager, 1996), whether
they generate new demand or are just detracting
from an existing one (Anastasiadou, 2004a).
Finally, the introduction of the euro in
January 2002 was seen as a great opportunity
for tourism businesses as it would lead to
greater transparency and the reduction of
commission charges from currency exchange
(Shackleford, 1998; WTO, 1998). However, the
rise of the price indices that followed the con-
version to the new currency has led to increased
costs for tourism enterprises and a loss of price
competitiveness over non-EU destinations. In
2004 the more mature destinations in the euro
zone saw a decline in their market share and
were particularly affected by the increased com-
petition from non-euro destinations in Europe,
North Africa (Morocco and Tunisia) and the
Middle East (Egypt) (WTO, 2005a, 2005b).
It is clear from this discussion that it is diffi-
cult to aggregate whether the overall influence
of the EU in tourism has been mostly positive
or negative. It can be argued that tourism is so
heavily influenced by EU policies, that the EU
has acquired an implicit role in tourism dictated
by its actions rather than the expression of
priorities and objectives. The question then
becomes whether this implicit role is adequate,
and if not, what shape EU's involvement should
take. These issues have been debated at some
length in the tourism literature.
EU Impact on Tourism
Due to the nature of the tourist activity, the
impact of EU policies on tourism has been wide-
spread and far-reaching (Lickorish, 1991; WTO,
2000). So wide-ranging is the impact of other
policy areas on tourism that reports reviewed
regularly (DG Enterprise, 2004) are put toge-
ther to allow interested parties to keep track of
funding mechanisms and initiatives relevant to
tourism.
The EU's impact on tourism so far can be
characterized as a mixed blessing. Tourism in
the EU benefited from the establishment of the
single market in 1993 and the abolition of all
travel restrictions and visas for EU citizens
(CEC, 1993). Subsequently the implementation
of the Schengen agreement in 1995 conferred
similar benefits on overseas visitors to the signa-
tory members of the EU. At the same time the
abolition of duty free sales for travellers within
the EU area, taken on the premise that EU citi-
zens should travel within the area as if it was a
single country, has led to a loss of income for
transport operators and an increase of prices for
passengers (Davidson, 1998).
Tourism and tourism-related projects have
received significant funding from EU regional
development funds, which aim to assist with the
EU Tourism Policy, To Be
or Not To Be?
The widespread influence of EU policies on
tourism and the absence of a specific common
policy or framework have put the sector at a
disadvantage over other sectors (Lickorish,
1991, 1994) which have seen their priorities
accounted for in the formulation of policy
whereas tourism interests have not. For these
reasons it was suggested that a more explicit
role in tourism would be necessary.
