THE IMPACT OF EUROPEAN CONSUMER POLICY IN THE MARKETING STRATEGY ADOPTED BY EUROPEAN TOURISM INDUSTRY

The Impact of European CONSUMER POLICY in the Marketing Strategy Adopted by European Tourism Industry



The Impact Of European Consumer Policy In The Marketing Strategy Adopted By European Tourism Industry (Blizzard, 2006,, 43).

Introduction

The signing of the new EU treaty in Lisbon in December 2007 heralds an important new development for Europe's tourism sector. For the first time in its history, the European Union will have specific powers for direct tourism activity. Discussions over the months ahead should shed more light on the ways in which these powers will be used, but will a place in the treaty make a real difference to the fortunes of European tourism? (Blizzard, 2006,, 43).

It has often been said that treaty recognition is the only way to ensure that the sector is taken seriously by policymakers. No one doubts the EU's commitment to its current initiatives on tourism and sustainability, but what of the many wider, legislative issues that affect tourism businesses?

Discussion

The European Commission's Tourism Unit has been busy recently.

New strategies have been published.

• A renewed EU tourism policy: Towards a Stronger Partnership for European Tourism was published in 2006.

• In February 2007, the Tourism Sustainability Group (TSG) published the findings of its two-year deliberations, Action for More Sustainable European Tourism.

• The Commission's Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism was launched in October 2007.

There have been conferences of tourism ministers, gatherings on accessibility and social tourism and the annual European Tourism Forum (Cooper, 2005,, 33).

Studies have been produced on subjects ranging from ICT and e-Business to the impact of large cultural and sporting events on tourism businesses (Quinion, 2005,, 22) (Cooper, 2005,, 33).

Destinations have been queuing up to take part in the annual European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) award scheme, the first winners of which were announced in October 2007 (Quinion, 2005, 22).

The Commission has funded the development of the European tourism destination portal, which went online in March 2006 and is operated by the European Travel Commission.

Looking forward

Taken together, these form a substantial body of work, but are they really evidence of an effective and fully co-ordinated EU engagement with tourism?

This paper looks at this question in more detail, examining current thinking, the tourism powers proposed for the new treaty and some of the ways in which the EU could genuinely help tourism in Europe.

Why the European Union?

Because in our small country, open economy, the European Union is the unique chance to enter into a prosperous economic orbit, and if the participant cultural diversity that represents the united Europe. I think my enthusiasm for tourism is understandable to see the world, do see is something motivating. Pass as a European equal must be even better.

Hungary is a country rich in tourist attractions and cultural values. But for these to surface and disseminated, we need moral and financial support of a community like the European ...