Tourism In The New Europe

Tourism in the New Europe addresses European tourism within the framework of an enlarged European Union of 25 members. It looks at the substantial reorientation of the organisational framework of European tourism and its profound implications for future structural and geographical patterns of development. Providing a series of thematic evaluations of the relationships between tourism and EU enlargement, this book includes a country-by-country examination of each of the new member states, in terms of their current patterns and trends of tourism development and the impacts which EU accession brings to them.

The book represents a state of the art review of key research on small firms in tourism in relation to European integration. It is, therefore, an essential resource for those engaged in research relating to tourism SMEs in transitional economies throughout the world. In addition, it is an essential purchase for the increasing number of students studying modules on small businesses as part of their final year undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. One of the key features of this book is its clear focus on breaking new ground by reporting recent research and theorising on small firms in tourism. In many cases, the analysis provided by contributors will carefully relate small business behaviour to issues of wider concern to tourism academics and policy-makers. It is also distinctive for its overt emphasis on contrasting European experiences. These characteristics contrast with the existing literature on small firms in tourism and hospitality, particularly in Europe. Previous literature achieved their aims by providing valuable syntheses of existing literature. Now that such 'taking of stock' has been undertaken, there is a demand for more overtly research-based texts that are nevertheless accessible to a wide audience. This book does exactly that.

Mass tourism is one of the most striking developments in postwar western societies, involving economic, social, cultural, and anthropological factors. For many countries it has become a significant, if not the primary, source of income for the resident population. The Mediterranean basin, which has long been a very popular destination, is explored here in the first study to scrutinize the region as a whole and over a long period of time. In particular, it investigates the area’s economic and social networks directly involved in tourism, which includes examining the most popular spots that attract tourists and the crucial actors, such as hotel entrepreneurs, travel agencies, charter companies, and companies developing seaside resort networks. This important volume presents a fascinating picture of the economics of tourism in one of the world’s most visited destinations.

Within the past decade, there has been a re-emergence of tourism in Europe, especially in the central and eastern regions. With socialism becoming a distant memory, these former communist countries are now attractive destinations for travel. Research on this current phenomenon is essential, as professionals and scientists must stay informed on the modern development of this global region. New Trends and Opportunities for Central and Eastern European Tourism provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of contemporary tourism in Eastern Europe and its effect on economics and sociology. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as monument protection, economic features, and socialist architecture, this book is ideally designed for travel agents, tour developers, restaurateurs, hotel management, economic analysts, government officials, policymakers, tourism journalists, tourism practitioners, researchers, and professors seeking current research on the development of travel in Eastern and Central Europe.

Once content to sunbathe and follow guides and established itineraries, tourists are increasingly seeking authentic culture. This is taking them into the private areas and zones to which the locals retire in order to escape the tourist gaze, creating tensions between the two groups. Based on recent anthropological field studies, this book describes how European communities dependant on tourism have been affected by the commoditization of their culture and explores the ways they cope with the constant attention of outsiders. The collection demonstrates both varied and skillful ways in which individuals and communities react to and cope with the impact of decades of mass tourism on their lives and values, thus throwing new light onto questions of identity, boundary maintenance and cultural adjustment.

At the heart of the European debate lies the tension between the idea of European unity and individual state identities and nationalisms. This volume provides an insight into this dichotomy by exploring the role of heritage in the new Europe. The main theme of this book is that a number of possible heritages can be shaped from the European past depending on the purposes for which they are intended. Through different methods of management intervention, heritage can fulfil a variety of functions, becoming a major commercial resource in the form of the tourism industry, or enlisted in the creation and maintenance of place identities. Leading contributors look at different perceptions of heritage by different cultures, and the social and political consequences of heritage planning. The nature of heritage planning for emerging, spatially fragmented state structures is also discussed.

This publication contains the proceedings of two UNWTO conferences on "Tourism: a Tool for Sustainable Development in Transitional Economies", held in Belgrade on 20-21 June 2005, and "Impact of European Union Enlargement on Tourism Development in Europe", held in Vilnius, on 1-2 March 2006. There is an overlap between economies in transition and the group of countries that joined the European Union in 2004 and, from the perspective of tourism development, a large group of European countries share similar challenges and opportunities. While Europe is the region that receives the largest number of international tourists and registers the highest amount of receipts from international tourism, there is a great difference between traditional destinations with a long history of tourism development and the countries that recovered independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Some countries already undertook major reforms in their political and economic spheres while others are still addressing structural issues inherited from the past. Tourism contributes positively to European integration and at the same time its success depends on the development and modernisation of several economic and social sectors.

Tourism in European Cities explores the relationship between tourist activity and the architecture and built environment within which it takes place. This is the first book to consider urban tourism with a particular focus on European cities. Tourism in European Cities considers the tourist experience and the various elements that shape it. In many cities, the historic core plays a crucial role in tourism either as the location of the more important attractions, or as an attraction in its own right. The book dedicates a chapter to urban heritage and its relationship to tourism, including urban conservation and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Another chapter considers contemporary architecture and debates some cities’ efforts to use iconic architecture, in particular, to enhance their attractiveness in the context of increased competition between cities. In the context of competition, many cities are resorting to events as a strategy to reposition and differentiate themselves from other cities. Major events are accompanied by major investment in event venues and in urban infrastructure. The city often serves as a backdrop to the urban festival as activities and performances are staged in the city’s urban spaces. This book is essential reading for students of tourism and urban geography. It is also of interest to students of urban planning and architecture, and anyone keen to learn more about tourism and European cities.