The first quarter of 2014 showed clear growth in the number of international arrivals and overnight stays in Europe. Even though the result of first months cannot represent whole year, early indicators promise a year of growth for the region.
First results of 2014 made hoteliers in Europe very optimistic. According to the quarterly report “European Tourism 2014 Trends & Prospects” prepared by the European Travel Commission (ETC), this year will be the fifth year of growth in a row for the region. 2014 will only strengthen the industry and set the region on a path of growth. Experts foresee positive results for both long-haul and intra-regional markets and hope for strong outbound performance of such markets as the USA, Germany, the UK, and France.
The growth of all key indicators in 2014 helped tourism sector of Europe add another 5% comparing to strong performance in 2013. Intra-regional markets became one of key factors of growth of the industry. In Q1 2014, hoteliers throughout Europe benefited from increased demand of tourists from the UK and Germany. Travellers from the Netherlands, Spain and Italy may also become a serious force, but visitors from these countries are traditionally price conscious and prefer short-term trips and last minute offers. The largest long-haul source market for Europe, the US, is also expected to grow as economic growth accelerates all aspects of life and makes people more willing to travel. China may post two-digit growth too as the country’s middle class considers Europe one of most attractive travel destinations.