El papel de los turoperadores en el desarrollo del turismo internacional. Una evaluación

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze and explain the role played by European tour operators in international tourism development since 1950. By using existing data from the main tourism generating and receiving markets, the influence of tour operators on tourism development is analyzed and assessed. The phase of tourism development in which tour operators have played a significant part is characterized by highly dynamic changes both in the field of tourism supply as well as in tourism demand. The analysis of the role of European tour operators in international tourism flows shows that the movement of tourism demand from the most significant generating markets towards foreign tourism destinations is still greatly influenced by the leading tour operators in the respective markets, since they organize the largest number of tourism trips abroad from these markets. Since the leading European tour operators are nowadays vertically integrated with charter airlines, retail travel agencies, accommodation facilities and incoming agencies in tourism destinations, etc., they have gained the power to control both tourism generating as well as tourism receiving markets. An assessment of some positive and negative sides of tourism development under the influence of tour operators is presented.