The improving American economic picture has the European Travel Commission (ETC) feeling bullish about the U.S. travel market. The U.S. is Europe's largest long-haul market, and the latest ETC projections assert that it's "expected to continue growing strongly, in the context of sustained economic growth and acceleration in consumer spending." So far, the year 2014 has been encouraging for Europe all around from multiple markets, traditional and emerging as well as short and long haul. In its latest quarterly "European Tourism 2014 - Trends & Prospects," the ETC projects Europe's sustained growth to continue for the fifth year in a row. Outbound markets such as Germany, UK, France, and the USA continue to perform as strong markets that the ETC can bank on.
Europe's mix of attractive tourism offers, short distances, high tolerance and a stable political climate give it an advantage in the world tourism race. Europe is the world's No. 1 tourist destination, with 563 million international arrivals and more than 50 percent of the market share of worldwide tourism.
[BLURB]"In long-haul markets, Europe as a whole lacks a clear image as a tourism destination." - Peter de Wilde, ETC President.[/BLURB]
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Reinforced by key indicators from the air travel and accommodation sector, the ETC expects Europe to grow arrivals by a solid 5 percent in 2014 over last year. Intra-European travel is an especially reliable source of this optimism. The report says that "Economic indicators suggest a strong performance of Germany and the UK in 2014, with private consumption boosted by sustained economic growth. Underlying fundamentals of outbound travel also remain strong for Russia, although trends may change abruptly depending on the evolution of the Ukraine crisis. Travel from Spain, Italy and the Netherlands may rebound this year, although cost-conscious travelers from these markets may give preference to last-minute deals and short trips."
Like all Pan-European organizations, the ETC is seeking a more unified approach to its mission, but the Continent's diversity, while adding to its appeal, also makes it hard to organize. "In long-haul markets, Europe as a whole lacks a clear image as a tourism destination," said Peter de Wilde, ETC President.
"The lack of a coordinated marketing strategy," he continued, "undermines the effectiveness of marketing efforts of other actors, as they bring a scattered, disjointed message to potential visitors. Championing tourism growth from long-haul markets requires a coordinated branding program that truly reflects Europe's core values and strengths."
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