
Tourism has
been one of the strongholds of the European economy during the economic crisis,
and the positive trend will continue in 2014, with only 11% of Europeans expect
not to go away. According to the new Eurobarometer survey published, the sector
has been an engine of domestic demand-driven economic growth in 2013, with more
people choosing to spend holidays outside of their own country but within the
EU.
In 2013, 38% of Europeans spent their main holiday in another EU country,
which is 5 percentage points more compared to 2012. At the same time, only 42%
of people spent their main holiday in their own country, a 5 percentage points
decrease compared to 2012. Furthermore in 2013, only a fifth (19%) took their main
holiday outside the twenty eight countries of the EU, which is a 2% decrease
compared to 2012. The Eurobarometer survey on preferences of Europeans towards
tourism also explores motivations and obstacles for Europeans to travel, the
main destinations, the information sources used for planning a holiday, how
Europeans arranged their holidays in 2013, their satisfaction with the sector
and the level of safety experienced at the accommodation and services.