SARS epidemic has already been practically forgotten. The number of foreign trips has increased worldwide by more than 9%. The most popular destinations are Asian countries, where the increase in foreign visitors was 31%. America and Africa added 11% and 6%, respectively. Things are worse in Europe: here the number of guests from abroad increased by only 5%.
Overall, however, the growth pleases specialists working in this industry. They see the reasons for the positive shifts in the rise of global prosperity and the increase in the number of cheap tours and tickets. Tourism is becoming more "democratic," the study says. But there is a downside: dumping threatens travel companies operating in expensive price categories.
Europeans spent 323 billion euros in 2004, during which they made 356 million foreign trips. 5.3 million Europeans visited the UK, 3.5 million visited Mediterranean countries. After Italy, Spain, and France, the most popular destinations are Germany, Russia, and the Netherlands.
The greatest increase in the number of foreign visitors, however, occurred in Eastern Europe. In Estonia, which was visited by 2.6 million tourists in the first nine months of 2004, the increase was 30%. Poland was visited by 14.2 million tourists, which is 29% more than in the previous year.
Among distant exotic countries, Europeans are increasingly choosing Egypt, which in 2004 set an absolute record for the number of foreign visitors. Among guests from Europe (51%), Italians, Germans, and tourists from the CIS lead. The latter lead on a European scale in the number of visits to South Korea, followed by Germans and the British.
But statistics are deceiving. It only seems that Germans spend their holidays in exotic countries. 70% of Germany's residents never left the country last year. They spent their holidays in Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and Baden-Württemberg. The federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, located on the northern coast of Germany, intends to join the leaders in the upcoming summer season. From May to September, vacationers with children will get a free opportunity here to teach their kids surfing, scuba diving, and other water sports. Those who love warmth head on trips to Portugal, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and other German "near abroad".
Cultural and sightseeing routes, city visits, and nature vacations remain favorite forms of tourism for Europeans. Last year they were joined by another one - cruises. Both sea and river. And if for beginners the actual stay on the ship is important, experienced participants in water excursions already choose a specific route.
Among river cruises, trips along the Danube and the Nile are the most popular. River trips through Russia and Ukraine also attract tourists from Germany. However, Russian and Ukrainian ships cannot accommodate everyone who wishes, German tour operators regretfully report.
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