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Southern Europe

3 December, 2015 - 15:15

Spain

Tourism in Spain was relatively undeveloped until after World War II. Since then there has been a virtual explosion in visits to that country. Most tourists come from France. Portugal and the United Kingdom make up the other major markets. The growth of tourism can be explained by several factors. For the British the attraction is the sunshine. For the French and the Portuguese the difference is the cost. Because Spain entered the tourism business rather late, prices were lower than in France and Italy where tourism development had driven prices up. With the development of charter flights it became relatively inexpensive to vacation in Spain. Another factor dates back to the 1960s when it became very fashionable in Britain to holiday in Spain, especially on the Costa Brava. Tour operators followed the trend and their promotional efforts attracted even more tourists.

Tourism is the most important part of Spain's economy. Madrid, the capital, is a base for visiting the historic cities of Segovia, Salamanca and Toledo. Some other towns attract tourists largely because they are on main routes to the coast. Tourism, however, is concentrated on the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands, which account for about 70 per cent of visitors to Spain. The Costa Brava (Rocky Coast), the Costa Blanca, and the Costa del Sol are the best known areas although the Costa de la Luz has been promoted in an attempt to spread the benefits of tourism. The Balearic Islands of Mallorca (or Majorca), Menorca (or Minorca), Ibiza, and Formentera have about one-third of all the hotel beds in the country. Mallorca is the major tourist area, largely because of its direct air connections. Congestion is a problem, however.

The Spanish government has been aware of the need to spread the benefits of tourism further, and it has attempted, somewhat unsuccessfully, to promote other regions of the country. The Biscayan and Atlantic coasts offer fine beaches and excellent shelter for sailing. The northern resort of San Sebastian is regarded as the most elegant in the country.

It attracts a number of Spaniards, but tourism is limited to the summer months. The climate is pleasant but not as predictable as in the south. In the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevadas there are a number of ski areas. Spain also boasts various reservoirs as a result of the demand for hydroelectric power. These have potential as recreational resources.

Tourism is very seasonal, peaking in the summer months. There have been efforts, mostly successful, to attract winter tourists from Britain. The fact that most foreign visitors come when domestic demand is high means that a severe strain is placed on all tourist facilities.

The Canary Islands. The Canary Islands, off the coast of Spain, are administered by Spain and consist chiefly of Tenerife, Grand Canary, Palma, Hierro and Gomera. The scenery is spectacular and the islands offer interesting geological formations. The lack of rainfall means that water can be scarce, and the islands lack the lush summer green of other areas.

The islands have easy access to Europe by air. Additionally, they are a favorite stopping point for cruise ships on their way to Africa and South America.

Portugal and Madeira

A large number of the trips to Portugal are made up of short visits by motorists from Spain, shore visits by cruise ship passengers, and short stopovers by air travelers. Spain accounts for most short- and long-term (over five days) visits. Short-term visits are to see friends and family and, as such, bring in little money. Cruise business is concentrated in Lisbon, the capital, and Funchal on the island of Madeira in the Atlantic. Tourists from the United Kingdom and the United States are important markets.

The Portuguese went after two segments of the market: the upscale tourist and the permanent foreign resident. By encouraging the development of second homes they hoped to encourage tourists who would return year after year and who would bring along friends. This type of tourist tends to spend more on local services. The result is that the economic benefits of tourism spread to many people. This type of investment also requires little government support.

Tourism is concentrated in three areas: Lisbon, the Algarve and Madeira. Lisbon offers a variety of cultural attractions. The nearby resort of Estoril has casino gambling while the Tagus estuary coast is the major area for recreation and a favorite of the affluent, royalty, and the nobility.

The Algarve is the south-facing coastal strip that runs from Sagres to the Spanish border. Numerous fishing villages have developed into vacation resorts catering to tourists who stay for long durations. Because of the location the area relies heavily upon air transportation to bring in tourists.

Madeira lies 644 kilometers off the west coast of Morocco. The climate is magnificent and the scenery spectacular, especially from April to June when the island is ablaze with colorful flowers. A favorite place for affluent Britons, the island still retains that flavor, even as it attracts Swedes and Germans. Tourism is important year-round. Most visitors are short-stay passengers from cruise ships, who stop to buy embroidery, wicker-work, and, the chief export, Madeira wine.

Italy

In the days of the Grand Tour, Italy was the final destination of European travelers. Tourism still looms important for this country. Germany sends the most tourists to Italy, followed by Switzerland, France and Austria. The United States, largely because of its strong Italian-American population, is also an important market.

Tourism exists on a year-round basis. Italy has a temperate climate, fine coasts, and a rich history and cultural heritage. Some of the most notable centers of culture are Venice, Florence, Siena, Rome and Naples. Rome is the seat of Vatican City, center of the Roman Catholic Church. Italy also boasts over 150 hot springs that give life to spas and health-cure centers. Mountain resorts of the Italian Alps attract visitors in the summer and skiing enthusiasts in the winter.

Italy has 8,000 kilometers of coast. The Italian Riviera and western coasts have especially attractive winters and summers that are hot and sunny. The eastern coast is less attractive in the winter. The most popular resort areas are in the north in the region of Liguria (such as San Remo), farther south at Naples and Solerno (Capri and Sorrento), and just south of the Po delta (Rimini and Cattolica).

As a source of historic sites Italy knows no equal. Examples of Greek and Roman civilizations abound. A number of towns have their own individual personalities. Verona is built of rose-red brick; Ravenna is famed for its mosaics; Vicenza is known for its Palladian architecture while Pisa has its leaning tower.

In common with other countries, Italy faces the problem of overcrowding in the summer and underutilization the rest of the year. Despite government attempts to change the pattern of holiday-making, most Italians prefer to vacation in the summer, thereby adding to the problem. An additional problem is that most tourism takes place in the north of the country. Despite some success in developing facilities on the island of Sardinia most of the economic benefits of tourism accrue to the north.

Yugoslavia. The completion of the Adriatic Highway from Rijeka in the north to Titograd in the south meant that fishing villages that once could be reached only from the sea were now easily accessible. This opened up Yugoslavia's major tourist resource, namely the long coastline of the Adriatic. The area offers sheltered lowlands, off-shore islands, long, sun-filled summers and warm winters.

In the north is a national park, Plitvice Lakes, which features a staircase of 17 lakes in a gorge cut by the Korana River. In Slovenia, farther to the northwest, is an area of mountains and lakes suitable for relaxation and recreation.

Although Yugoslavia is a Communist country, tourism is encouraged because of the hard currency it brings in. The result is that most tourists are from the West. West Germany, Italy and Austria are the most important tourist- generating countries. A significant number of British tourists have moved east in their search for the sun.

Greece. Despite its many attractions, tourism to Greece has been a recent development. Distance from major tourist-generating countries, political uncertainty, and a lack of infrastructure have prevented the country from maximizing its potential.

Major attractions of Greece are its historic and architectural remains, attractive islands, unspoiled villages and ports, a sunny climate most of the year, and a people known for their hospitality.

West Germany, France and the United States are the principal tourist-generating countries. The income from tourism is over 10 times as much as that spent by Greeks traveling abroad.

Recent concern has been expressed over whether or not the country can handle the number of tourists projected to travel there.

Malta. Malta gained its independence from Britain in 1964. Up until that time the major economic activity was defense related. Tourism now provides substantial income for this Mediterranean island. Reflecting its past, the vast majority of tourists are British. A substantial number even retire to the island.

At one time or another Malta has been inhabited by the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Knights of St John, French and the British. Each has added to the cultural heritage of the island. The climate is warm in summer, sometimes very hot or cool in winter. It tends to be windy in September. Water sports are available, including sailing regattas.