Tourism trends in Europe and in Mediterranean Partner Countries 2000-2006

This 'Statistics in Focus' presents details of tourism trends in Europe and in the Mediterranean Partner Countries between 2000 and 2006. The Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPC) are: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, occupied Palestinian territory, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. Tourism is a growth industry in Europe and in the Mediterranean region. Between 2000 and 2006, the annual number of nights spent by tourists increased faster in the MPCs than in the EU-27. Over the same period, tourist arrivals at the MPCs borders increased by 9.4% per year on average, reaching 57.6 million in 2006. The number of bed places in hotels and similar establishments grew in the MPCs by 6.1% per year on average. From 2002 to 2005, the tourism balance of payments surplus in the MPCs grew steadily.