Tourism is a major economic activity in the European Union with wide-ranging impact on economic growth, employment, and a social development. It can be a powerful tool in fighting economic decline and unemployment.
European tourism has performed vigorously in recent years, although long-term projections point to a slower growth of international arrivals when compared to other regions.
Europe is expected to maintain its position as the top receiving region and to receive 744 million tourists by 2030. However, its market share is forecast to drop from 60% in 1995 to 41% by 2030.
Tourism sector in EU faces a series of challenges. Greatest of them are without a doubt Paris and Brussels terrorist attacks. The Paris attacks could wipe more than £660million off the value of Europe’s tourism industry, analysts say.
Although there is no answer yet for a terrorist threat, investing in diversification and improvement of the range of tourism products and services available in more sustainable types of tourism such as health tourism that also includes accessible tourism, tourism for seniors and wellness tourism, is probably the best solution.
Health tourists spend between $7,475 and $15,833 per medical travel, significantly more than the regular tourist according to the http://medicaltourism.com/.
Europe has a great opportunity to develop this kind of tourism with already existing capacities, facilities, infrastructure, „know-how“ and leading medical systems and solutions known worldwide from antiquity. For the next step and catching up with competitors in Asia and North America, there is a need for rounded strategy done by government and industry representatives under the proper EU directive.
