Bridging the Past, Present and Future: Travel and Tourism in Europe (Research Paper Sample)

Travel and Tourism in Europe: Bridging the Past, Present and Future
Name
Institution
Travel and Tourism in Europe: Bridging the Past, Present and Future
Abstract
Introduction: The tourism industry has both economic and social impact on the lives of people globally. The study aims to investigate the trends in tourism in the European nations over the last few years and possible growth in future.
Literature Review: Tourism has a great benefit to society because it improves the socio-economic development through the creation of jobs, exporting of income, and infrastructure development for many destinations globally. The major five destinations in Europe include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Discussion: The hospitality and tourism industry has emerged and developed in various countries owing to the demand for tourism services/activities globally. However, various factors affecting the advancement of the sector in the EU exist.
Conclusion: The research has revealed that tourism activities in the region have increased considerably owing to various factors such as friendly regional policies and unique destinations that are attractive to tourists from other areas, especially emerging nations such as China.
Keywords: Tourism industry, destinations, behaviour, European Union, market share.
Introduction
Background
Tourism is an occurrence that has witnessed increased economic and social significance but, has characterised human behaviour for more than a century (Butler, 2015). The tourism and hospitality industry has brought a significant economic transformation in the European Union (EU) as well as other parts of the world. United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) (2017) noted in 2016 that the EU had approximately 40.5% market share of worldwide international tourist arrivals. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (2017), the total contribution (induced + indirect + direct) of the hospitality and tourism industry to the EU’s GDP was about 10.2%. However, there was a strong difference in arrivals between countries with Croatia, Malta or Cyprus having 20% in each while Netherland, Poland or Romania having about 5% each. Additionally, the significance of travel as a factor of growth in the economy has been depicted in various nations by recent research (Brida, Cortes-Jimenez & Pulina, 2016; Perles-Ribes et al., 2017; Ohlan, 2017; Salmani, Hossein & Somayeh, 2014; Seghir et al., 2015).  
The major function of the tourism industry in any country is to serve travelers. Camilleri (2017) asserts that its success depends on the affirmative inter-relationships of all the industries in the economy. Tourism has illustrated an important territorial dimension having uneven spatial distribution between and with nations of the world, and delivering a localised effect (e Silva et al., 2018). According to the European Commission (2010) report, tourism is the greatest wealth generator and employment in both developing and developed economies in the world generating over 5% of the EU GDP. Consequently, it has a great role in the EU economy since it is the third-largest socio-economic undertaking after trade and distribution and construction industries in the region (European Commission, 2010). Tourism also provides to the development of the regions and, if viable, assists in preservation and enhancement of natural and cultural heritage. The significance of the spatial dimension of hospitality is emphasized by findings indicating that growth in tourism in one region positively influences arrivals in neighbouring areas (Romão, Guerreiro & Rodrigues, 2017). However, Kang, Kim, and Nicolls (2014) assert that public policy can influence the spatial array of demand for tourism services. Seasonality has been acknowledged as another distinctive aspect of the economic industry, having considerable environmental and socio-economic implications (Chung, 2009).
Rationale
The economic and market drivers are important factors that result in either an increase or decrease in tourist arrivals in a given region. For instance, the economic and financial crisis of 2008 had adverse influences on the labour market of the EU with the overall unemployment rate rising from 7% (2008) to 11% (2013) (European Parliamentary Research Service, 2014). The disaster affected the European market and the rate of travel as well as arrivals received from other continents and countries. The tourism industry offers a comprehensive understanding of the factors that enhance the advancement and continued growth for the European economy in a diverse and persistently changing sector.
Although the significance of tourism for the European incorporation process was first acknowledged on the 10th of April 1984, it was not until later that the European institutions began focusing on the industry because of its influence in the economy. Accordingly, the current study will offer a better and comprehensive understanding of how the tourism industry has been developing over the years and how it will shape the European economy. Additionally, it supports readers to understand the major drivers and factors sustaining the tourism sector in the European countries and how they are likely to shape the sector in the future.
Significance of study
The proposed research will support pertinent stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism sector in European countries to appreciate the importance and consequences of the sector in transforming the region’s economy despite the economic hurdles. The tourism sector is one of the most notable sectors in Europe because it augments foreign revenues and new arrivals from neighbouring or other countries from other continents of the world. The European Commission (2010) predicted great downtown tourism on the continent by 2030. Therefore, the EU must take necessary actions to remain competitive, adapt its merchandise offerings to the ever-dynamic tourist inclinations as well as the demographic alterations. Accordingly, the present study may have an impact on the policy-making process to ensure the tourism industry in Europe remains an attractive sector in the economy. Moreover, the current research hopes to acknowledge the significance of various dynamics in shaping and changing the industry in the region as well as other non-European countries. Finally, the present study will add to the existing literature assessing the influence of the tourism industry in various countries in Europe.
Research questions
* What are the drivers promoting tourism growth in Europe?
* Are there challenges affecting tourism industry?
* Does the growth of arrivals considerably vary in all countries in Europe?
* How does various government policies affect the advancement of tourism in various European countries?
Aim and objectives
Objectives
* To explore the trends in tourism industry in terms of growth in the last few years
* To evaluate the role of government policy in developing tourism industry for economic growth
* To explore how governments/EU can enhance the arrivals in the region for a developed European economy
* To add to the existing knowledge on how tourism industry has been affecting the European economy.
Aim
To investigate the trends in tourism in the European nations over the last few years and possible growth in future
Proposed research outline
Literature Review: The chapter explores how the trends in the arrivals in the region and how they have impacted the economy of the country. Additionally, it examines how government/EU policies are likely to shape the industry the total number of arrivals in the region. In the process, it will support the understanding of how tourism has developed in the region.
Discussion: The section will elaborate on the findings obtained in the literature reviewed for a better understanding of the phenomenon.
Conclusion: The section will highlight the major ideas, concepts and findings fetched from the assessment of the reviewed literature.
Literature Review
2.1 European Union as a destination
Over the last few years, tourism has remained a key driver of socio-economic progress by creating jobs, exporting income, and infrastructure development for many destinations globally (Tsai, Song & Wong, 2009). Based on both international tourism receipts and arrivals, the European Union has five countries in the top ten destinations in the world although ranked in a different order (see Appendix 1.0). Within the EU bloc, nearly eight destinations are found in southern and Mediterranean Europe. The zone recorded high growth of arrivals with the country with most recording 8% increase reaching nearly 193 million in 2016 (United Nations World Tourism Organisation, 2018). UNWTO (2018) argue that the growth in the number of arrivals from other European nations in 2016 is attributable to the issue of security. The report further acknowledges that most countries in the region recorded an increase in the number of arrivals but, the highest growth was noted in Spain, which the third-largest European destination (arrivals) (Appendix I).
Spain
In 2016, the globe’s most visited destination after the US and France was Spain obtaining nearly 7 million more international arrivals reaching 75 million, which indicated an increase of 10%. Spain has led the international tourism receipts in the European Union with nearly 55 billion euros in the same year (was 16% of total EU receipts) (UNWTO, 2018).
United Kingdom