marketing tourism in europe

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Travel and tourism in Europe - statistics & facts

What are the most popular travel destinations in europe, travel planning and behavior of european tourists, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Europe 2019-2022

Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe 2019-2022

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

European countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals 2019-2022

Travel and tourism: share of GDP in the EU-27 and the UK 2019-2022, by country

Further recommended statistics

• Basic Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022, by subregion
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Europe 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by type
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by tourist type
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism: share of GDP in the EU-27 and the UK 2019-2022, by country
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2005 to 2023, by region (in millions)

International tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022, by subregion

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by subregion (in millions)

Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Europe 2019-2022

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Europe in 2019 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by type

Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Europe in 2019 and 2022, by type

Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by tourist type

Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Europe in 2019 and 2022, by type of tourist

Share of travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in European Union member countries (EU-27) and the United Kingdom (UK) in 2019 and 2022

Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe 2019-2022

Total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Europe in 2019 and 2022 (in million jobs)

Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021

Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) in 2021

Inbound tourism

• Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals in Europe 2006-2023
• Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals in Europe 2010-2022, by region
• Premium Statistic European countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Monthly number of inbound tourist arrivals in Europe 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic Monthly change in tourist arrivals in Europe 2020-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic International tourist arrival growth in European countries 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic International tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic European countries with the highest inbound tourism receipts 2019-2022

International tourist arrivals in Europe 2006-2023

Number of international tourist arrivals in Europe from 2006 to 2023 (in millions)

International tourist arrivals in Europe 2010-2022, by region

Number of international tourist arrivals in Europe from 2017 to 2022, by region (in millions)

Countries with the highest number of international tourist arrivals in Europe from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Monthly number of inbound tourist arrivals in Europe 2019-2023

Number of monthly international tourist arrivals in Europe from 2019 to 2023 (in millions)

Monthly change in tourist arrivals in Europe 2020-2023, by region

Change in monthly international tourist arrivals in Europe from January 2020 to July 2023, by region

Inbound tourism visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region

Inbound tourism visitor growth in Europe from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

International tourist arrival growth in European countries 2019-2023

Percentage change in international tourist arrivals in Europe from 2019 to 2023, by country

International tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022

International tourism expenditure in Europe in 2019 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

European countries with the highest inbound tourism receipts 2019-2022

Countries with the highest international tourism receipts in Europe from 2019 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Domestic tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourist trips in EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021
• Basic Statistic Number of domestic arrivals in tourist accommodation in the EU 2011-2022
• Basic Statistic Domestic tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Domestic tourism spending in EU-27 countries and the UK 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Share of Europeans planning to take a domestic summer trip 2023, by country

Number of domestic tourist trips in EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021

Number of domestic tourist trips in European Union member countries (EU-27) and the United Kingdom from 2018 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of domestic arrivals in tourist accommodation in the EU 2011-2022

Number of domestic arrivals in tourist accommodation establishments in the European Union (EU-27) from 2011 to 2022 (in millions)

Domestic tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022

Domestic tourism expenditure in Europe in 2019 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Domestic tourism spending in EU-27 countries and the UK 2019-2022

Domestic tourism expenditure in European Union member countries (EU-27) and the United Kingdom in 2019 and 2022, by country (in billion U.S. dollars)

Share of Europeans planning to take a domestic summer trip 2023, by country

Share of adults who planned to take a domestic summer holiday trip in selected countries in Europe as of April 2023

Outbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic Outbound visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic Number of outbound trips from EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021
• Premium Statistic European countries with the highest outbound tourism expenditure 2019-2022

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Outbound visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region

Outbound visitor growth in Europe from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Number of outbound trips from EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021

Number of outbound trips from European Union member countries (EU-27) and the United Kingdom from 2018 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

European countries with the highest outbound tourism expenditure 2019-2022

Countries with the highest outbound tourism expenditure in Europe from 2019 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

European travelers

• Premium Statistic Travel intentions of Europeans in the next six months 2023, by destination
• Premium Statistic Share of Europeans planning to travel domestically or in Europe 2023
• Premium Statistic Europeans planning domestic or European trips in the next six months 2023, by age
• Premium Statistic Europeans planning leisure domestic or European trips 2023, by trip type
• Premium Statistic European travelers' favorite destinations for their next European trip 2023

Travel intentions of Europeans in the next six months 2023, by destination

Share of European travelers planning a trip in the next six months as of September 2023, by destination

Share of Europeans planning to travel domestically or in Europe 2023

Share of European travelers planning to take an overnight trip domestically or in Europe in the next six months as of March, May, and September 2023

Europeans planning domestic or European trips in the next six months 2023, by age

Share of European travelers planning to take an overnight trip domestically or in Europe in the next six months as of September 2023, by age group

Europeans planning leisure domestic or European trips 2023, by trip type

Share of Europeans planning to take a leisure overnight trip domestically or in Europe in the next six months as of September 2023, by type of trip

European travelers' favorite destinations for their next European trip 2023

Preferred European countries for the next trip among European travelers as of September 2023

Accommodation

• Basic Statistic Number of tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2012-2022
• Basic Statistic Number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2011-2022
• Premium Statistic Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028, by region
• Premium Statistic Share of hotel market sales in Europe 2017-2028, by channel

Number of tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2012-2022

Number of tourist accommodation establishments in the European Union (EU-27) from 2012 to 2022

Number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2011-2022

Number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments in the European Union (EU-27) from 2011 to 2022 (in millions)

Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028

Revenue of the hotel market in Europe from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast until 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028, by region

Revenue of the hotel market in Europe from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast until 2028, by region (in billion U.S. dollars)

Share of hotel market sales in Europe 2017-2028, by channel

Sales distribution of the hotel market in Europe from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast until 2028, by channel

Travel companies

• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment
• Premium Statistic Market capitalization of leading travel and leisure companies in Europe 2024
• Premium Statistic Leading airlines in Europe based on passenger numbers 2022

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Market capitalization of leading travel and leisure companies in Europe 2024

Market capitalization of leading travel and leisure companies in Europe as of March 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leading airlines in Europe based on passenger numbers 2022

Leading airlines in Europe in 2022, based on passenger traffic (in millions)

• Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue in Europe 2018-2028, by segment
• Premium Statistic Number of users of package holidays in Europe 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Number of users of hotels in Europe 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Number of users of vacation rentals in Europe 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Revenue of travel and tourism market in selected countries worldwide 2023

Travel and tourism revenue in Europe 2018-2028, by segment

Revenue of the travel and tourism market in Europe from 2018 to 2028, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of users of package holidays in Europe 2019-2028

Number of users of package holidays in Europe from 2019 to 2028 (in millions)

Number of users of hotels in Europe 2019-2028

Number of users of hotels in Europe from 2019 to 2028 (in millions)

Number of users of vacation rentals in Europe 2019-2028

Number of users of vacation rentals in Europe from 2019 to 2028 (in millions)

Revenue of travel and tourism market in selected countries worldwide 2023

Travel and tourism market revenue in selected countries worldwide in 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Further reports

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin
• European Union Tourism Trends

The European Union Tourism Trends report provides a comprehensive overview of tourism in the European Union and constitutes a tool for policy makers and other tourism stakeholders for developing market strategies and enhancing the knowledge base of the EU Virtual Tourism Observatory. The report is the result of a cooperation agreement between UNWTO and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs of the European Commission (DG GROW) and is part of the ‘Enhancing the Understanding of European Tourism’ initiative. The project aims to improve the socio-economic knowledge of the tourism sector, enhance the understanding of European tourism and contribute to economic growth, job creation and the overall competiveness of tourism in Europe.

ISBN : 978-92-844-1947-0

Related Content

Tourism in the bsec region, european union short-term tourism trends, volume 1, 2017-2, european union short-term tourism trends, volume 1, 2017-1, european union short-term tourism trends, volume 1, 2017-6.

• Market information
• Cultural Tourism
• Market Potential
• Share this on:

The European market potential for cultural tourism

Cultural tourism is a huge opportunity and a growing trend. At least 40% of all tourists worldwide can be considered cultural tourists, and culture is one of the most important motivations for European tourists as well. Cultural tourists are more likely to travel by plane and they provide more economic benefits because they tend to stay longer than regular tourists. Cultural tourism can help to conserve tangible (material) and intangible (immaterial) heritage in your community. It offers you the opportunity to develop all kinds of creative activities and to provide tourists with authentic and genuine experiences.

Contents of this page

• Product description
• What makes Europe an interesting market for cultural tourism?
• Which European countries offer most opportunities for cultural tourism?
• Which trends offer opportunities on the European market for cultural tourism?

1. Product description

Cultural tourism refers to travel with the intent of experiencing and learning about the culture of a country or region. The cultural tourism market can be divided into two major groups. Tourists whose primary travel motivation is culture related only make up about 5-10% of all cultural tourists. These tourists are eager to learn, discover or experience local culture.

For the majority of cultural tourists, however, their primary motivation not related to culture at all. They simply like to visit cultural attractions or enjoy culture as one of the activities they undertake to complement their trip. These would be, for example, sun and beach tourists who stay at a resort in Mombasa in Kenya and visit a manyatta of the Maasai in Kenya.

Cultural tourists travel to enjoy a destination’s history and heritage, culture, lifestyle, traditions, art, music, literature, architecture and religion. The traditional cultural tourist is attracted by major cultural sites and attractions. The market for this kind of cultural tourism has grown dramatically over the past few decades, and has caused overcrowding of many of such destinations, resulting in a loss of their authentic character.

An increasing number of cultural tourists no longer feels attracted to crowded cultural attractions, instead preferring more personal, small-scale and authentic aspects of culture. Examples of this include artisanal, craft and hand-made products (tangible/material culture), and unforgettable and truly inspiring experiences that touch visitors in an emotional way and connect them with that specific place, people and culture (intangible/immaterial culture).

In short, attractions, products and experiences that are unique and that you cannot find anywhere else.

Based on the various types of interests the market can be subdivided into a number of niches, listed in table 1.

Table 1: Niche markets and specialist niche markets in cultural tourism

• Inform yourself on the niches available in cultural tourism to be able to make a clear choice on the niche market you want to focus on. CBI offers an infographic that gives a clear overview , which includes other segments and niche markets in tourism as well.
• Read the CBI studies on the niche markets within cultural tourism such as religious tourism , community-based tourism and food tourism for information about opportunities within these related markets.
• Collaborate with other parties both within and outside your community and create networks, for example with a focus on the niches as listed in table 1. Ensure that you contribute to the needs of the local community and create benefits for everyone.
• Read ‘ Kyoto Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Investing in Future Generations ’. It gives direction to innovative usage of the positive potential of cultural tourism for the support of tangible and intangible heritage, the increase of community empowerment, the generation of inclusive wealth and the strengthening of capacities.
• For financial support, you may want to join the community tourism programme initiated by AirBnB . This programme offers financial support to innovative projects in local communities that encourage tourism in new ways to strengthen communities, empower citizens and preserve and promote local culture. One category of projects to which you can apply is festivals and events: projects “preserving or celebrating local festivals and events while introducing them to a broader, appreciative audience”.

2. What makes Europe an interesting market for cultural tourism?

The European market for cultural tourism is significant. The European Union estimates that cultural tourism accounts for 40% of all European tourism . The UNWTO expects that the interest for cultural tourism among Europeans will grow and that it will remain one of the key markets in Europe. Interestingly, cultural tourists spend 38% more per day and stay 22% longer than other tourists.

However, two years after the publication of the UNWTO report, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a serious decline in international tourism and it is still uncertain if, when and how international tourism in general, and cultural tourism in particular, will recover. In the World Tourism Barometer And Statistical Annex 2021 , recently published by the UNWTO in January of this year, most panel experts expect a rebound of international tourism in Europe in the third quarter of 2021, or by 2022.

Cultural tourist profile

Cultural tourism dates back to the 1980s. Originally, cultural tourism was primarily driven by the interest of the baby boom generation to visit major cultural sites and attractions, such as museums and monuments, often travelling in groups. This generation has contributed to the strong growth of cultural tourism. The generations after them, generation Y (millennials) and generation Z (centennials ), drive the demand for more authentic, unique, small-scale and personal experiences, and the demand for more popular and everyday culture. For them it is more important to be somewhere, rather than to go somewhere. They state “we want to do it our way, not their way”. These generations prefer to travel on their own.

Figure 1: Cultural traveller’s profile

Advantages of cultural tourism

Cultural tourism does not only benefit larger corporations, but offers interesting opportunities to smaller businesses – including businesses that would otherwise be excluded from tourism. This means that cultural tourism offers the possibility to collaborate and create useful relationships with other businesses and organisations, both within and outside the tourism industry. Such relationships and partnerships can strengthen the collective pride of your own culture.

This approach to cultural tourism starts with what the community finds important and what the community wants to show. Linking it to what tourists are looking for results in a kind of compromise with a concrete encounter between two cultures.

• Review the cultural tourism offer in your community. Table 1 could help you with this.
• Try to understand the motivations of the cultural tourist and ask them how unique and authentic the cultural tourism offer is. This can help you to develop authentic experiences.
• Collaborate with other business and organisations in your community to create synergy and to better attract European tourists. Such collaboration could result in a cultural route along different places and attractions that is marketed as an arrangement to the tourists that visit your community.
• Cultural tourism is not the only trend in tourism, so think about creating cross-overs between cultural tourism and, for example, volunteer tourism, ecotourism, wellness, or adventure tourism.
• To offer your cultural offer to the market, remember that the contemporary tourists require online presence and convenience . To communicate with the market you can make use of Facebook (see for example PIRTGA ) or AirBnB (such as illustrated by a bushwalk with Maasai warriors , or a city trip to Nairobi .
• Read UNWTOs Inclusive COVID-19 recovery guide for cultural tourism , with many suggestions and tips. If you are offering community-based tourism, also read recommendations for indigenous tourism .
• If too many tourists come to your community, there is a danger that cultural tourism can cause a negative impact on culture and heritage and damage the long-term sustainability of both tourism and the cultural sectors. Therefore, it is important to define the limits of change that you consider acceptable and to manage cultural tourism properly. If you have little experience with Europeans, it is helpful to get in touch with somebody in your community who does have this experience, for example because they lived there for a while. Such a person may help you develop a product that is attractive for European tourists and bring it to their attention in a meaningful way.

3. Which European countries offer most opportunities for cultural tourism?

Germany is the largest European source market in terms of market size, followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, France, the Netherlands and Spain. Table 2 shows the percentage of residents per country who gave culture or a city trip as a reason for going on holiday , and the number of tourists leaving the country for a holiday abroad . The third column gives an indication of the market size of each country for a cultural holiday abroad. The figure clearly illustrates that the top market (Germany) is over five times larger than the smallest market (Spain).

Table 2: Key statistics of the 6 most important European markets

Germany is by far the most significant European market for cultural tourism. In 2018, 109 million German tourists went abroad for a holiday. Half of them went on holiday for cultural reasons, resulting in an estimated amount of 54 million holiday makers.

Of the six countries listed, German tourist spent the most on outbound travel. The personal expenditure of outbound German tourists was also much bigger.

Table 3: Key statistics Germany

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is clearly the second-largest market for cultural tourism in Europe. This position is mainly caused by the large number of outbound tourists: 70 million in 2018. A share of 48% opt for a culturally motivated holiday abroad – 26% for culture in general and 22% for a city trip. This amounts to an estimated number of outbound cultural tourists of 34 million in 2018. Events were also quite popular among British holiday makers going abroad (13%).

The United Kingdom has the second-largest population (67 million), after Germany. In 2019 the country had the second-largest nominal GDP of the top 6 market countries in the European Union (€2.5 trillion), again after Germany, and the third-largest nominal GDP per capita (€28.000), after Germany and the Netherlands. In 2018 the travel expenditure of British outbound tourists amounted to €65,517 million, which was 2.4% of the GDP.

Table 4: Key statistics United Kingdom

If we look at the proportion of all outbound travellers motivated by culture, Italy is the European country that stands out with 66% of the 33 million outbound holiday makers. As opposed to the other five countries in the top 6, city trips are more popular (36%) than culture in general (30%). The number of outbound cultural tourists from Italy can be estimated at 22 million. The average length of an outbound holiday was 8.3 nights in 2018. The Italian cultural tourism market is less predictable than the other countries’ markets, because it is more fashion-driven.

In the top 6 countries, the Italian economy takes a mid-position with a nominal GDP of €1.8 trillion and a nominal GDP per capita of €30,000 in 2019. Total travel spending in 2018 had a value of €24,918 million, while personal expenditure was €17,334 million. Overall outbound tourists had a value of 1.8% of the GDP, which is the lowest of the six market countries.

Table 5: Key statistics Italy

The French market for cultural tourism is the fourth-largest. In 2018, 27 million French travellers went abroad for their holiday and 62% of them did so for cultural reasons. Among them, the interest in culture in general or in a city trip was equally divided at 31%. All in all, in 2018 about 17 million French people went on holiday abroad for cultural reasons. The average length of these holidays was 8.4 nights.

The nominal GDP (€2.4 trillion) and the nominal GDP per capita (€36,000) are also comparable to the United Kingdom. Total travel expenditure was much higher than in Italy and amounted to €39,696 million. Personal expenses in 2018 were €26,551 million. Outbound tourism had a total value of 2.1% of GDP.

Table 6: Key statistics France

Netherlands

Despite its small size, the Netherlands has a relatively large number of outbound tourists. The Dutch holiday makers show the largest interest in culture (65%), second only to the Italians (66%), but as the population is relatively small it does only result in about 15 million culturally motivated holidays abroad. Compared to the other countries in the top 6, the interest in culture in general is much bigger (39%) than the interest in city trips (26%).

Compared to the other market countries discussed in this section, the Netherlands has a small population of 17 million. In line with this, the nominal GDP is relatively small as well with €0.8 trillion, making it the smallest economy in the list. Nevertheless, the nominal GDP per capita is the highest of the six countries at €47.000. On the other hand, total travel expenditure for foreign holidays (€18,868 million) and personal expenses abroad are the lowest (€ 16,296 million). 2.8% of the GDP was spent on outbound tourism.

Table 7: Key statistics Netherlands

The market for cultural tourism in Spain is much smaller than it is in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and the Netherlands. If we take the relatively big population into account, the number of outbound holiday makers is relatively quite small with just 19 million. So despite the fact that half of these tourists goes on holiday for cultural reasons, this only results in an estimated 10 million travellers in 2018.

It’s also interesting to note that the average length of the stay is relatively short (7.8 nights), while the average spending per day seems rather high (€103). According to industry experts, it is mainly the region of Catalunya (Barcelona and environment) in which people are interested in outbound cultural tourism.

The population of Spain is 47 million. The economy of Spain ranks between Italy and the Netherlands, with a nominal GDP of €1.2 trillion. The nominal GDP per capita is the lowest of the six market countries at €26.000. The amount that all outbound tourists spend on their travel is slightly lower than it is Italy and a little higher than it is the Netherlands at €26,670. The percentage of the GDP that is spent on outbound travel is relatively low: only 1.9%.

Table 8: Key statistics Spain

• Focus on Germany or the United Kingdom if you want to enter the European cultural tourism market. The market for cultural tourism in these countries is much bigger than it is in the other European countries, so you are more likely to succeed there.
• Create your tourism product in collaboration with your clients. Cultural tourists can be considered as co-creators of the best and least impactful tourism experiences . Also read our report on how to develop your tourism product to co-create cultural products together with your guests.
• If you want to protect your culture and remain unique and authentic, do not focus on short-term benefits and prevent too much commercialisation.
• If you want to focus on cultural events, it is recommended to make use of existing festivals or try to revive past festivals, because this reduces negative impacts and makes cultural tourism more sustainable.

4. Which trends offer opportunities on the European market for cultural tourism?

From cultural tourism to creative tourism.

Cultural tourism is slowly changing into creative tourism. With creative tourism, tourists actively participate in cultural learning experiences. These could range from dyeing umbrellas in Thailand, dyeing textiles in Guatemala or making curry in Thailand, to making music in Brazil to the rhythm of samba, milonga, chamamé and chacarera. During such a holiday trip, tourists encounter things that are quite different from a trip in Europe.

Creative travel programmes allow tourists to get in touch with local people, local culture and local creativity. They allow visitors to take a souvenir back home that they made themselves and that can promote the culture to the tourists’ peers. They also lead to more opportunities for local people to acquire knowledge and skills and to earn an income.

Creative travel programmes are usually carried out by locals, for example in the role of inbound tour operator or “ground operator”. However, there are also tour operators in Europe that offer cultural tourism holidays, such as Charlies Travels in the Netherlands which offers holidays to Kenya.

A local example is the wide variety of round trips offered focusing on the "Maya Textile Route" in Guatemala, during which cultural visits of cities and museums are combined with weaving and dyeing workshops. During these workshops visitors learn how to create their own fabrics in the traditional brightly coloured threads of the “land of eternal spring”.

• Examples are the tours offered by Haute Culture Fashion or ArtGuat .
• The Blue Yonder , a tour operator in India, provides various options, including musical trails, gastronomic trails, local encounters, cultural heritage, and city breaks.
• Feynan Ecolodge in Jordan is an example of an accommodation promoting the rich Bedouin culture of the region, and exploring local archeological sites.
• In Thailand DASTA (Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration) developed a cultural tourism programme that is different from many other Asian countries. It is based on the idea that the Thai culture is unique and that unique forms of creativity are linked to it. 20 different villages offer a unique taste of Thai culture for visitors, each being linked to a particular craft or skill that demonstrates Thai creativity and is rooted in the local involvement. As part of the project a toolkit was provided which offers a step-by-step guide to developing creative tourism.

Networks are of great importance to the development of creative tourism. There are quite a few examples of creative tourism networks, such as Recria Brasil in Brazil. Local people and businesses also use platforms such as AirBnB to sell experiences. In that case you do not need a tour operator, and you establish a direct connection with the tourist in exchange for a small fee.

Creative Tourism Network is an international network that serves as a great example of collaboration across country borders. The website gives examples of creative tourism in various countries and you can become a member yourself. The network developed a “ creating creative tourism toolkit ” that is accessible online. The toolkit also provides an introduction into the ins and outs of creative tourism.

Although in Europe itself, CreaTour may offer an inspiring example of a creative tourism network. It is intended as an incubator/demonstration initiative to catalyse creative tourism in small cities and rural areas throughout Portugal. CreaTour’s website gives an overview of inspiring best practices in Portugal . A prize-winning documentary about creative tourism development in small cities and rural areas is also available.

Major trends in creative tourism :

• Taking home skills as well as souvenirs: exchange of skills between hosts and visitors, and the production of art, photos or craft objects as souvenirs
• Creative gastronomy: courses and workshops to refine the guests’ culinary skills, such as making curry in Thailand
• Creative personal space: retreats or other peaceful surroundings linked to a search for mindfulness, spirituality, including yoga experiences and meditation
• Creative work: co-working spaces and living labs as destinations for travellers who want to combine their work with their passion, which fits with the drive of remote working, the growing number of digital nomads and the increase in bleisure, which refers to travellers who combine business with leisure activities, or leisure travel with business.
• Digital creativity (needed for work but also for being able to develop one’s own content and share one’s life story; offered in major creative cities or attractive settings in nature.
• Social connectivity: creative tourism with a more explicit social and relational dimension, such as volunteer programmes directed towards particular forms of creativity useful for community development.
• Live like a (creative) local to have transformational authentic experiences; Airbnb allows hosts to provide local experiences, which may include workshops and crafts classes. A transformational experience allows a tourist to understand themselves, others and the world in a new way.
• Holidays for the creative class, not only in urban areas but also in creative clusters in rural areas; it requires the presence of trendsetters and coolhunters who can identify and promote new creative experiences
• Destinations as hubs of creative networks, the places to be for specific creative activities and/or knowledge
• Invest in slow travel, meaning travellers take more time to experience destinations more deeply and in a more laid-back way, and offer transformative experiences.
• Offer opportunities to immerse in the local culture and to ‘feel like a local’, such as opportunities to stay with a local family, indulge in the local nightlife or services that connect travellers to local tastes,
• Platforms such as EatWith or BiteMojo offer opportunities to connect travel to local tastes.
• Because young millennials yearn for unique experiences, it is recommended to approach and treat them in a personal way.
• Ensure a clear online presence. Potential visitors should be able to find you online and be able to easily access your online information.
• Invite social media influencers like influential bloggers or vloggers for a free stay so that they will write about your product or service in a style that appeals to their followers. You can find bloggers and vloggers via Typsy or YouTube .
• Link people and place through storytelling. An example of this is offered by industry expert Greg Richards in his report ‘ from Cultural to creative tourism – the role of craft’ : “When a tourist comes to my workshop, I can make up a story about how I work, and this adds value. People want to know why I have done something, how it was done”.

Health and safety measures

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the UNWTO identified health and safety measures as the second largest trend for 2021, and it is likely that this trend will become more important in the years to come.

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely have a major impact on travellers’ attitudes towards hygiene. Safety and hygiene standards have become very important and may even become non-negotiable, because travellers simply require that this is at an appropriate standard.

Travellers will be more reluctant to travel to tourism hot spots and may need more persuasion to perceive a destination, or your business, as safe. Precautions and the way in which the initial COVID-19 outbreak was handled in your country will help convince travellers that they will be safe at a specific destination, location or service business.

It is expected that hygiene will impact the way people travel to a destination and how they move around within their destination. This applies to for example hygiene standards, whether face masks are compulsory or not, seat spacing, and many other factors. Price may become less important than hygiene and travelling in groups with strangers will probably be less attractive.

Moreover, it is likely that the COVID-19 pandemic has made more travellers aware and uncertain about travel safety, hygiene and contradicting information, and they will increasingly turn to travel experts when they want to plan a holiday trip.

• Be transparent and inform cultural tourists properly about the health and safety measures you have taken. Only then you will be able to gain their trust. Possible measures are: intensified cleaning, socially distanced seating, providing hand gel, providing accessories such as face masks, glasses and gloves (possibly branded with a logo of the destination or your business), offering contactless payment, or driverless transport.
• With reference to COVID-19 is it recommended to focus on outdoor cultural tourism activities.
• Seize the opportunity, if your business is located within a destination that is perceived as clean, safe, unspoilt or uncrowded. That may allow you to attract new or more visitors. According to Booking.com , 54% of global travellers want to play a part in reducing overtourism , and 51% is interested in swapping destinations for a lesser known, yet similar alternative.

This study was carried out on behalf of CBI by Molgo and ETFI .

Please review our market information disclaimer .

• Entering the European market for cultural tourism products

Enter search terms to find market research

Do you have questions about this research?

Ask your question

Creative tourism is an important market in Europe. It offers Europeans the opportunity to get in touch with local people and local culture, for example by crafting their own souvenirs with textiles, ceramics or other materials, learning to cook local foods, to learn cultural dances, etc. Creative tourism therefore offers an interesting opportunity for local businesses to earn some money and at the same time to learn about the European market. Direct contact with the tourist is important. This can be achieved through creative programmes, networks or social media platforms. Recria Brasil is a good example of a programme run by governmental bodies and local businesses, but they also exist in for example Thailand, Indonesia and some African countries. Dr Greg Richards, professor in Leisure studies

Related research

• What is the demand for outbound tourism on the European market?
• What trends offer opportunities or pose threats on the European outbound tourism market?
• What are the requirements for tourism services in the European market?
• (opens in a new tab) Twitter
• (opens in a new tab) Facebook
• (opens in a new tab) LinkedIn

Related Expertise: Technology Industry , Media & Entertainment Consulting , Marketing Function Excellence

Getting the Most from Europe’s Marketing Ecosystem

May 22, 2020  By  Andreas Schwabe ,  Carmen Bona ,  Michael Robinson , and  Sarah Tomec

Digitization has transformed marketing. Rising expectations (from both consumers and top management), increasing complexity in technology and tools, and an accelerating pace of change have become marketing facts of life. They have also led to an expanding ecosystem of partners and suppliers offering an ever-widening array of products and services.

Shortly before the outbreak of COVID-19, BCG surveyed top marketing executives in three major markets in Europe: France, Germany, and the UK. (A companion article presents our research in the US.) While the business landscape for marketers (as well as for everyone else) has fundamentally changed in 2020, we believe that our findings and conclusions are still valid. The ability of European marketers to leverage the marketing ecosystem will become even more important as they seek to react nimbly to an uncertain environment and demonstrate relevance to consumers in the post-COVID recovery.

Here are the headlines. Marketers use plenty of partners—no surprise there. Only 3% of the companies we surveyed do not tap external resources. The 97% that do cited a variety of areas of assistance, including technology, media planning and buying, creative development, measurement, data science, and branding. Marketers were upfront about the reasons they look for help. They understand that using partners boosts ROI: 80% reported increased ROI over the past three years, in particular from improvements in technology, targeting and segmentation, and measurement capabilities. But 95% feel pressure to improve still further.

The good news is that marketers have lots of options in the rapidly expanding ecosystem of agencies, consultants, marketing technology (martech) providers, and others vying to assist companies in the digital marketing arena. Nine out of ten marketers reported using more channels today than they did three years ago. But while the help may be welcome, the complexity adds another layer of challenge for CMOs and their teams to address.

Where Marketers Are Looking for Help

Marketers in the three markets we surveyed look to the ecosystem for help with a number of specific needs, among them speed to market, access to innovation, high-quality thought leadership, and ease of execution. (See “About this Report.”) But navigating the European ecosystem is inherently challenging thanks to fragmented national markets, data regulation and consumer sensitivities, differences in culture and access to talent, and companies’ own corporate challenges.

About this Report

Following our 2019 assessment of marketing measurement capabilities , Facebook commissioned BCG to study the growing marketing ecosystem. We broadly define the marketing ecosystem as the collection of organizations that supports marketers in reaching a particular audience and creating, delivering, and improving their communications and engagement with customers or consumers. These participants include agencies, consultancies, martech providers, and traditional and digital media companies.

This report was produced in collaboration with Facebook and the findings outlined herein were discussed with Facebook executives, but BCG is responsible for the analysis and conclusions. Our research included a quantitative survey of 315 marketing leaders and interviews with 35 industry experts across the UK, France, and Germany between December 2019 and February 2020. The survey was conducted by Gerson Lehrman Group. To qualify for the survey, respondents had to be based in the UK, France, or Germany and employed by companies with more than €45 million (£40 million) in annual revenue and more than €10 million (£8 million) in annual marketing spending. Respondents also needed to have a title of manager or higher (65% were vice presidents or higher), focus on marketing/advertising, and be an active participant in, responsible for, or accountable for making external partnership decisions.

Market Fragmentation. Geography, language, culture, and regulation all contribute to a highly fragmented “European” market. As one marketing executive pointed out, a UK TV commercial about baking brownies is useless in France. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but marketers still need to balance local and pan-European capabilities. “Although you will always need local market access and understanding, a pure national lens no longer suffices,” said an executive at a German martech startup.

Data Regulation and Consumer Sensitivities. Heightened consumer sensitivity with respect to data sharing and usage puts pressure on companies to go further than simply demonstrating the value of their product or service. They must also show that they are responsible about collecting and using consumer data and that consumers receive value in exchange for sharing their data. Regulatory and policy changes add both new rules and uncertainty for marketers. They must navigate the implications of Europe-wide regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (including interpretations that vary by country), as well as country-specific regulations and emerging privacy rules from large tech players, such as restrictions introduced by Apple and Google on third-party cookie sharing. Marketers in France (77% of those surveyed) and Germany (62%) view the latter as having a greater impact than other regulatory or policy changes, including the GDPR.

Talent and Culture. Skilled digital marketing talent remains scarce and the competition for it is fierce and expensive. Smaller companies (those with revenues of less than €900 million) feel the talent shortage most acutely: they were twice as likely to cite “access to skilled talent pool” as a top challenge.

Even for those that can bear the cost, location can present a barrier. “There is a general shortage of talent, but there's two sides to it,” said a senior marketer at a German sports marketing company. “The big hubs, like Berlin or London, attract a lot of very good tech talent. But if you are located anywhere else or cannot offer a competitive package, it becomes very difficult to make your case and attract the right people.”

Marketers in Europe also struggle to adopt new ways of working, such as agile methodologies and a “test and learn” culture. These approaches not only facilitate partner collaboration and speed campaign development and time to market, they are also increasingly critical to attracting top tech talent. “The US has more of a fail-fast culture that is embodied by everybody,” said a senior vice president at a digital marketing consultancy. “Failure of every nature still bends people’s pride in the UK.” The CEO of a London-based adtech startup put it this way: “In the US, our customers want to buy a competitive advantage, but in the UK, we see customers that want to buy something that reduces risk.”

Corporate Challenges. Priorities differ across companies and markets, of course. Around 40% of our respondents said that one of the top reasons they look to partners is to increase speed to market. At the same time, more than 40% of respondents in the UK and almost 35% in France pointed to access to innovation. In Germany, the top priorities after speed to market are “desire for flexibility” (38%) and “quality of thought leadership” (32%).

The good news is that marketers have lots of options in the rapidly expanding ecosystem of agencies, consultants, martech providers, and others vying to assist companies in the digital marketing arena.

Copy Shareable Link

A big issue in all three markets is that many marketers do not believe they are partnering effectively. The vast majority of marketers (94% in France, 86% in Germany, and 84% in the UK) still think there is considerable room for improvement in how they use partners. These companies cited cross-channel management, cross-channel measurement, and attribution as the most significant challenges in achieving their target ROI. These are all areas where effective partnerships can help. More than 20% of survey respondents in each market noted that to increase partner value, there must be clear ways to evaluate partner performance and value delivery and to align on incentives.

A Vast and Sometimes Confounding Array of Options

European marketers looking for help have plenty of options, both in their home markets and across Europe. But their efforts are complicated by the rapid expansion of the ecosystem, which is adding complexity and blurring traditional boundaries.

Ecosystems expand. The marketing ecosystems in France, Germany, and the UK all increased in size and complexity from 2010 through 2019. In the UK, the ecosystem grew especially quickly, outpacing national GDP growth by about 70%. 1 1 National ecosystem growth based on BCG analysis using data from Magna Global, IDC, IBIS World, Eurostat, MarTech Alliance, MarTech-France.com, and Avaus. UK GDP growth was 3.7% as of January 2020, according to World Bank and British Chambers of Commerce data. Notes: 1 National ecosystem growth based on BCG analysis using data from Magna Global, IDC, IBIS World, Eurostat, MarTech Alliance, MarTech-France.com, and Avaus. UK GDP growth was 3.7% as of January 2020, according to World Bank and British Chambers of Commerce data.  (See Exhibit 1.)

More than 70,000 agencies, consultancies, martech vendors, and media companies now operate in the three countries combined. 2 2 Based on BCG analysis of data from Magna Global, IDC, IBIS World, Eurostat, MarTech Alliance, MarTech-France.com, and Avaus. Notes: 2 Based on BCG analysis of data from Magna Global, IDC, IBIS World, Eurostat, MarTech Alliance, MarTech-France.com, and Avaus.  (See Exhibit 2.)

Agencies still play a large role: 80% of UK marketers and 60% of marketers in France and Germany use agencies, according to our survey. Still, we estimate that agencies’ overall share of the ecosystem has declined in recent years from about 36% to about 33%. Digital media companies and martech providers have driven much of the overall ecosystem growth, with both segments expanding more than 10% annually. There are now more than 2,200 martech providers operating in the three markets (out of more than 7,000 globally). 3 3 3 Ibid. Notes: 3 Ibid.  Most are startups offering marketing automation tools, such as customer data platforms, that were unheard of five years ago. “Automation is becoming more and more important. Many adtech startups are focusing on automating processes for advertisers,” said the cofounder of a German startup agency.

Boundaries blur. As the ecosystem expands, players in all segments are building or acquiring new capabilities to provide more robust, innovative, and integrated solutions to clients. Some of this diversification has occurred through consolidation. Agencies have sought to add to their offerings in order to remain competitive (the acquisition of Epsilon by Publicis is one example), a trend that most experts we spoke with expect to continue. Large consultancies also have moved into areas traditionally occupied by agencies, frequently though acquisition. (Accenture Interactive has acquired more than 30 agencies globally.) Marketing cloud providers, such as Salesforce.com and Adobe, have looked to maximize their portion of the value chain by acquiring other platforms and capabilities. (Adobe acquired Marketo in 2018, and Salesforce acquired Evergage 2020.) Overall, as an executive at a “big six” agency in Paris told us, “The lines have blurred between the sectors of the marketing ecosystem. Today’s agencies, consultancies, martech providers, and publishers all compete with each other in various areas.”

Among digital media companies, Facebook and Google continue to hold their leadership positions in paid media. Estimates in 2019 by eMarketer put the two companies’ combined share of paid digital media at 75% in France and Germany and 68% in the UK. (Google's estimated share of paid digital media in the UK, Germany, and France was 39%, 49%, and 50%, respectively, while Facebook's was 25%, 26%, and 26%.) Amazon, bolstered by its 2019 acquisition of Sizmek, is capturing increasing business; more than 40% of marketers in the UK, Germany, and France advertise on Amazon today. 4 4 Google, Facebook, and Amazon market share estimates from eMarketer reports: UK Digital Ad Spending 2019 ; France Digital Ad Spending 2019 ; Germany Digital Ad Spending 2019 . Notes: 4 Google, Facebook, and Amazon market share estimates from eMarketer reports: UK Digital Ad Spending 2019 ; France Digital Ad Spending 2019 ; Germany Digital Ad Spending 2019 .

While digital media spending has overtaken traditional media in the UK, traditional media continues to capture the majority of spending in France and Germany, where TV advertising remains a key channel. “For French marketers, TV advertising … still needs to be a crucial part of the marketing mix, much more so than in the UK,” said a former marketing executive at a €10 billion global CPG company.

The lines are disappearing, however, as leading traditional media companies expand into digital media to keep pace with the evolution in spending. Axel Springer, a leading German publisher, now gets 74% of its advertising revenue from digital channels. 5 5 Axel Springer, company presentation, slide 5, https://www.axelspringer.com/en/publications/presentations . Notes: 5 Axel Springer, company presentation, slide 5, https://www.axelspringer.com/en/publications/presentations .  Sky has moved into addressable TV with its AdSmart service, which brings digital advertising tools and techniques to traditional television. Data alliances, such as Ad Alliance in Germany and Ozone in the UK, give media buyers more reach, broader cross-platform data, and better optimization opportunities. The European netID Foundation aims to provide shared access to data among its participants (many of which are publishers) via an open single-sign-on system.

The help may be welcome, but the complexity adds another layer of challenge for CMOs and their teams to address.

In addition, an explosion of specialized new entrants, enabled by the first wave of advances in digital marketing, is enhancing the diversity of the ecosystem. And the need for local expertise has led to opportunities for smaller, local players to carve out niche roles (agencies that localize content, for example). Marketers in Germany and France, in particular, prefer local partners. “The great thing about digital tech is that you can market almost anywhere in the world, but you still have to have a local understanding, and often local agencies can give you that,” said the former head of marketing for Europe at a €10 billon B2B technology company. Local complexities have also created an opportunity for innovative martech startups. For example, London-based startup Synthesia uses artificial intelligence to translate creative treatments into different languages while adjusting the facial movements of actors so they appear to be speaking naturally.

Platforms such as Google, Facebook, Salesforce.com, Adobe, and others are fueling the growth of more specialized players like Smartly.io, which offers campaign management and content creation tools specifically for social media. Ecosystem players have even identified opportunities to help marketers in-house. For example, Jellyfish, a London-based digital agency, has grown rapidly by helping clients build their own programmatic buying capabilities.

New local players continue to emerge in digital hubs such as London and Berlin, but also increasingly in France, where venture capital investments have gained speed; French venture investment has increased 35% annually, from about €2.2 billion in 2017 to about €4 billion in 2019. 6 6 Preqin Venture Capital deals in France, 2017−2019, accessed via Preqin.com, January 2020. Notes: 6 Preqin Venture Capital deals in France, 2017−2019, accessed via Preqin.com, January 2020. New digital media companies, such as TikTok, are entering the market as well.

Maturity varies. The rapid pace of expansion and specialization puts a strain on even the most mature and sophisticated marketers, and as we have documented previously, the digital maturity of marketers varies substantially—especially in Europe, where it varies greatly across borders as well. The UK is several years ahead of France, Germany, and Europe in general when it comes to digital’s share of paid media, and the same is also the case with programmatic-buying penetration. (See Exhibit 3.)

Senior marketers expect the broad ecosystem to continue to grow in a similar manner for at least the next several years. Most expect spending on partners of all types to increase, with martech and media partners the biggest beneficiaries. In our survey, 65% of marketers in the UK, 77% in Germany, and 73% in France said they expected to spend more. In the UK, agencies may experience further disintermediation, with only 32% of marketers planning to spend more on agencies, compared with 58% in Germany and 70% in France. Marketers cite personalization, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and connected cross-channel experiences as the top forward-looking opportunities. They will likely drive further growth as marketers seek help with managing the technical complexity of these tasks.

Sorting Through the Thicket

The downside of all this activity is that the niches of the ecosystem have become so specialized so quickly that marketers can struggle to keep up. There are more and more areas where they must decide what they will build and what they will buy, and they often need to rely on additional partners to help them navigate. “Marketers in my industry struggle to keep up with the evolution of all the tools available,” said the marketing director at a major insurance company. “We need external help to keep up to date.” All the additional support adds to the need to coordinate partners in pursuit of a common goal.

Successful marketers follow five rules to make this complex, evolving ecosystem work for them:

• They accept that they cannot and should not build everything in-house.
• At the same time, they ensure that their organizations are set up to fully leverage the ecosystem, and they invest in internal data capabilities.
• They make external partners an extension of internal teams.
• They measure impact with concrete metrics that are understood throughout the organization, and they regularly reevaluate partnerships in light of the results.
• Internally and externally, they make regulatory compliance routine, and they keep an eye on consumer trends and opinions so they are prepared for future changes.

Don’t build everything in-house. The complexity of marketing today means there are simply too many critical capabilities to support in-house, and agencies are no longer sufficient one-stop-shop partners. Most marketers need to work with a stable of partners, selecting each one based on its particular value proposition. This puts a premium on coordination and on motivating multiple partners to act in unison.

The key for most marketing functions is achieving the right balance between internal and external capabilities, a task complicated by the fragmentation in Europe discussed above. When deciding whether to outsource a marketing activity, companies should consider not just the implication for competitive advantage but also the need and ability to scale each activity across borders. (See Exhibit 4.) They should also factor in the impact on talent, budget, time constraints, and speed of execution. For most companies, it will be critical to build differentiated internal capabilities in areas that provide a strategic advantage. Oft-cited examples include branding and data science. Businesses are already solving problems with hybrid solutions that combine in-house, agency, and partner resources. Instead of building or buying solutions, businesses are building and buying. Build-operate-transfer models have proven successful as a way to develop a capability through a partnership and ultimately bring it in-house.

Most marketers today are not well positioned to build their own differentiated martech capabilities. They are better off relying on partner platforms with open ecosystems that offer immediate scale. “One of our competitors had about 100 developers working on it for three years, and they still weren't successful in building an adtech stack … You really have to go with external partners,” the director of marketing at a German publisher told us. Media buying and localizing content, too, are candidates for outsourcing, as they benefit from the knowledge of local players.

Data-driven marketing is a source of competitive advantage, and most organizations understand that they must invest internally to unlock its potential. Done right, investing in internal capabilities yields key strategic benefits, such as better targeting and better understanding of the ROI of each channel. Companies need three principal layers of capability for data-driven marketing: data architecture (data engineering and collection and integration of first-, second-, and third-party data), data intelligence (data science and predictive analytics), and execution (channels for consumer engagement). In our experience, leading companies generally maintain a portion of the first two in-house in order to build institutional knowledge on data availability and to maximize flexibility. The execution layer has become largely commoditized and for the most part is easily outsourced.

Gaining access to data requires building relationships based on trust with consumers. Transparency and clear communications on how data is used, for what purpose, and the benefits that accrue to consumers from sharing their data are prerequisites and best handled by the company itself rather than by third parties.

Organize internally to leverage the ecosystem. Many companies may find that they are in for a culture change that extends beyond the marketing function and requires alignment across the organization. In our experience, it is almost impossible to improve results without establishing a data-driven, “fail fast, learn fast” culture that embraces open feedback and review cycles. Each company will need to optimize its own mix of channels by testing and learning internally. “Build your own ability to judge the ecosystem,” advised a senior vice president of marketing at a €10 billion consumer tech company. “Google and Facebook [and other partners] can't do that for you. Understand the true ROI of every channel—that’s how you differentiate today.”

The right talent is imperative. In our experience, about 10% of value is driven by data and algorithms, 20% by technology, and the remaining 70% by process and people. Even companies that outsource technical functions need technical talent to engage with and manage partners. Given the scarcity of technical talent, training or retraining current employees, hiring externally, and looking across borders when local talent is prohibitively expensive all become viable options. “Many CMOs today over-index on tech and don’t focus enough on people and process,” said the senior vice president of a marketing cloud company.

Make external partners extensions of your team. Marketers in Europe cited “partner understanding of your business needs” as a top success factor in maximizing the value of partnerships. They put a premium on finding partners who understand their business as if they were full-time employees. They also work to strengthen this understanding with frequent communication and agile ways of working, and they seek partners that can help them adopt this culture internally.

Companies cited cross-channel management, cross-channel measurement, and attribution as the most significant challenges in achieving their target ROI.

Full transparency, cross-company collaboration tools, and direct data sharing that can be accessed in real-time (with proper compliance) are prerequisites for effective collaboration. May companies try to co-locate frequently, and they establish regular check-ins (such as weekly standups) that, when possible, include all partners to ensure cohesiveness across the ecosystem.

Measure impact with concrete metrics. With multiple external partners working on the same campaigns across different countries, consistent and agreed-upon KPIs are key to effective execution. “Agreeing on and communicating the same KPIs to all partners is crucial to aligning interests. Most campaigns stumble because they neglect to do this,” said a former CPG executive.

Using metrics and KPIs that are meaningful for the whole organization helps build consensus around a single measurement strategy. The CFO should not measure success any differently than the CMO or an agency. Quantifiable metrics that are credible outside the marketing organization (to the CEO or CFO, for example) will help create early alignment on what success looks like. Standardized metrics (such as customer acquisition or revenue) across the marketing organization and alignment on concrete short-term (six months or less) and long-term (one year or more) goals hold partners accountable. All such goals, of course, should be set within the context of the larger marketing strategy.

Marketers should evaluate partnerships regularly (quarterly or monthly, for example) against established KPIs and overall strategic goals. “We sit together with our partners every quarter to benchmark them against their peers on the market,” said the general manager for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at a leading martech provider. “There is a direct link between performance and how you evaluate your partners.”

Companies can also run small-scale pilots with potential partners to identify possible higher-ROI alternatives and demonstrate value before committing significant budget. “Run ten pilots with potential new partners every year. If you’re an enterprise, each pilot might cost €50K, but you only need one or two of them to work out to make it all well worth it,” said the CEO of a leading adtech company.

Make regulatory compliance routine. Legal guidance is often necessary in order to fully understand the implications of regulatory changes and to build a path to compliance that takes into account country-specific regulatory interpretations and policies. At the same time, companies should avoid the temptation to overly restrict potential data uses because of a lack of customer consent. Our research has shown that when customers understand the benefits, they are much more willing to give permission than companies are to ask.

To reduce the internal burden, control costs, and track ongoing compliance, marketers can consider using technology partners such as consent management providers. These can help educate internal and external people and ensure that compliance is an integral part of each new partnership. “You have to build awareness about the importance of transparency and consent across the organization, especially in engineering, analytics, and business functions, in order to make sure the right protections are built into each new use case,” said a senior strategist at a leading marketing cloud platform provider.

Marketers can also explore other (second-party) data partnerships as the use of third-party data declines, as well as opportunities to improve the digital experience for customers and strengthen trust as they build out GDPR compliance.

Here are three key questions to explore when evaluating your current partner strategy. (See Exhibit 5.)

• Is the partnership catalyzing growth by, for example, furthering the accumulation of institutional knowledge, providing access to thought leadership, or enabling skills transfer through collaboration or enhanced automation of capabilities?
• Is the commercial value evident? Has tracked progress against stated short- and long-term ROI targets in the first six months demonstrated incremental commercial value? Is there a willingness to tie terms and fees to ROI?
• Is the value proposition still the best available? Has it kept pace with the evolving ecosystem?

Marketers have their work cut out for them. Complexity will only increase, and competition will continue to rise. The ecosystem provides essential assistance and capabilities. Those that take the time to approach it strategically, with clear goals and expectations determined in advance, will gain the most value and the biggest advantage.

Los Angeles

ABOUT BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

© Boston Consulting Group 2024. All rights reserved.

For information or permission to reprint, please contact BCG at [email protected] . To find the latest BCG content and register to receive e-alerts on this topic or others, please visit bcg.com . Follow Boston Consulting Group on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) .

Subscribe to receive the latest insights on Technology, Media, and Telecommunications.

• Architecture and Design
• Asian and Pacific Studies
• Business and Economics
• Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
• Computer Sciences
• Cultural Studies
• Engineering
• General Interest
• Geosciences
• Industrial Chemistry
• Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Jewish Studies
• Library and Information Science, Book Studies
• Life Sciences
• Linguistics and Semiotics
• Literary Studies
• Materials Sciences
• Mathematics
• Social Sciences
• Sports and Recreation
• Theology and Religion
• Publish your article
• The role of authors
• Promoting your article
• Abstracting & indexing
• Publishing Ethics
• Why publish with De Gruyter
• How to publish with De Gruyter
• Our book series
• Our subject areas
• Your digital product at De Gruyter
• Contribute to our reference works
• Product information
• Tools & resources
• Product Information
• Promotional Materials
• Orders and Inquiries
• FAQ for Library Suppliers and Book Sellers
• Repository Policy
• Free access policy
• Open Access agreements
• Database portals
• For Authors
• Customer service
• People + Culture
• Journal Management
• How to join us
• Working at De Gruyter
• Mission & Vision
• De Gruyter Foundation
• De Gruyter Ebound
• Our Responsibility
• Partner publishers

Your purchase has been completed. Your documents are now available to view.

Marketing cultural tourism in Europe

In the absence of definitions, measuring the significance and growth of cultural tourism becomes problematic. In an attempt to tackle this issue, the European Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS) initiated a study funded by the European Commission to define and monitor cultural tourism in Europe. The ATLAS Cultural Tourism Project attempted to solve the problem by developing two definitions - a narrow, technical definition to aid measurement, and a wider, conceptual definition to encapsulate the broader meaning of cultural tourism. These definitions have been refined during the course of the project, and are currently encapsulated as: Technical definition: All movements of persons to specific cultural attractions, such as museums, heritage sites, artistic performances and festivals outside their normal place of residence. Conceptual definition: The movement of persons to cultural manifestations away from their normal place of residence, with the intention to gather new information and experiences to satisfy their cultural needs.

RELATED PAPERS

Journal of Tourism Consumption and Practice

greg richards , Daniela Jelinčić , Eliana Messineo

Exploring Creative Tourism, Journal of Tourism Consumption and Practice

Lénia Marques , greg richards , Eliana Messineo

Annals of Tourism Research

Rute Simoes

Tourism Review International

Kevin Meethan

In Kevin Griffith & Razaq Raj (Eds.), Reflecting on Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Lorenzo Cantoni

greg richards , Julie Wilson

2rd International Conference of development and economy (ICODECON) 2016, Thessaloniki Greece

Kostas Karamanis

Mohamed Berriane

Alina Balleza

World Journal of Business and Management

David Picard

Simona Mălăescu , Tibor Gonda , Elena S Petkova

Darlan De Mamann Marchi , Luciana de Castro Neves Costa

CREATING SYNERGIES BETWEEN CULTURAL POLICY AND TOURISM FOR PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY CITIZENS

Lénia Marques , greg richards

Cultural Attractions and European Tourism

Alexandra Rodrigues Gonçalves , Paulo Mariz Lourenço , Luciano Rafael

Oscar Basulto

Canan Tanrisever

Rohit Bansal

MARIOS SOTERIADES or SOTIRIADIS

Information Technology & Tourism

Andrea Moretti

Montse Crespi Vallbona , Melinda Jászberényi

MK Smith et al

stroma cole

János Csapó

Dr Salem Harahsheh

Marketing your tourism company internationally

Internationalisation is increasingly becoming a key strategy for the survival of many tourism businesses.

However, many tourism companies have not previously defined a strategy on foreign markets. This means they risk being unprepared for certain activities, and can end up investing a significant effort into something that does not give the expected results.

If you want to start a process of internationalisation in your tourism company, you must first prepare an international marketing plan. You must be clear on what this is, as well as the points to keep in mind when developing it.

We will discuss the following in this article:

What is an international marketing plan?

Key factors for your international marketing plan.

An international marketing plan is the document that defines and details the information about where you want to go with the company from an international point of view – and how you will go about doing it.

It is therefore the ‘guide’ for the internationalisation process. It will be adapted to the target market and will establish the various steps that have to be developed.

But before you define where you want to go, you need a ‘reflection’ period. You must analyse the initial situation and inform yourself about the advantages and difficulties in each internationalisation process.

Usefulness of an international marketing plan

• viability analysis – will help you analyse all variables that might affect your strategy, providing all necessary information on the markets that you intend to target
• process guide – will be your guide for international planning. It details how you organise the process and its objectives in the short, medium and long term – it helps you to evaluate results and correct any possible deviations
• presentation document for your international strategy – you will need this document if you want to ask for financing or public subsidies for commercial activities – it will be used analyse the feasibility of your project

Before tackling the elements to consider when developing your international marketing plan, you should consider the following tips:

• reflect on your company - you should conduct a pre-analysis and reflect on whether your company is ready to take this leap.
• study your new consumers/customers - it is advisable to have a thorough knowledge of your foreign target market so that you can adapt your business model abroad.
• get to know your competition – study and learn from them - you need to know who the competitors are, how many there are and what their respective strengths are.
• evaluate the financial risk of the operation - the company must be stable, and capable of meeting financial and human resources requirements, for a successful internationalisation process

Below you can see the minimum that any international marketing plan should include:

Company analysis

You must first carry out a preliminary assessment to identify factors that may influence the development of the plan. You should consider the business environment and the circumstances, as well as strengths and weaknesses.

The assessment should also include aspects such as:

• the business lines of the tourism company
• competitive strategy
• the market segments to be dealt with, plus marketing capabilities
• ‘global’ and ‘sectorial’ environmental analysis
• level of need and motivation to go international
• organisational and management capacity
• financial and planning capability

You should sum up the result of the assessment in a SWOT analysis .

SWOT analysis

List all capabilities, resources and competitive advantages that will help the company make the most of new market opportunities.

List all aspects that limit or reduce the capacity for enterprise development. These involve potential difficulties of the internationalisation process which you must control and overcome.

List all pressures in the market environment that may prevent or hinder the growth of the company or the execution of its strategies. Likewise, consider pressures in the environment and industry that may increase risks.

Opportunities

List all aspects that could represent a possibility to improve profitability, increase revenues and strengthen competitive advantages.

Market selection

It is vital to choose ‘candidate’ target markets. Choose candidates for the short and medium term, establishing a ranking of priority countries. Justify your choices according to different variables, such as market niches, competition, taxes, etc.

‘Candidate’ target markets

Analysis of market and environment.

You must thoroughly analyse the market(s) that interest you. Consider:

• opportunities
• the main way to access these markets

You should also conduct an environmental analysis, including the study of economic, cultural, political and legal variables in each market.

Analysis of international competition

Consider competitors, the products and/or services they offer, the countries in which they operate, their strategies, etc.

Examine factors such as:

• market size
• growth phase in relation to your service
• competitive advantage

Action plan or strategy

Action strategies, entrance strategy.

Define the element, support, intermediary or instrument that will allow you to introduce your business to the overseas market at the same level as the competition.

Ask yourself how you will enter the market: joint venture, franchise, etc. For more information entering international markets, watch the tutorial on expanding a tourism business into Europe .

Product/service strategy

Decide which line of services will be introduced into each of the markets. Consider if you will need to adjust your services to fit the markets (for cultural or legal reasons, etc.).

Promotion and marketing strategy

Incorporate a mix of promotional activities to create as much communication as possible. Decide which methods of promotion to use – they could include:

• important fairs in the sector
• research trips
• trade missions
• adverts in magazines in the sector
• presentation hand-outs

Pricing strategy

Determine if it is relevant to have a pricing strategy in order to:

• allow a certain profit on the investments made
• gain a position in the market
• tackle the competition head-on

Economic plan

The decisions made will influence the following:

• a business plan – for the investment required to implement the internationalisation strategy in the short, medium and long term
• a return on investment analysis – to calculate the time it will take to recover the investment that has been made

Objectives, mission and vision

Each year, both strategic and operational objectives should be reviewed to correct or adapt the plan to the current situation.

Recommended reading

• Transnational business cooperation
• International market selection
• Expanding a tourism business into Europe

Share this page

• Help & FAQ

Marketing cultural tourism in Europe

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Access to Document

• 10.1177/135676679500100205

Fingerprint

• heritage tourism Earth & Environmental Sciences 100%
• Cultural Tourism Business & Economics 82%
• marketing Earth & Environmental Sciences 70%
• Marketing Business & Economics 63%
• tourism Earth & Environmental Sciences 48%
• Europe Earth & Environmental Sciences 46%
• Tourism Business & Economics 27%
• economic support Earth & Environmental Sciences 21%

T1 - Marketing cultural tourism in Europe

AU - Richards, G.

AU - Bonink, C.

N2 - Cultural tourism has been identified as a major growth area in European tourism. Culture is increasingly being used as a promotional tool because cultural tourism is identified as a growing area of upmarket consumption, which can support economic as well as cultural regeneration, and aid wider tourism policy goals, such as spatial diffusion of tourism. Recent research on cultural tourism in Europe underlines the diverse nature of cultural resources used for tourism, contrasting with the narrow social profile of cultural tourism participants. There are now signs of a growing mismatch between supply and demand, as the growth in cultural tourism provision begins to outstrip the growth in demand.

AB - Cultural tourism has been identified as a major growth area in European tourism. Culture is increasingly being used as a promotional tool because cultural tourism is identified as a growing area of upmarket consumption, which can support economic as well as cultural regeneration, and aid wider tourism policy goals, such as spatial diffusion of tourism. Recent research on cultural tourism in Europe underlines the diverse nature of cultural resources used for tourism, contrasting with the narrow social profile of cultural tourism participants. There are now signs of a growing mismatch between supply and demand, as the growth in cultural tourism provision begins to outstrip the growth in demand.

U2 - 10.1177/135676679500100205

DO - 10.1177/135676679500100205

M3 - Article

SN - 1356-7667

JO - Journal of Vacation Marketing

JF - Journal of Vacation Marketing

• All agencies in USA
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Philadelphia
• All services in USA
• AI Marketing
• Digital Marketing

Social Media Marketing

• Email Marketing

Content Marketing

• All industries in USA
• Travel & Tourism
• Real Estate
• Fashion & Retail
• Media & Entertainment
• Food & Beverage
• Agency of the Month

• All agencies in the UK
• Bournemouth
• All services in the UK
• All industries in the UK

• All agencies in Canada
• All services in Canada
• Influencer Marketing
• All industries in Canada
• Travel Tourism

• All agencies in Australia
• All services in Australia
• PPC Marketing
• All industries in Australia
• Beauty & Cosmetics
• Hospitality

• All agencies in Europe
• All services in Europe
• Web Development
• All industries in Europe
• IT & Technology

• All agencies in Asia
• All services in Asia
• B2B Marketing
• All industries in Asia

• Agency News
• Marketing Resources
• Industry News

• Digital Ad Campaigns
• Case Studies
• Social Media Campaigns

• Marketing Blog
• Advertising
• Ecommerce Marketing

• Industrial Blog
• Fashion Marketing
• Sports Marketing
• Luxury Marketing
• Legal Marketing
• Healthcare Marketing

• Digital Marketing Tools
• Marketing Reporting Tools
• Digital Marketing Analytics Tools
• Email Marketing Tools
• Other Tools
• Social Media Management Tools
• Social Media Marketing Tools
• Social Media Analytics Tools
• Social Media Monitoring Tools
• Influencer Marketing Platforms
• Web Design Tools
• Landing Page Builders
• UI / UX Design Tools
• Website Builder Software
• Front End Development Tools
• Team Management Softw...
• Project Management Tools
• Agency Management Software
• Productivity Management Software
• Time Tracking Tools
• Sales Tools
• Sales Automation Tools
• Product Feed Management Tools
• Sales Enablement Tools
• AI Design Tools
• AI Content Tools
• AI Analytics Tools
• AI Marketing Tools
• Performance & Software
• Website Optimization Tools
• Content Delivery Network Tools
• Cybersecurity Software
• Web Accessibility Tools

Market your SaaS Tools and reach digital agencies & marketing professionals worldwide.

• All Categories in USA
• Artificial Intelligence Events
• Design & Development Events
• Digital Marketing Conferences
• Social Media Events

The Agency Partnerships Summit 2024

European Search Awards 2024

Submit your exclusive marketing event today.

Submit your event to reach a wider audience! Whether it's digital marketing, AI, or any related theme, we would love to help spread the word out!

• All Categories in UK
• All Categories in Canada
• All Categories in Australia
• All Categories in Europe
• All Categories in Asia

Best Travel & Tourism Marketing Agencies in Europe

• 22 Web Design
• 21 Digital Strategy
• 19 Web Development
• 18 Content Marketing
• 42 Travel & Tourism
• 16 Fashion & Retail
• 16 IT & Technology
• 13 Healthcare
• 13 Food & Beverage

Featured Agencies

Prominent Travel & Tourism Marketing Agencies of Europe

We are an independent marketing agency who specialise in providing Strategic Foresight to help clients explore future territories.

Select a region, city and industry type to discover the best digital marketing agencies!

DAN Member Agencies

Providing Travel & Tourism Marketing Services in Europe

All travel & tourism marketing agencies in Europe have been vetted and verified against the following criteria:

• Portfolio Quality
• Reliable Services
• Sectoral Expertise
• Team Transparency

If you have any feedback regarding the agencies, please contact us .

Kollective is a 360 digital design and marketing agency serving hotels around the world from Athens, Greece.

At the end of the day Its All About People!

fresk.digital

So long, Digital Transformation. It's time for Digital Sensemaking. We are fresk.digital and we help companies to get from business concept to validated digital product.

mimosa is a full-service consultancy specialized in emerging technology, ideas, and lifestyle developments, providing cutting-edge marketing solutions.

Lotrèk Digital Agency

We aren’t revolutionary because of what we do, but what we are: a collective of agency partners dedicated to the cause, personally connected to their projects.

JIN reveals the power of communities for brands, organizations and leaders who want to develop trust and positive influence.

Zest Digital

Zest Digital is an award-winning digital growth agency, focused on driving revenue growth for its ambitious clients by increasing traffic and conversions.

Palette Studio

A multidisciplinary creative studio focusing on art direction, branding and creative strategy, we craft exceptional creative for clients who are looking to stand out.

With our team of over 35 digital marketing specialists, we help brands of all sizes grow. Our experience with fast-growing brands is the foundation of our service.

Studio Up loves creating innovative strategies for the web! We are based in Milan, check our website for more details. :)

We build extraordinary digital experiences, websites, and mobile apps. Clients include Ferrari, Visa, HP, the city of Palm Springs, Leica, Behr Paint, and UCLA.

UniK SEO is a digital marketing agency highly specialized in increasing organic and paid traffic from the main search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo).

Discover Digital

Discover Digital is a global full-service digital agency specialising in Digital Transformation and focusing on Digital Strategy, UI/UX and Technical Implementation.

Best Digital Marketing Agencies by Industries in Europe

Explore the best digital marketing agencies in Europe specializing in the industry you need

• Automotive Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Beauty & Cosmetics Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Digital Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Education Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Fashion & Retail Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Finance Marketing Agencies in Europe
• FMCG Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Food & Beverage Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Healthcare Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Hospitality Marketing Agencies in Europe
• IT & Technology Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Legal Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Luxury Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Media & Entertainment Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Non-Profit Organization Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Real Estate Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Sports Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Startup Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Telecommunications Marketing Agencies in Europe
• Wellness & Fitness Marketing Agencies in Europe

How to Choose the Right Travel and Tourism Marketing Agency in Europe?

Choosing the right travel digital marketing agency in Europe   to build or improve your marketing campaign is critical. But how can you know if you’re partnering with the right agency for your company?

You can start by asking to meet the people you’ll be working with at each agency you interview. Then ask for case studies to see how they’ve represented companies in your field. Your travel digital marketing agency’s marketing strategies and approach should be tailored to your target audience. Throughout the process, the best agencies analyze personas and buying stages for your target audience.

Then, it comes to reviewing your tourism marketing agency’s content development skills. Does it provide value while driving traffic to your website? You also may want to see if your digital marketing agency can track and comprehend performance data after they prove that they can create engaging content. Now you’re ready to boost your travel company’s online presence!

What are the Tourism Marketing Agency Services in Europe?

Marketing strategy.

Investing in tools like Google Ads will work better for your travel company’s marketing plan than investing in sponsored links or paid traffic. They enable you to target ads to those who are interested in what you have to offer, in addition to expanding your target audience.

Pay per click (PPC) marketing for the travel and tourism industry is an efficient, focused, measurable, and cost-effective method of marketing that requires no upfront fees if done correctly.

Travel companies should recognize that social media marketing is a more effective way of attracting new visitors than traditional ads, and they should definitely use social media marketing in their marketing strategies to encourage individuals to share their real-life experiences online.

The travel industry is extremely competitive, not just in natural search, but also in paid search, online, offline, and all of a direct marketing agency's services. SEO for the tourism sector is more crucial than ever, with so many companies competing for those desired top spots in search engine rankings.

The most important benefit of a good web design for travel and tourism brands is that it allows you to promote and sell vacation packages from your own platform. You may submit, maintain, and publish trip packages thanks to an easy-to-use website.

In the travel sector, content marketing can help you increase bookings and reservations while also helping you differentiate yourself from the competition. As a result, it is one of the most in-demand tourism marketing services.

Free Listings

of Travel & Tourism Marketing Agencies in Europe

revision6 is a Munich-based web design agency known for delivering tailor-made, eye-catching, and high-performing websites.

Our Purpose is to give SMEs the chance to advertise themselves as big brands by combining brand awareness & increase of sales!

Discover the excellence of our award-winning creative studio. We specialize in top-tier design, branding, and web services, offering tailored solutions.

BeRepublic Group

We are BeRepublic Group based in Barcelona and Panama for over 16 years, where we blend strategy, creativity, and performance marketing.

DynamicSite

At DynamicSite we focus on your needs for Digital Marketing & design customised strategies to Grow your Business.

iArk Boutique Digital Agency

Premier web design and web development company based in Athens with clean cut minimal design premium aesthetic and plenty of digital marketing services.

An award-winning & industry leading Digital Marketing Services Agency, delivering high-end & modern Web Design-Development technologies, Branding, Hosting.

Cope Digital Agency

For us, people and ideas matter. We capture the essence of your thoughts and through knowledge, experience, passion and creativity, bring your vision to life.

4Beez Agency: Your Bridge to Digital Success in Paris and Barcelona. Branding, web development and SEO are our specialities.

SayU Consulting

With a commitment to the business development of its Customers, SayU operates in an integrated manner in the areas of Public Relations, Creativity, Events and Digital.

Riseweb Agency

Riseweb is an ambitious web design agency that delivers powerful web and SEO solutions to small business owners. Personal service included!

Forever Summer

We are an European agency providing advertising and PR services. So, relax, we got this!

Articles and Case Studies on Travel & Tourism Marketing

This website uses cookies. Continued use of this website indicates that you have read and agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy .

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

• Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

Marketing tourism, hospitality and leisure in Europe

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

• Graphic Violence
• Explicit Sexual Content
• Hate Speech
• Misinformation/Disinformation
• Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
• Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

obscured text back cover

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

26 Previews

4 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

No suitable files to display here.

PDF access not available for this item.

IN COLLECTIONS

Uploaded by station43.cebu on November 14, 2020

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

These Are the Countries To Watch in Europe’s Tourism Recovery

Elizabeth Casolo , Skift

May 8th, 2024 at 5:49 PM EDT

Sun, savings, and sports are all factors driving Europe’s tourism recovery.

Elizabeth Casolo

Europe was close to reaching its pre-pandemic tourism levels last year, but some countries started to go above and beyond in early 2024, according to a recent report from the European Travel Commission .

While not every European country shared data on foreign visits, some countries welcomed more tourists earlier this year than during the same period in 2019. Based on data from reporting countries, foreign arrivals were up 7.2%, and foreign overnights were up 6.5%.

Here are the key players to watch as Europe makes its comeback:

Southern/Mediterranean Europe

Serbia had the highest growth rate in international arrivals since 2019.

“Serbia continues to stand out as a growth destination this year as tourism activity remains well above 2019 and up on last year. There is confidence that this is not a temporary surge post-Covid,” the report said.

International arrivals in Türkiye and Malta also grew significantly in the first quarter of 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels. According to the European Travel Commission, these southern European destinations may lead the pack thanks to their warm and moderate weather at more affordable price points.

Michelle Buttigieg, the Malta Tourism Authority’s North America representative, said Malta was an early adopter of a digital nomad program. From the U.S. and Canadian perspective, Malta’s climate and atmosphere can be appealing, too.

“We in the North American market have seen a dramatic increase in the number of American and Canadian travelers to Malta post-pandemic,” Buttigieg said in a statement. The Malta Tourism Authority reported a 35% increase in U.S. visitors in 2023 over 2022. 

Visa restrictions in other parts of Europe limited Russian travelers. However, easy access to Türkiye and Serbia for Russians could have pushed those destinations’ tourism, the report said.

International Arrivals Year-to-Date % Changes

Source: European Travel Commission / TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info)

Western Europe

Forecasts suggest tourist expenditure across Europe will increase even more this year from 2019, especially for food and beverage. That comes down to inflation.

Another reason for big spending has to do with major sporting events coming to Europe. France is preparing for the Olympics, while Germany will host the UEFA European Championship.

Arrivals and expenditure may vary between the rest of France and Paris, the report said.

“One of the reasons for this is the inflationary backdrop and financial caution of travelers, as well as the relatively higher prices in Paris, including higher hotel room rates. This may drive some substitution to destinations near Paris ,” the report continued. Oxford Economics and Haver Analytics estimated the inbound spend rate throughout France will be higher than the rate for Paris alone.

Unlike France, Germany didn’t make a full recovery in the early months of the year. EasyJet cut some German flights during the pandemic, affecting air traffic.

But the championship could prompt a shift. UEFA events will be spread across Germany, leading to a more distributed economic impact.

However, Monaco consistently ranked among the worst performing destinations for visitors from the Dutch, British, Italian, and German markets this year, despite more popularity with Australians and Canadians.

Like every other country in the report, Monaco’s international arrivals and overnights were greater in 2023 than in 2022. Still, its growth was among the slowest in both categories.

“Several external factors have impacted the Principality. These include the persistent conflict in Eastern Europe and the gradual recovery of Asian outbound markets,” said Guy Antognelli, director of tourism for the Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority, in a statement. “Notably, a major factor contributing to the decline in both arrivals and international overnight stays has been the sharp decrease in business events, such as conferences and corporate meetings.” Germany faced a similar challenge, according to the report.

Central/Eastern and Northern Europe

Bulgaria had a promising start to 2024. Along with Serbia, “its tourism industry benefits from both favorable winter and summer seasons,” the report said.

Many countries near the Russia-Ukraine war are experiencing lagging recovery, though.

Despite this, Latvia’s an outlier in its own right. The country still has high interest from the U.S. and Brazil markets.

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: bulgaria , coronavirus recovery , estonia , france , germany , latvia , lithuania , malta , monaco , Paris Olympics , serbia , sports , tourism , turkey , Türkiye , uefa

Photo credit: Serbia. Nikola Cirkovic / Unsplash

• Business & Money

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Marketing Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure in Europe First Edition

• ISBN-10 1861523033
• ISBN-13 978-1861523037
• Edition First Edition
• Publisher Thomson Learning
• Publication date September 5, 1996
• Language English
• Dimensions 7.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
• Print length 736 pages
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomson Learning; First Edition (September 5, 1996)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 736 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1861523033
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1861523037
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.7 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches

About the author

Susan horner.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

No customer reviews

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Money blog: Tourist taxes being imposed across Europe (and in UK) - here's how much they all are

An increasing number of cities are either imposing or increasing the cost of tourist taxes on visitors. Read this and our other Weekend Money content below, and let us know your thoughts. We'll be back with live updates on Monday.

Saturday 18 May 2024 17:03, UK

Weekend Money

• How to sell your home without an estate agent
• Tourist taxes to watch out for in popular holiday destinations
• Childcare vouchers, hard work and new skyscrapers: What readers have said this week
• Three things you need to know from Money this week

Best of the week

• The rise of Michelin starred 'fast food'
• How much do buskers make?
• Basically... What is PIP - and what could government changes mean?
• How to make sure your car passes its MOT
• Money Problem : My workplace wants to pay us by the minute - what can I do?
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

As we've been reporting in the Money blog over the last few months, an increasing number of cities are either imposing or increasing the cost of tourist taxes on visitors. 

Many say they are preventing damages from overtourism, as well as funding local infrastructure and businesses. 

Here are the latest tourist fees for the most popular spots in Europe...

Tourists visiting Venice for the day will have to pay a €5 entry fee to enter the city between the hours of 8.30am and 4pm.

Meanwhile, those staying overnight in Venice are charged a fee between €1 to €5 within the accommodation price for the first five consecutive nights.

People visiting the Spanish city now have to pay €3.25 if they're staying in official accommodation, up from €2.75.

Manchester 

Visitors must pay £1 per room, per night across 73 hotels. 

The scheme, which has raised more than £2m within a year, is for improvements to attract more tourists.

Tourists must pay €2 per person for every night they stay, although this is only applied for a maximum of seven nights.

The Greek government has introduced a Climate Crisis Resilience Fee to charge tourists anywhere from €0.50 to €10 per room, per night.

The amount depends on the hotel category and the time of year.

Visitors to the Croatian city must pay €2.65 per person, per night throughout April to September. 

However, the fee has been temporarily reduced to €1.86 for the rest of this year.

Different amounts are charged depending on the type of accommodation.

The most expensive charge is €14.95 for a stay in palaces, and €0.65 at one or two-star campsites, per person, per night. 

Those staying in a typical four-star hotel are charged around €8.

Those staying in the Hungarian capital are charged an additional 4% each night, which is calculated based on the price of the room.

Tourists in Berlin must pay 5% of the room price, excluding VAT and service fees.

The tourist tax here has increased from €0.82 to €1.97 per day. 

Prices researched by travel insurance site Quotezone.co.uk

By Ollie Cooper , Money team

Estate agent fees are one of the big expenses in selling a house - but rule changes and the rise of private sale websites have made it more common for people to go it alone.

But how easy is it - and what do you need to know? We spoke to industry experts to find out.

Firstly, what do estate agents do for their money?

An estate agent will typically charge in the range of 1%-3.5% of the sale price. 

That means for the average house price (£284,691 from December) you could pay anywhere from £2,846 to £9,964 in commission fees.

"When you use an estate agent, their fee includes taking professional photographs, advertising your home, conducting property viewings, and negotiating a price on your behalf," says Jack Smithson  from the home ownership site  Better.co.uk .

In addition, an estate agent will compile comprehensive details of your house, including room sizes and descriptions of fixtures and fittings. 

"They will also provide a concise write-up about the local area, highlighting amenities, schools, and transportation links," Jack adds. 

And they'll conduct checks on buyers for you (more on this later).

It sounds like a lot, but...

"Selling your home yourself can be a manageable process with a few key steps," Jack says.

Preparation 

You should begin by thoroughly researching house prices in your area, using websites like Rightmove and Zoopla - but seek free valuations from local estate agents to ensure you have a realistic asking price in mind.

Next, you want to take high-quality photos of your house.

Jack advises using tutorials on YouTube to learn new shooting and editing techniques that can take you to the next level.

You then want to write down what makes your home unique.

"While browsing other listings for inspiration, take it a step further by emphasising what you love about living in your home and the surrounding area," Jack suggests.

"Whether it's the refreshing scent of the coastline or the tranquil sounds of village life, incorporating these details can help potential buyers visualise living there," he advises. 

Like using YouTube for photography tips, you can use free tools such as ChatGPT and Grammarly if you need help with your writing, Jack says. 

Advertising

This is probably the biggest perk of going through an established estate agent - your home is much more likely to be viewed because they will have an established audience and a market. But it's very possible to do it alone. 

"When it comes to advertising your home, explore a variety of avenues including local newspapers and social media," Jack says.

"Consider using websites like Strike, which allow individuals to list their properties for free on platforms like Rightmove," he suggests.

Viewings 

Once you've secured some viewings, you've got the opportunity to make it a bit more personal than estate agents ever could - a real advantage. 

"Explain the reasons behind your decision to purchase the property, highlight its unique features, and share the aspects of your neighbourhood that make it a desirable place to live," Jack says. 

The small things matter when showing people round - so try to take an objective look around before you bring anyone in.

Do the things you'd do normally - make sure it smells nice and it's clean and tidy.

"Lastly, it's worth knowing that you must legally provide potential buyers with a free Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)."

The sale itself

Perhaps the most daunting aspect is the physical exchange of contracts and money. 

An estate agent would typically oversee the process of the initial offer acceptance to the transfer of keys to the new owner.

However, if you go it alone, you'll need to become the central point of contact - bridging the gap between your solicitor or conveyancer and the buyer and their legal representative.

"Once you've accepted an offer on your property, your first task is to draft what's called a memorandum of sale," Jack says.  

This document is a written confirmation of your acceptance of the offer and details the agreed price along with any specific conditions you've both agreed to.

"It's then recommended to engage the services of a solicitor or conveyancer to ensure all legal obligations are met," Jack says (of course, you'll need to do this even if you have an estate agent).

The cost of hiring one typically ranges from a few hundred to over £1,000, depending on factors such as fixed fees, hourly rates, the complexity of the sale and additional costs like property searches or land registry fees.

"In the absence of an estate agent, you'll be responsible for keeping your buyer informed about the progress of the sale. This involves regular updates on the status of legal procedures and any relevant developments," Jack says, before adding that this can actually be a good thing.

"By taking on these responsibilities independently, you'll have greater control over the sale process. However, it will require you to be exceptionally organised, and you'll need to be very good at communicating too."  

Any risks to be aware of?

Rita Patel, legal director at law firm  Browne Jacobson , tells us the biggest risk for people selling their properties without an estate agent is the lack of a vetting and verification process of the potential buyer.

Estate agents will verify the buyer's identity and check the buyer's proof and source of funds - without this, there's no way to assess the buyer is legitimate and can afford to buy.

"Whilst this process is something lawyers can help with, this is often at an additional cost, and you'll need to start from square one if there is an issue with a potential buyer's identification and/or financial eligibility," Rita says. 

More generally, selling without an agent can extend the time it takes to sell. 

"Zoopla suggests this timeframe is normally around 17-34 weeks, but with no one on hand to consistently promote and drive the property sale at all stages, going solo drags this process out," Rita says. 

"Agents can also help mediate any potential breakdowns in communication between the buyer and seller - reducing the likelihood of having to go back to market and start again."

The advantages

Laura Owen-Brown, a PR manager from Gloucestershire, tells us she is set to sell her house without an estate agent in the near future.

"My disappointment with estate agents stems from their lack of familiarity with the properties they attempted to sell me when I was buying my current house," she says. 

"They couldn't tell me about the details that truly matter, like the optimal times for sunlight in the garden, how much council tax I'd pay, what the roof was made of, the places I could walk my dog off lead or the impact of post-football match traffic on Sundays.

"These types of details can shape the experience of living in a house for years and are just as important as the square footage, EPC rating or how many bedrooms a property has," she adds. 

She says the current "transactional" approach to selling houses feels "impersonal and outdated" to her. 

"Yes, I'll have to handle more admin, but the savings in both money and time will make it worthwhile. Liaising with buyers and solicitors directly without a third party slowing everything down will mean I can be in control and have transparency throughout the process, especially during negotiations," she says.

All in all...

As Laura says, it's very much a case of whether you can stomach the admin and are happy to take the risks on background financial checks. 

If you are aware of all the above and willing to take on the organisational burden, you could save yourself a serious chunk of cash. 

The main topics from the Money blog that got you commenting this week were...

Government-funded childcare

• Michel Roux Jr's comments about the future of the restaurant industry 

Nearly 600 new skyscrapers for London

From last Sunday, eligible working parents of children from nine-months-old in England have been able to register for access to up to 15 free hours of government-funded childcare per week.

Those hours can be claimed from September. 

Some readers pointed out the T&Cs... 

This 15 hrs a week is for term time ONLY. So full-time working parents will have to either tell their employer they can't work in school holidays or pro-rata it across the year which is 10 hours a week. Yvonne grandma

Others said it spoke to issues in the wider childcare sector...

Is the government going to give pay rises to nursery staff? They are very low paid staff, and can't get enough staff as it is!! Nurseries may have to close if they don't get staff, so parents won't be able to take up the offer!! What is the government going to do about it? Carol

Chefs or delivery drivers?

Celebrity chef Michel Roux Jr has suggested that restaurants may only open three days per week because young people prefer other jobs - like delivering parcels. 

"Just because I worked 80 hours a week or more doesn't mean the next generation should," he said. 

"Quite the contrary. That is something that we have to address in our industry."

Readers said...

That's because one [job] is on the verge of slave labour and one definitely is slave labour. And the latter I'm referring to is working in a kitchen for a chef.  Realist2024

Spent 35 years working as a chef. Young people nowadays are not willing to do the extra hours (usually unpaid) and work every weekend. Godsends like my generation of chefs did and do.  Bucks

There's been considerable backlash in our comments section after a thinktank said a total of 583 skyscrapers are "queuing up in the pipeline" to be built across central London.

That is more than double the 270 built in the past decade...

"600 new skyscrapers on way for London" while the majority are struggling. When will something serious be done about growing wealth inequality in the UK? A growing economy is useless while the gap between the ultra rich and everyone else increases. Qwerty1

How many unnecessary skyscrapers for London? It's fine, as long as they are not made using steel, glass, concrete or bricks - don't people know there's a climate emergency? Shanghaiwan

Who's paying for it? What about the North? treelectrical

The energy price cap is set to fall by about 7% in July, a respected energy markets researcher has said.

Ahead of next Friday's announcement by Ofgem for the July-September period, Cornwall Insights said: "For a typical dual fuel household, we predict the July price cap to be £1,574 per annum" - a drop from £1,690.

Looking further ahead, it forecasted the cap will rise again slightly in October, before falling in January next year. 

"A predicted 7% drop in energy prices in July is clearly good news, with the price cap looking likely to hit its lowest level in over two years," a spokesperson for Uswitch said. 

Around 100 more prosecutions of sub-postmasters unrelated to the Horizon scandal could be "tainted" , a Sky News investigation has found, as officials worked with now discredited Post Office investigators to secure convictions.

The prosecutions of Post Office staff were led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 2001 and 2006.

It is understood these usually involved the cashing in of stolen order books.

The Post Office itself wrongly prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters between 1999 and 2015 - based on evidence from the faulty Horizon accounting system.

Read more from our business correspondent Adele Robinson  by clicking  here ...

The UK's mega rich are dwindling in a sign Britain's "billionaire boom has come to an end" , according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

The list reveals the largest fall in billionaires in the guide's history - from a peak of 177 in 2022 to 165 this year.

While the combined wealth of the list's 350 wealthiest individuals amounts to more than £795bn - larger than the GDP of Poland - the guide's compiler says time will tell what impact a drop in billionaires could have.

"This year's Sunday Times Rich List suggests Britain's billionaire boom has come to an end," Robert Watts said.

Read on here ...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The Body Shop’s administrators are to launch an auction of the chain after concluding that an alternative restructuring of one of Britain’s best-known high street retailers was not viable.

Sky News has learnt that FRP Advisory, which has been overseeing the collapsed business since January, is to begin formally sounding out potential buyers in the coming weeks.

The move raises the prospect of new owners taking control of The Body Shop, which was founded nearly half a century ago.

Read more here ...

The UK's mega rich are dwindling - in a sign Britain's "billionaire boom has come to an end", according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

Published today, the list reveals the largest fall in billionaires in the guide's history - from a peak of 177 in 2022 to 165 this year.

"Many of our home-grown entrepreneurs have seen their fortunes fall and some of the global super rich who came here are moving away."

Top of the list is British-Indian businessman Gopi Hinduja and his family, whose wealth of £37.2bn is the largest fortune in the ranking's history.

But other familiar names in the list saw their riches fall, with Sir Richard Branson's total dropping by £2.4bn, which is back to his 2000 level.

Last year's top climber Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who bought a stake in Manchester United this year, fell two positions with a decline of £6.1bn.

Euan Blair, Tony Blair's eldest son, made the list for the first time, as did Sir Lewis Hamilton.

It comes as the UK continues to deal with a cost-of-living crisis, with new figures this week revealing a record 3.1 million food bank parcels were distributed over the course of a year.

The top 10:

• Gopi Hinduja - £37.2bn
• Sir Leonard Blavtanik - £29.2bn
• David and Simon Reuben and family - £24.9bn
• Sir Jim Ratcliffe - £23.5bn
• Sir James Dyson and family - £20.8bn
• Barnaby and Merlin Swire and family - £17.2bn
• Idan Ofer - £14.9bn
• Lakshmi Mittal and family - £14.9bn
• Guy, George, Alannah and Galen Weston and family - £14.4bn
• John Fredriksen and family - £12.8bn

A group of social media influencers have been charged in relation to promoting an unauthorised investment scheme.

The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) original cast member Lauren Goodger, 37, former Love Island star Biggs Chris, 32, and Celebrity Big Brother winner Scott Timlin, 36, also known as Scotty T, are among seven TV personalities alleged to have been paid to promote the scheme to their combined 4.5 million Instagram followers.

The others charged by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) include former Love Islanders Rebecca Gormley, 26, Jamie Clayton, 32, and Eva Zapico, 25 and TOWIE member Yazmin Oukhellou, 30.

The UK's financial watchdog brought the charges in a crackdown on "finfluencers" who use their online platforms to offer advice and information on various financial topics.

It alleges that between 19 May 2018 and 13 April 2021 Emmanuel Nwanze, 30, and Holly Thompson, 33, used an Instagram account to provide advice on buying and selling investments known as contracts for difference (CFDs) when they were not authorised to do so.

The watchdog said CFDs were high-risk investments used to bet on the price of an asset, in this case the price of foreign currencies.

It previously warned that 80% of customers lost money when investing in CDFs.

Mr Nwanze has been charged with running the scheme. He faces one count of breaching the general prohibition of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and one count of unauthorised communications of financial promotions.

Ms Thompson, Mr Chris, Mr Clayton, Ms Goodger, Ms Gormley, Ms Oukhellou, Mr Timlin and Ms Zapico each face one count of unauthorised communications of financial promotions.

All nine will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on 13 June.

The FCA asked anyone who believed they had sustained a loss due to the scheme to contact its consumer contact centre.

A hotel part-owned by Gary Neville and other ex-Manchester United legends has been named one of the best places to work in hospitality. 

Each year, The Caterer releases its top 30 best places for employees in the sector, with the top six featuring some familiar names.

The list is compiled via anonymous employee survey - with no input from managers or owners. 

Hotel Football, the only hotel with a rooftop five-a-side pitch, was among the top six venues selected by employees across the UK. 

The hotel's benefits package was particularly well-praised by those who work there - given that it "prioritises the financial wellbeing of employees during the cost of living challenge".

Management at the hotel, which is situated next to Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium, was also praised for enhanced maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave policies and a strong belief in diversity and inclusion. 

The other five to make up the top six are The Biltmore in Mayfair, Cycas Hospitality (which has 18 locations across the UK), Dalata (which boasts some 1,000 employees), Gleneagles Hotel in Edinburgh and Nobu Hotel in Shoreditch, London. 

The energy price cap is set to fall by about 7% in July, a leading thinktank has said. 

Cornwall Insights said: "For a typical dual fuel household, we predict the July price cap to be £1,574 per annum" - a drop from £1,690.

Looking further ahead, it forecasted the cap to rise again slightly in October, before falling again in January next year. 

Reacting to the news, Uswitch said the predicted drop was "clearly good news". 

"The future still remains uncertain, and with the price cap changing every three months – currently expected to rise in October before falling slightly in January –  it's crucial not to be complacent," Richard Neudegg, director of regulation, said. 

However, "a predicted 7% drop in energy prices in July is clearly good news, with the price cap looking likely to hit its lowest level in over two years", he said. 

He also urged  households who want to lock in rates for price certainty to run a comparison to see what energy tariffs are available to them.

"There are many 12-month fixed tariffs available at rates cheaper than the current price cap, and even some that are 2% below these new predicted July rates," he said. 

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

You are currently browsing

• Go to ETC Dashboard

More results...

• Our Structure
• Annual Reports
• Climate Action Plan
• Full Members
• Associate Members
• History of ETC
• Cooperation with the EU
• Requests for Proposals
• Publications
• Visual Content
• Market Intelligence Group
• Digital Channels
• Marketing Group
• Visa Facilitation
• Sustainability
• Connectivity
• Chapter Earth
• Tourism Manifesto
• Press Centre

07.05.2024. News

European tourism recovery continues into 2024, with travel expenditure expected to hit record numbers

• Foreign tourist arrivals and nights exceed 2019 levels in the first quarter of 2024.
• Recovery is steady but uneven across regions and source markets due to ongoing risks.
• Sporting events, high travel demand and inflation to drive tourist expenditure to record levels.

Europe’s tourism industry is experiencing a robust recovery in the first months of 2024 . Based on data from reporting destinations, foreign arrivals (+7.2%) and overnights (+6.5%) in the first quarter of the year surpassed 2019 figures. This continues the upward trend observed in 2023, which recorded foreign arrivals 1.2% below 2019 levels, and nights just 0.2% below. The recovery is largely driven by strong intra-regional travel fuelled by Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. This is coupled with demand from the US, which continues to be Europe’s most important long-haul source market.

This is according to the latest edition of the ‘ European Tourism Trends & Prospects ’ quarterly report released today by the European Travel Commission (ETC). This report monitors the performance of European tourism in the first quarter of the year and the macroeconomic and geopolitical factors impacting the industry’s outlook on the continent.

Commenting on the report’s publication, Miguel Sanz, ETC’s President , said: “The early figures for 2024 reveal a positive outlook for European tourism this year. Consumer travel spending is set to rise notably across Europe, hitting record numbers in the coming months. This boost will support the travel and tourism businesses heavily impacted by the pandemic years and ongoing economic instability. Still, high prices and geopolitical risks remain key hurdles for tourism, as the sector as a whole also strives to adopt more responsible practices to benefit the locals and preserve the environment.”

Strong rebound for European tourism, but disparities remain

Year-to-date data shows that destinations in Southern Europe are leading the recovery in terms of international visitor numbers compared to 2019 levels, including Serbia (+47%), Bulgaria (+39%), Türkiye (+35%), Malta (+35%), Portugal (+17%), and Spain (+14%). These destinations offer competitively priced holiday experiences, often combined with milder winter temperatures. Nordic countries are also witnessing an uptake in tourist activity, as overnight stays grew above pre-pandemic levels. This increase is particularly evident for Norway (+18%), Sweden (+12%), and Denmark (+9%). This high interest is partially driven by winter sports tourism and the allure of the Northern Lights.

Meanwhile, countries in the Baltic region continue to lag behind due to challenges caused by the war in Ukraine, with Latvia registering the lowest post-pandemic international arrivals (-34%), followed by Estonia (-15%) and Lithuania (-14%).

Data from the first few months of 2024 also shows an uneven long-haul source market performance. The US and Canada continue to dominate, mirroring trends from 2023. There was also an increase in travellers from Latin America, particularly Brazil, during the first quarter of the year. Conversely, though the APAC region shows signs of improvement compared to last quarter, recovery remains modest and uneven. While Chinese travellers are beginning to return to Europe, recovery from Japan is still slow.

Despite challenges, consumer demand remains strong

Inflationary pressures and geopolitical uncertainties remain significant concerns for the European tourism industry. The war in Ukraine continues to impact tourism flows, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, the war between Israel and Hamas now significantly affects travel from Israel to Europe, with Israeli arrivals down 54% on last year in Q1 across reporting destinations. For tourism industry professionals, accommodation costs (59%), business costs (52%) and staff shortages (52%) are seen as the biggest challenges.

Conversely, online social conversations surrounding travel in Europe have overwhelmingly positive tones, surpassing discussions about other global regions such as the Americas, Africa, and Asia-Pacific in early 2024. Highlights include praise for seasonal beauty, outdoor adventures, and unique cultural events like Carnival celebrated across European countries.

Consumer data also shows that travel remains a top priority in 2024. Both intra-European and long-haul tourist spending increased in early 2024. Forecasts indicate that travellers will spend €742.8 billion in Europe this year, a 14.3% increase compared to 2023. This can be attributed to both inflation and evolving travel preferences, with travellers potentially opting for longer stays or more diverse experiences. Germany will be a main source of traveller expenditure, accounting for 16% of total spend in Europe in 2024.

Paris Olympics and Euros 2024 expected to drive demand in France and Germany

This summer will bring two major sporting events to Europe: the Olympic Games in France and the UEFA European Football Championship in Germany. The Olympics are expected to attract a surge in domestic and international tourists, with the impacts extending beyond the city of Paris itself. Inbound spending growth is projected at 13% for Paris and 24% for all of France on 2019 levels. The Euros will be less concentrated in the German capital, with games taking place across ten cities. This is expected to offer a more dispersed benefit, with all participating cities poised to experience a significant rise in tourism revenue.

Full report can be downloaded  here

Press release.

Europeans defy costs and conflicts to embrace travel in summer 2024

European tourism draws close to pre-pandemic levels in 2023

International travellers to Europe prioritise safe destinations and affordable prices in 2024

Europe’s tourism displays a strong rebound, but remains uneven across the regions

See Europe as the Europeans do this summer with these pro tips | Cruising Altitude

Americans are heading to Europe for vacation as much as ever these days, and that means the typical tourist spots like Venice, Paris and London are sure to be crowded this year. But, because this is Cruising Altitude, we’ll look at the aviation angle first.

First and foremost: If you’re really determined to go to Europe this summer and haven’t booked yet, stop reading now and get on it. 

“I’ve never seen a year like this … We’re at the point where there’s no more availability,” Brigitte Armand, president of Eurobound , a tour organizer that specializes in European packages, told me. “Book as quickly as possible.” 

How to get around

According to Armand, trains are generally a great way to get from place to place within Europe, but for farther-flung stops, the continent’s network of low-cost airlines offers travelers a reliable alternative.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

“Don’t think of one airline as being your network and entry point within Europe,” Laura Lindsay, public relations director at online booking platform Skyscanner told me.

She said if you’re flying to Europe from the U.S., you may well rely on a large network carrier like British Airways, KLM, or Lufthansa to get across the Atlantic and then book your intra-European flights separately.

“You’re suddenly opening up Europe in a different way if you search for different airports and multiple airlines,” Lindsay said. “It’s pretty straightforward to get around, so don’t feel put off by jumping through a few different countries or trying a few different destinations.” 

Tips for European airlines

According to Lindsay, European low-cost carriers like Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizz Air often have stricter baggage policies like American ULCCs Spirit and Frontier.

“(The) top tip would be always make sure you understand the luggage allowance that is part of your ticket,” she said. “More often than not, don’t book the basic fare without checking.”

It’s also a good idea to be flexible with your airports and dates of travel if you want to get the best deals on those shorter flights.

“You’ll get a number of places that have more than one airport,” Lindsay said, noting that Skyscanner has a tool that allows travelers to search for flights to or from nearby airports when choosing a destination. “Just getting a map out and actually looking at where exactly you want to travel and where the nearby airports are.” 

Armand added that if you take the train instead, you may need to secure a reservation in advance, particularly for some of the more tourist-heavy routes like panoramic trains in Switzerland. 

Last week's Cruising Altitude: There was no Golden Age of flying. We're in it now.

Where to go

If you really want to summer like a European, you should consider places a little more off the radar for most Americans.

“Albania is somewhere that broke through a couple of years ago as somewhere that people recognized as offering a huge value for money,” Lindsay said. “Sarajevo is reporting its busiest April on record for travelers.”

Armand said it can also be a good idea to try different parts of countries that are already popular if you want a more authentic, less crowded experience.

“We recently arranged a whole trip for some clients in the Abruzzo region of Italy,” she said. “The Abruzzo region, it’s on the Adriatic, people don’t know this region, and I think this is the first time ever we put together a package to get to that region.” 

Data from Skyscanner shows that some destinations in Europe are picking up in popularity with travelers on the continent. Here are some trends bubbling up year over year from 2023 to 2024:

◾ Ljubljana, Slovenia, saw a 188% increase in searches from Spanish travelers

◾ Tromso, Norway, saw a 130% increase in interest from Italian holidaymakers

◾ Dusseldorf, Germany, had a 122% spike in interest from Brits

According to Armand, the best last-minute availability seems to be in Eastern Europe, like Bulgaria and Poland.

“There are some good deals there perhaps, even the Czech Republic I’m finding some decent space,” she said.

So go on, get packing.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

Cultural Relativity and Acceptance of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Article sidebar.

Main Article Content

There is a debate about the ethical implications of using human embryos in stem cell research, which can be influenced by cultural, moral, and social values. This paper argues for an adaptable framework to accommodate diverse cultural and religious perspectives. By using an adaptive ethics model, research protections can reflect various populations and foster growth in stem cell research possibilities.

INTRODUCTION

Stem cell research combines biology, medicine, and technology, promising to alter health care and the understanding of human development. Yet, ethical contention exists because of individuals’ perceptions of using human embryos based on their various cultural, moral, and social values. While these disagreements concerning policy, use, and general acceptance have prompted the development of an international ethics policy, such a uniform approach can overlook the nuanced ethical landscapes between cultures. With diverse viewpoints in public health, a single global policy, especially one reflecting Western ethics or the ethics prevalent in high-income countries, is impractical. This paper argues for a culturally sensitive, adaptable framework for the use of embryonic stem cells. Stem cell policy should accommodate varying ethical viewpoints and promote an effective global dialogue. With an extension of an ethics model that can adapt to various cultures, we recommend localized guidelines that reflect the moral views of the people those guidelines serve.

Stem cells, characterized by their unique ability to differentiate into various cell types, enable the repair or replacement of damaged tissues. Two primary types of stem cells are somatic stem cells (adult stem cells) and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells exist in developed tissues and maintain the body’s repair processes. [1] Embryonic stem cells (ESC) are remarkably pluripotent or versatile, making them valuable in research. [2] However, the use of ESCs has sparked ethics debates. Considering the potential of embryonic stem cells, research guidelines are essential. The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) provides international stem cell research guidelines. They call for “public conversations touching on the scientific significance as well as the societal and ethical issues raised by ESC research.” [3] The ISSCR also publishes updates about culturing human embryos 14 days post fertilization, suggesting local policies and regulations should continue to evolve as ESC research develops. [4]  Like the ISSCR, which calls for local law and policy to adapt to developing stem cell research given cultural acceptance, this paper highlights the importance of local social factors such as religion and culture.

I.     Global Cultural Perspective of Embryonic Stem Cells

Views on ESCs vary throughout the world. Some countries readily embrace stem cell research and therapies, while others have stricter regulations due to ethical concerns surrounding embryonic stem cells and when an embryo becomes entitled to moral consideration. The philosophical issue of when the “someone” begins to be a human after fertilization, in the morally relevant sense, [5] impacts when an embryo becomes not just worthy of protection but morally entitled to it. The process of creating embryonic stem cell lines involves the destruction of the embryos for research. [6] Consequently, global engagement in ESC research depends on social-cultural acceptability.

a.     US and Rights-Based Cultures

In the United States, attitudes toward stem cell therapies are diverse. The ethics and social approaches, which value individualism, [7] trigger debates regarding the destruction of human embryos, creating a complex regulatory environment. For example, the 1996 Dickey-Wicker Amendment prohibited federal funding for the creation of embryos for research and the destruction of embryos for “more than allowed for research on fetuses in utero.” [8] Following suit, in 2001, the Bush Administration heavily restricted stem cell lines for research. However, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 was proposed to help develop ESC research but was ultimately vetoed. [9] Under the Obama administration, in 2009, an executive order lifted restrictions allowing for more development in this field. [10] The flux of research capacity and funding parallels the different cultural perceptions of human dignity of the embryo and how it is socially presented within the country’s research culture. [11]

b.     Ubuntu and Collective Cultures

African bioethics differs from Western individualism because of the different traditions and values. African traditions, as described by individuals from South Africa and supported by some studies in other African countries, including Ghana and Kenya, follow the African moral philosophies of Ubuntu or Botho and Ukama , which “advocates for a form of wholeness that comes through one’s relationship and connectedness with other people in the society,” [12] making autonomy a socially collective concept. In this context, for the community to act autonomously, individuals would come together to decide what is best for the collective. Thus, stem cell research would require examining the value of the research to society as a whole and the use of the embryos as a collective societal resource. If society views the source as part of the collective whole, and opposes using stem cells, compromising the cultural values to pursue research may cause social detachment and stunt research growth. [13] Based on local culture and moral philosophy, the permissibility of stem cell research depends on how embryo, stem cell, and cell line therapies relate to the community as a whole . Ubuntu is the expression of humanness, with the person’s identity drawn from the “’I am because we are’” value. [14] The decision in a collectivistic culture becomes one born of cultural context, and individual decisions give deference to others in the society.

Consent differs in cultures where thought and moral philosophy are based on a collective paradigm. So, applying Western bioethical concepts is unrealistic. For one, Africa is a diverse continent with many countries with different belief systems, access to health care, and reliance on traditional or Western medicines. Where traditional medicine is the primary treatment, the “’restrictive focus on biomedically-related bioethics’” [is] problematic in African contexts because it neglects bioethical issues raised by traditional systems.” [15] No single approach applies in all areas or contexts. Rather than evaluating the permissibility of ESC research according to Western concepts such as the four principles approach, different ethics approaches should prevail.

Another consideration is the socio-economic standing of countries. In parts of South Africa, researchers have not focused heavily on contributing to the stem cell discourse, either because it is not considered health care or a health science priority or because resources are unavailable. [16] Each country’s priorities differ given different social, political, and economic factors. In South Africa, for instance, areas such as maternal mortality, non-communicable diseases, telemedicine, and the strength of health systems need improvement and require more focus. [17] Stem cell research could benefit the population, but it also could divert resources from basic medical care. Researchers in South Africa adhere to the National Health Act and Medicines Control Act in South Africa and international guidelines; however, the Act is not strictly enforced, and there is no clear legislation for research conduct or ethical guidelines. [18]

Some parts of Africa condemn stem cell research. For example, 98.2 percent of the Tunisian population is Muslim. [19] Tunisia does not permit stem cell research because of moral conflict with a Fatwa. Religion heavily saturates the regulation and direction of research. [20] Stem cell use became permissible for reproductive purposes only recently, with tight restrictions preventing cells from being used in any research other than procedures concerning ART/IVF.  Their use is conditioned on consent, and available only to married couples. [21] The community's receptiveness to stem cell research depends on including communitarian African ethics.

c.     Asia

Some Asian countries also have a collective model of ethics and decision making. [22] In China, the ethics model promotes a sincere respect for life or human dignity, [23] based on protective medicine. This model, influenced by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), [24] recognizes Qi as the vital energy delivered via the meridians of the body; it connects illness to body systems, the body’s entire constitution, and the universe for a holistic bond of nature, health, and quality of life. [25] Following a protective ethics model, and traditional customs of wholeness, investment in stem cell research is heavily desired for its applications in regenerative therapies, disease modeling, and protective medicines. In a survey of medical students and healthcare practitioners, 30.8 percent considered stem cell research morally unacceptable while 63.5 percent accepted medical research using human embryonic stem cells. Of these individuals, 89.9 percent supported increased funding for stem cell research. [26] The scientific community might not reflect the overall population. From 1997 to 2019, China spent a total of $576 million (USD) on stem cell research at 8,050 stem cell programs, increased published presence from 0.6 percent to 14.01 percent of total global stem cell publications as of 2014, and made significant strides in cell-based therapies for various medical conditions. [27] However, while China has made substantial investments in stem cell research and achieved notable progress in clinical applications, concerns linger regarding ethical oversight and transparency. [28] For example, the China Biosecurity Law, promoted by the National Health Commission and China Hospital Association, attempted to mitigate risks by introducing an institutional review board (IRB) in the regulatory bodies. 5800 IRBs registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry since 2021. [29] However, issues still need to be addressed in implementing effective IRB review and approval procedures.

The substantial government funding and focus on scientific advancement have sometimes overshadowed considerations of regional cultures, ethnic minorities, and individual perspectives, particularly evident during the one-child policy era. As government policy adapts to promote public stability, such as the change from the one-child to the two-child policy, [30] research ethics should also adapt to ensure respect for the values of its represented peoples.

Japan is also relatively supportive of stem cell research and therapies. Japan has a more transparent regulatory framework, allowing for faster approval of regenerative medicine products, which has led to several advanced clinical trials and therapies. [31] South Korea is also actively engaged in stem cell research and has a history of breakthroughs in cloning and embryonic stem cells. [32] However, the field is controversial, and there are issues of scientific integrity. For example, the Korean FDA fast-tracked products for approval, [33] and in another instance, the oocyte source was unclear and possibly violated ethical standards. [34] Trust is important in research, as it builds collaborative foundations between colleagues, trial participant comfort, open-mindedness for complicated and sensitive discussions, and supports regulatory procedures for stakeholders. There is a need to respect the culture’s interest, engagement, and for research and clinical trials to be transparent and have ethical oversight to promote global research discourse and trust.

d.     Middle East

Countries in the Middle East have varying degrees of acceptance of or restrictions to policies related to using embryonic stem cells due to cultural and religious influences. Saudi Arabia has made significant contributions to stem cell research, and conducts research based on international guidelines for ethical conduct and under strict adherence to guidelines in accordance with Islamic principles. Specifically, the Saudi government and people require ESC research to adhere to Sharia law. In addition to umbilical and placental stem cells, [35] Saudi Arabia permits the use of embryonic stem cells as long as they come from miscarriages, therapeutic abortions permissible by Sharia law, or are left over from in vitro fertilization and donated to research. [36] Laws and ethical guidelines for stem cell research allow the development of research institutions such as the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, which has a cord blood bank and a stem cell registry with nearly 10,000 donors. [37] Such volume and acceptance are due to the ethical ‘permissibility’ of the donor sources, which do not conflict with religious pillars. However, some researchers err on the side of caution, choosing not to use embryos or fetal tissue as they feel it is unethical to do so. [38]

Jordan has a positive research ethics culture. [39] However, there is a significant issue of lack of trust in researchers, with 45.23 percent (38.66 percent agreeing and 6.57 percent strongly agreeing) of Jordanians holding a low level of trust in researchers, compared to 81.34 percent of Jordanians agreeing that they feel safe to participate in a research trial. [40] Safety testifies to the feeling of confidence that adequate measures are in place to protect participants from harm, whereas trust in researchers could represent the confidence in researchers to act in the participants’ best interests, adhere to ethical guidelines, provide accurate information, and respect participants’ rights and dignity. One method to improve trust would be to address communication issues relevant to ESC. Legislation surrounding stem cell research has adopted specific language, especially concerning clarification “between ‘stem cells’ and ‘embryonic stem cells’” in translation. [41] Furthermore, legislation “mandates the creation of a national committee… laying out specific regulations for stem-cell banking in accordance with international standards.” [42] This broad regulation opens the door for future global engagement and maintains transparency. However, these regulations may also constrain the influence of research direction, pace, and accessibility of research outcomes.

e.     Europe

In the European Union (EU), ethics is also principle-based, but the principles of autonomy, dignity, integrity, and vulnerability are interconnected. [43] As such, the opportunity for cohesion and concessions between individuals’ thoughts and ideals allows for a more adaptable ethics model due to the flexible principles that relate to the human experience The EU has put forth a framework in its Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being allowing member states to take different approaches. Each European state applies these principles to its specific conventions, leading to or reflecting different acceptance levels of stem cell research. [44]

For example, in Germany, Lebenzusammenhang , or the coherence of life, references integrity in the unity of human culture. Namely, the personal sphere “should not be subject to external intervention.” [45]  Stem cell interventions could affect this concept of bodily completeness, leading to heavy restrictions. Under the Grundgesetz, human dignity and the right to life with physical integrity are paramount. [46] The Embryo Protection Act of 1991 made producing cell lines illegal. Cell lines can be imported if approved by the Central Ethics Commission for Stem Cell Research only if they were derived before May 2007. [47] Stem cell research respects the integrity of life for the embryo with heavy specifications and intense oversight. This is vastly different in Finland, where the regulatory bodies find research more permissible in IVF excess, but only up to 14 days after fertilization. [48] Spain’s approach differs still, with a comprehensive regulatory framework. [49] Thus, research regulation can be culture-specific due to variations in applied principles. Diverse cultures call for various approaches to ethical permissibility. [50] Only an adaptive-deliberative model can address the cultural constructions of self and achieve positive, culturally sensitive stem cell research practices. [51]

II.     Religious Perspectives on ESC

Embryonic stem cell sources are the main consideration within religious contexts. While individuals may not regard their own religious texts as authoritative or factual, religion can shape their foundations or perspectives.

The Qur'an states:

“And indeed We created man from a quintessence of clay. Then We placed within him a small quantity of nutfa (sperm to fertilize) in a safe place. Then We have fashioned the nutfa into an ‘alaqa (clinging clot or cell cluster), then We developed the ‘alaqa into mudgha (a lump of flesh), and We made mudgha into bones, and clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” [52]

Many scholars of Islam estimate the time of soul installment, marked by the angel breathing in the soul to bring the individual into creation, as 120 days from conception. [53] Personhood begins at this point, and the value of life would prohibit research or experimentation that could harm the individual. If the fetus is more than 120 days old, the time ensoulment is interpreted to occur according to Islamic law, abortion is no longer permissible. [54] There are a few opposing opinions about early embryos in Islamic traditions. According to some Islamic theologians, there is no ensoulment of the early embryo, which is the source of stem cells for ESC research. [55]

In Buddhism, the stance on stem cell research is not settled. The main tenets, the prohibition against harming or destroying others (ahimsa) and the pursuit of knowledge (prajña) and compassion (karuna), leave Buddhist scholars and communities divided. [56] Some scholars argue stem cell research is in accordance with the Buddhist tenet of seeking knowledge and ending human suffering. Others feel it violates the principle of not harming others. Finding the balance between these two points relies on the karmic burden of Buddhist morality. In trying to prevent ahimsa towards the embryo, Buddhist scholars suggest that to comply with Buddhist tenets, research cannot be done as the embryo has personhood at the moment of conception and would reincarnate immediately, harming the individual's ability to build their karmic burden. [57] On the other hand, the Bodhisattvas, those considered to be on the path to enlightenment or Nirvana, have given organs and flesh to others to help alleviate grieving and to benefit all. [58] Acceptance varies on applied beliefs and interpretations.

Catholicism does not support embryonic stem cell research, as it entails creation or destruction of human embryos. This destruction conflicts with the belief in the sanctity of life. For example, in the Old Testament, Genesis describes humanity as being created in God’s image and multiplying on the Earth, referencing the sacred rights to human conception and the purpose of development and life. In the Ten Commandments, the tenet that one should not kill has numerous interpretations where killing could mean murder or shedding of the sanctity of life, demonstrating the high value of human personhood. In other books, the theological conception of when life begins is interpreted as in utero, [59] highlighting the inviolability of life and its formation in vivo to make a religious point for accepting such research as relatively limited, if at all. [60] The Vatican has released ethical directives to help apply a theological basis to modern-day conflicts. The Magisterium of the Church states that “unless there is a moral certainty of not causing harm,” experimentation on fetuses, fertilized cells, stem cells, or embryos constitutes a crime. [61] Such procedures would not respect the human person who exists at these stages, according to Catholicism. Damages to the embryo are considered gravely immoral and illicit. [62] Although the Catholic Church officially opposes abortion, surveys demonstrate that many Catholic people hold pro-choice views, whether due to the context of conception, stage of pregnancy, threat to the mother’s life, or for other reasons, demonstrating that practicing members can also accept some but not all tenets. [63]

Some major Jewish denominations, such as the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements, are open to supporting ESC use or research as long as it is for saving a life. [64] Within Judaism, the Talmud, or study, gives personhood to the child at birth and emphasizes that life does not begin at conception: [65]

“If she is found pregnant, until the fortieth day it is mere fluid,” [66]

Whereas most religions prioritize the status of human embryos, the Halakah (Jewish religious law) states that to save one life, most other religious laws can be ignored because it is in pursuit of preservation. [67] Stem cell research is accepted due to application of these religious laws.

We recognize that all religions contain subsets and sects. The variety of environmental and cultural differences within religious groups requires further analysis to respect the flexibility of religious thoughts and practices. We make no presumptions that all cultures require notions of autonomy or morality as under the common morality theory , which asserts a set of universal moral norms that all individuals share provides moral reasoning and guides ethical decisions. [68] We only wish to show that the interaction with morality varies between cultures and countries.

III.     A Flexible Ethical Approach

The plurality of different moral approaches described above demonstrates that there can be no universally acceptable uniform law for ESC on a global scale. Instead of developing one standard, flexible ethical applications must be continued. We recommend local guidelines that incorporate important cultural and ethical priorities.

While the Declaration of Helsinki is more relevant to people in clinical trials receiving ESC products, in keeping with the tradition of protections for research subjects, consent of the donor is an ethical requirement for ESC donation in many jurisdictions including the US, Canada, and Europe. [69] The Declaration of Helsinki provides a reference point for regulatory standards and could potentially be used as a universal baseline for obtaining consent prior to gamete or embryo donation.

For instance, in Columbia University’s egg donor program for stem cell research, donors followed standard screening protocols and “underwent counseling sessions that included information as to the purpose of oocyte donation for research, what the oocytes would be used for, the risks and benefits of donation, and process of oocyte stimulation” to ensure transparency for consent. [70] The program helped advance stem cell research and provided clear and safe research methods with paid participants. Though paid participation or covering costs of incidental expenses may not be socially acceptable in every culture or context, [71] and creating embryos for ESC research is illegal in many jurisdictions, Columbia’s program was effective because of the clear and honest communications with donors, IRBs, and related stakeholders.  This example demonstrates that cultural acceptance of scientific research and of the idea that an egg or embryo does not have personhood is likely behind societal acceptance of donating eggs for ESC research. As noted, many countries do not permit the creation of embryos for research.

Proper communication and education regarding the process and purpose of stem cell research may bolster comprehension and garner more acceptance. “Given the sensitive subject material, a complete consent process can support voluntary participation through trust, understanding, and ethical norms from the cultures and morals participants value. This can be hard for researchers entering countries of different socioeconomic stability, with different languages and different societal values. [72]

An adequate moral foundation in medical ethics is derived from the cultural and religious basis that informs knowledge and actions. [73] Understanding local cultural and religious values and their impact on research could help researchers develop humility and promote inclusion.

IV.     Concerns

Some may argue that if researchers all adhere to one ethics standard, protection will be satisfied across all borders, and the global public will trust researchers. However, defining what needs to be protected and how to define such research standards is very specific to the people to which standards are applied. We suggest that applying one uniform guide cannot accurately protect each individual because we all possess our own perceptions and interpretations of social values. [74] Therefore, the issue of not adjusting to the moral pluralism between peoples in applying one standard of ethics can be resolved by building out ethics models that can be adapted to different cultures and religions.

Other concerns include medical tourism, which may promote health inequities. [75] Some countries may develop and approve products derived from ESC research before others, compromising research ethics or drug approval processes. There are also concerns about the sale of unauthorized stem cell treatments, for example, those without FDA approval in the United States. Countries with robust research infrastructures may be tempted to attract medical tourists, and some customers will have false hopes based on aggressive publicity of unproven treatments. [76]

For example, in China, stem cell clinics can market to foreign clients who are not protected under the regulatory regimes. Companies employ a marketing strategy of “ethically friendly” therapies. Specifically, in the case of Beike, China’s leading stem cell tourism company and sprouting network, ethical oversight of administrators or health bureaus at one site has “the unintended consequence of shifting questionable activities to another node in Beike's diffuse network.” [77] In contrast, Jordan is aware of stem cell research’s potential abuse and its own status as a “health-care hub.” Jordan’s expanded regulations include preserving the interests of individuals in clinical trials and banning private companies from ESC research to preserve transparency and the integrity of research practices. [78]

The social priorities of the community are also a concern. The ISSCR explicitly states that guidelines “should be periodically revised to accommodate scientific advances, new challenges, and evolving social priorities.” [79] The adaptable ethics model extends this consideration further by addressing whether research is warranted given the varying degrees of socioeconomic conditions, political stability, and healthcare accessibilities and limitations. An ethical approach would require discussion about resource allocation and appropriate distribution of funds. [80]

While some religions emphasize the sanctity of life from conception, which may lead to public opposition to ESC research, others encourage ESC research due to its potential for healing and alleviating human pain. Many countries have special regulations that balance local views on embryonic personhood, the benefits of research as individual or societal goods, and the protection of human research subjects. To foster understanding and constructive dialogue, global policy frameworks should prioritize the protection of universal human rights, transparency, and informed consent. In addition to these foundational global policies, we recommend tailoring local guidelines to reflect the diverse cultural and religious perspectives of the populations they govern. Ethics models should be adapted to local populations to effectively establish research protections, growth, and possibilities of stem cell research.

For example, in countries with strong beliefs in the moral sanctity of embryos or heavy religious restrictions, an adaptive model can allow for discussion instead of immediate rejection. In countries with limited individual rights and voice in science policy, an adaptive model ensures cultural, moral, and religious views are taken into consideration, thereby building social inclusion. While this ethical consideration by the government may not give a complete voice to every individual, it will help balance policies and maintain the diverse perspectives of those it affects. Embracing an adaptive ethics model of ESC research promotes open-minded dialogue and respect for the importance of human belief and tradition. By actively engaging with cultural and religious values, researchers can better handle disagreements and promote ethical research practices that benefit each society.

This brief exploration of the religious and cultural differences that impact ESC research reveals the nuances of relative ethics and highlights a need for local policymakers to apply a more intense adaptive model.

[1] Poliwoda, S., Noor, N., Downs, E., Schaaf, A., Cantwell, A., Ganti, L., Kaye, A. D., Mosel, L. I., Carroll, C. B., Viswanath, O., & Urits, I. (2022). Stem cells: a comprehensive review of origins and emerging clinical roles in medical practice.  Orthopedic reviews ,  14 (3), 37498. https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.37498

[2] Poliwoda, S., Noor, N., Downs, E., Schaaf, A., Cantwell, A., Ganti, L., Kaye, A. D., Mosel, L. I., Carroll, C. B., Viswanath, O., & Urits, I. (2022). Stem cells: a comprehensive review of origins and emerging clinical roles in medical practice.  Orthopedic reviews ,  14 (3), 37498. https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.37498

[3] International Society for Stem Cell Research. (2023). Laboratory-based human embryonic stem cell research, embryo research, and related research activities . International Society for Stem Cell Research. https://www.isscr.org/guidelines/blog-post-title-one-ed2td-6fcdk ; Kimmelman, J., Hyun, I., Benvenisty, N.  et al.  Policy: Global standards for stem-cell research.  Nature   533 , 311–313 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/533311a

[4] International Society for Stem Cell Research. (2023). Laboratory-based human embryonic stem cell research, embryo research, and related research activities . International Society for Stem Cell Research. https://www.isscr.org/guidelines/blog-post-title-one-ed2td-6fcdk

[5] Concerning the moral philosophies of stem cell research, our paper does not posit a personal moral stance nor delve into the “when” of human life begins. To read further about the philosophical debate, consider the following sources:

Sandel M. J. (2004). Embryo ethics--the moral logic of stem-cell research.  The New England journal of medicine ,  351 (3), 207–209. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp048145 ; George, R. P., & Lee, P. (2020, September 26). Acorns and Embryos . The New Atlantis. https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/acorns-and-embryos ; Sagan, A., & Singer, P. (2007). The moral status of stem cells. Metaphilosophy , 38 (2/3), 264–284. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24439776 ; McHugh P. R. (2004). Zygote and "clonote"--the ethical use of embryonic stem cells.  The New England journal of medicine ,  351 (3), 209–211. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp048147 ; Kurjak, A., & Tripalo, A. (2004). The facts and doubts about beginning of the human life and personality.  Bosnian journal of basic medical sciences ,  4 (1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2004.3453

[6] Vazin, T., & Freed, W. J. (2010). Human embryonic stem cells: derivation, culture, and differentiation: a review.  Restorative neurology and neuroscience ,  28 (4), 589–603. https://doi.org/10.3233/RNN-2010-0543

[7] Socially, at its core, the Western approach to ethics is widely principle-based, autonomy being one of the key factors to ensure a fundamental respect for persons within research. For information regarding autonomy in research, see: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, & National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1978). The Belmont Report. Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research.; For a more in-depth review of autonomy within the US, see: Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (1994). Principles of Biomedical Ethics . Oxford University Press.

[8] Sherley v. Sebelius , 644 F.3d 388 (D.C. Cir. 2011), citing 45 C.F.R. 46.204(b) and [42 U.S.C. § 289g(b)]. https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/6c690438a9b43dd685257a64004ebf99/$file/11-5241-1391178.pdf

[9] Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, H. R. 810, 109 th Cong. (2001). https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr810/text ; Bush, G. W. (2006, July 19). Message to the House of Representatives . National Archives and Records Administration. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/07/20060719-5.html

[10] National Archives and Records Administration. (2009, March 9). Executive order 13505 -- removing barriers to responsible scientific research involving human stem cells . National Archives and Records Administration. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/removing-barriers-responsible-scientific-research-involving-human-stem-cells

[11] Hurlbut, W. B. (2006). Science, Religion, and the Politics of Stem Cells.  Social Research ,  73 (3), 819–834. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40971854

[12] Akpa-Inyang, Francis & Chima, Sylvester. (2021). South African traditional values and beliefs regarding informed consent and limitations of the principle of respect for autonomy in African communities: a cross-cultural qualitative study. BMC Medical Ethics . 22. 10.1186/s12910-021-00678-4.

[13] Source for further reading: Tangwa G. B. (2007). Moral status of embryonic stem cells: perspective of an African villager. Bioethics , 21(8), 449–457. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8519.2007.00582.x , see also Mnisi, F. M. (2020). An African analysis based on ethics of Ubuntu - are human embryonic stem cell patents morally justifiable? African Insight , 49 (4).

[14] Jecker, N. S., & Atuire, C. (2021). Bioethics in Africa: A contextually enlightened analysis of three cases. Developing World Bioethics , 22 (2), 112–122. https://doi.org/10.1111/dewb.12324

[15] Jecker, N. S., & Atuire, C. (2021). Bioethics in Africa: A contextually enlightened analysis of three cases. Developing World Bioethics, 22(2), 112–122. https://doi.org/10.1111/dewb.12324

[16] Jackson, C.S., Pepper, M.S. Opportunities and barriers to establishing a cell therapy programme in South Africa.  Stem Cell Res Ther   4 , 54 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/scrt204 ; Pew Research Center. (2014, May 1). Public health a major priority in African nations . Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2014/05/01/public-health-a-major-priority-in-african-nations/

[17] Department of Health Republic of South Africa. (2021). Health Research Priorities (revised) for South Africa 2021-2024 . National Health Research Strategy. https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/National-Health-Research-Priorities-2021-2024.pdf

[18] Oosthuizen, H. (2013). Legal and Ethical Issues in Stem Cell Research in South Africa. In: Beran, R. (eds) Legal and Forensic Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32338-6_80 , see also: Gaobotse G (2018) Stem Cell Research in Africa: Legislation and Challenges. J Regen Med 7:1. doi: 10.4172/2325-9620.1000142

[19] United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. (1998). Tunisia: Information on the status of Christian conversions in Tunisia . UNHCR Web Archive. https://webarchive.archive.unhcr.org/20230522142618/https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df0be9a2.html

[20] Gaobotse, G. (2018) Stem Cell Research in Africa: Legislation and Challenges. J Regen Med 7:1. doi: 10.4172/2325-9620.1000142

[21] Kooli, C. Review of assisted reproduction techniques, laws, and regulations in Muslim countries.  Middle East Fertil Soc J   24 , 8 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43043-019-0011-0 ; Gaobotse, G. (2018) Stem Cell Research in Africa: Legislation and Challenges. J Regen Med 7:1. doi: 10.4172/2325-9620.1000142

[22] Pang M. C. (1999). Protective truthfulness: the Chinese way of safeguarding patients in informed treatment decisions. Journal of medical ethics , 25(3), 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1136/jme.25.3.247

[23] Wang, L., Wang, F., & Zhang, W. (2021). Bioethics in China’s biosecurity law: Forms, effects, and unsettled issues. Journal of law and the biosciences , 8(1).  https://doi.org/10.1093/jlb/lsab019 https://academic.oup.com/jlb/article/8/1/lsab019/6299199

[24] Wang, Y., Xue, Y., & Guo, H. D. (2022). Intervention effects of traditional Chinese medicine on stem cell therapy of myocardial infarction.  Frontiers in pharmacology ,  13 , 1013740. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.1013740

[25] Li, X.-T., & Zhao, J. (2012). Chapter 4: An Approach to the Nature of Qi in TCM- Qi and Bioenergy. In Recent Advances in Theories and Practice of Chinese Medicine (p. 79). InTech.

[26] Luo, D., Xu, Z., Wang, Z., & Ran, W. (2021). China's Stem Cell Research and Knowledge Levels of Medical Practitioners and Students.  Stem cells international ,  2021 , 6667743. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6667743

[27] Luo, D., Xu, Z., Wang, Z., & Ran, W. (2021). China's Stem Cell Research and Knowledge Levels of Medical Practitioners and Students.  Stem cells international ,  2021 , 6667743. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6667743

[28] Zhang, J. Y. (2017). Lost in translation? accountability and governance of Clinical Stem Cell Research in China. Regenerative Medicine , 12 (6), 647–656. https://doi.org/10.2217/rme-2017-0035

[29] Wang, L., Wang, F., & Zhang, W. (2021). Bioethics in China’s biosecurity law: Forms, effects, and unsettled issues. Journal of law and the biosciences , 8(1).  https://doi.org/10.1093/jlb/lsab019 https://academic.oup.com/jlb/article/8/1/lsab019/6299199

[30] Chen, H., Wei, T., Wang, H.  et al.  Association of China’s two-child policy with changes in number of births and birth defects rate, 2008–2017.  BMC Public Health   22 , 434 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12839-0

[31] Azuma, K. Regulatory Landscape of Regenerative Medicine in Japan.  Curr Stem Cell Rep   1 , 118–128 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-015-0012-6

[32] Harris, R. (2005, May 19). Researchers Report Advance in Stem Cell Production . NPR. https://www.npr.org/2005/05/19/4658967/researchers-report-advance-in-stem-cell-production

[33] Park, S. (2012). South Korea steps up stem-cell work.  Nature . https://doi.org/10.1038/nature.2012.10565

[34] Resnik, D. B., Shamoo, A. E., & Krimsky, S. (2006). Fraudulent human embryonic stem cell research in South Korea: lessons learned.  Accountability in research ,  13 (1), 101–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/08989620600634193 .

[35] Alahmad, G., Aljohani, S., & Najjar, M. F. (2020). Ethical challenges regarding the use of stem cells: interviews with researchers from Saudi Arabia. BMC medical ethics, 21(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00482-6

[36] Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies.  https://www.aabb.org/regulatory-and-advocacy/regulatory-affairs/regulatory-for-cellular-therapies/international-competent-authorities/saudi-arabia

[37] Alahmad, G., Aljohani, S., & Najjar, M. F. (2020). Ethical challenges regarding the use of stem cells: Interviews with researchers from Saudi Arabia.  BMC medical ethics ,  21 (1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00482-6

[38] Alahmad, G., Aljohani, S., & Najjar, M. F. (2020). Ethical challenges regarding the use of stem cells: Interviews with researchers from Saudi Arabia. BMC medical ethics , 21(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00482-6

Culturally, autonomy practices follow a relational autonomy approach based on a paternalistic deontological health care model. The adherence to strict international research policies and religious pillars within the regulatory environment is a great foundation for research ethics. However, there is a need to develop locally targeted ethics approaches for research (as called for in Alahmad, G., Aljohani, S., & Najjar, M. F. (2020). Ethical challenges regarding the use of stem cells: interviews with researchers from Saudi Arabia. BMC medical ethics, 21(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00482-6), this decision-making approach may help advise a research decision model. For more on the clinical cultural autonomy approaches, see: Alabdullah, Y. Y., Alzaid, E., Alsaad, S., Alamri, T., Alolayan, S. W., Bah, S., & Aljoudi, A. S. (2022). Autonomy and paternalism in Shared decision‐making in a Saudi Arabian tertiary hospital: A cross‐sectional study. Developing World Bioethics , 23 (3), 260–268. https://doi.org/10.1111/dewb.12355 ; Bukhari, A. A. (2017). Universal Principles of Bioethics and Patient Rights in Saudi Arabia (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/124; Ladha, S., Nakshawani, S. A., Alzaidy, A., & Tarab, B. (2023, October 26). Islam and Bioethics: What We All Need to Know . Columbia University School of Professional Studies. https://sps.columbia.edu/events/islam-and-bioethics-what-we-all-need-know

[39] Ababneh, M. A., Al-Azzam, S. I., Alzoubi, K., Rababa’h, A., & Al Demour, S. (2021). Understanding and attitudes of the Jordanian public about clinical research ethics.  Research Ethics ,  17 (2), 228-241.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016120966779

[40] Ababneh, M. A., Al-Azzam, S. I., Alzoubi, K., Rababa’h, A., & Al Demour, S. (2021). Understanding and attitudes of the Jordanian public about clinical research ethics.  Research Ethics ,  17 (2), 228-241.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016120966779

[41] Dajani, R. (2014). Jordan’s stem-cell law can guide the Middle East.  Nature  510, 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/510189a

[42] Dajani, R. (2014). Jordan’s stem-cell law can guide the Middle East.  Nature  510, 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/510189a

[43] The EU’s definition of autonomy relates to the capacity for creating ideas, moral insight, decisions, and actions without constraint, personal responsibility, and informed consent. However, the EU views autonomy as not completely able to protect individuals and depends on other principles, such as dignity, which “expresses the intrinsic worth and fundamental equality of all human beings.” Rendtorff, J.D., Kemp, P. (2019). Four Ethical Principles in European Bioethics and Biolaw: Autonomy, Dignity, Integrity and Vulnerability. In: Valdés, E., Lecaros, J. (eds) Biolaw and Policy in the Twenty-First Century. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 78. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05903-3_3

[44] Council of Europe. Convention for the protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine: Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (ETS No. 164) https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=treaty-detail&treatynum=164 (forbidding the creation of embryos for research purposes only, and suggests embryos in vitro have protections.); Also see Drabiak-Syed B. K. (2013). New President, New Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Policy: Comparative International Perspectives and Embryonic Stem Cell Research Laws in France.  Biotechnology Law Report ,  32 (6), 349–356. https://doi.org/10.1089/blr.2013.9865

[45] Rendtorff, J.D., Kemp, P. (2019). Four Ethical Principles in European Bioethics and Biolaw: Autonomy, Dignity, Integrity and Vulnerability. In: Valdés, E., Lecaros, J. (eds) Biolaw and Policy in the Twenty-First Century. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 78. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05903-3_3

[46] Tomuschat, C., Currie, D. P., Kommers, D. P., & Kerr, R. (Trans.). (1949, May 23). Basic law for the Federal Republic of Germany. https://www.btg-bestellservice.de/pdf/80201000.pdf

[47] Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Germany . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-germany

[48] Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Finland . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-finland

[49] Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Spain . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-spain

[50] Some sources to consider regarding ethics models or regulatory oversights of other cultures not covered:

Kara MA. Applicability of the principle of respect for autonomy: the perspective of Turkey. J Med Ethics. 2007 Nov;33(11):627-30. doi: 10.1136/jme.2006.017400. PMID: 17971462; PMCID: PMC2598110.

Ugarte, O. N., & Acioly, M. A. (2014). The principle of autonomy in Brazil: one needs to discuss it ...  Revista do Colegio Brasileiro de Cirurgioes ,  41 (5), 374–377. https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-69912014005013

Bharadwaj, A., & Glasner, P. E. (2012). Local cells, global science: The rise of embryonic stem cell research in India . Routledge.

For further research on specific European countries regarding ethical and regulatory framework, we recommend this database: Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Europe . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-europe   

[51] Klitzman, R. (2006). Complications of culture in obtaining informed consent. The American Journal of Bioethics, 6(1), 20–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265160500394671 see also: Ekmekci, P. E., & Arda, B. (2017). Interculturalism and Informed Consent: Respecting Cultural Differences without Breaching Human Rights.  Cultura (Iasi, Romania) ,  14 (2), 159–172.; For why trust is important in research, see also: Gray, B., Hilder, J., Macdonald, L., Tester, R., Dowell, A., & Stubbe, M. (2017). Are research ethics guidelines culturally competent?  Research Ethics ,  13 (1), 23-41.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016116650235

[52] The Qur'an  (M. Khattab, Trans.). (1965). Al-Mu’minun, 23: 12-14. https://quran.com/23

[53] Lenfest, Y. (2017, December 8). Islam and the beginning of human life . Bill of Health. https://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2017/12/08/islam-and-the-beginning-of-human-life/

[54] Aksoy, S. (2005). Making regulations and drawing up legislation in Islamic countries under conditions of uncertainty, with special reference to embryonic stem cell research. Journal of Medical Ethics , 31: 399-403.; see also: Mahmoud, Azza. "Islamic Bioethics: National Regulations and Guidelines of Human Stem Cell Research in the Muslim World." Master's thesis, Chapman University, 2022. https://doi.org/10.36837/ chapman.000386

[55] Rashid, R. (2022). When does Ensoulment occur in the Human Foetus. Journal of the British Islamic Medical Association , 12 (4). ISSN 2634 8071. https://www.jbima.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2-Ethics-3_-Ensoulment_Rafaqat.pdf.

[56] Sivaraman, M. & Noor, S. (2017). Ethics of embryonic stem cell research according to Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic, and Islamic religions: perspective from Malaysia. Asian Biomedicine,8(1) 43-52.  https://doi.org/10.5372/1905-7415.0801.260

[57] Jafari, M., Elahi, F., Ozyurt, S. & Wrigley, T. (2007). 4. Religious Perspectives on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. In K. Monroe, R. Miller & J. Tobis (Ed.),  Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical, and Political Issues  (pp. 79-94). Berkeley: University of California Press.  https://escholarship.org/content/qt9rj0k7s3/qt9rj0k7s3_noSplash_f9aca2e02c3777c7fb76ea768ba458f0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520940994-005

[58] Lecso, P. A. (1991). The Bodhisattva Ideal and Organ Transplantation.  Journal of Religion and Health ,  30 (1), 35–41. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27510629 ; Bodhisattva, S. (n.d.). The Key of Becoming a Bodhisattva . A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/2/BodhisattvaWay.htm

[59] There is no explicit religious reference to when life begins or how to conduct research that interacts with the concept of life. However, these are relevant verses pertaining to how the fetus is viewed. (( King James Bible . (1999). Oxford University Press. (original work published 1769))

Jerimiah 1: 5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee…”

In prophet Jerimiah’s insight, God set him apart as a person known before childbirth, a theme carried within the Psalm of David.

Psalm 139: 13-14 “…Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

These verses demonstrate David’s respect for God as an entity that would know of all man’s thoughts and doings even before birth.

[60] It should be noted that abortion is not supported as well.

[61] The Vatican. (1987, February 22). Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation Replies to Certain Questions of the Day . Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

[62] The Vatican. (2000, August 25). Declaration On the Production and the Scientific and Therapeutic Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells . Pontifical Academy for Life. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdlife/documents/rc_pa_acdlife_doc_20000824_cellule-staminali_en.html ; Ohara, N. (2003). Ethical Consideration of Experimentation Using Living Human Embryos: The Catholic Church’s Position on Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology . Retrieved from https://article.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/30/2-3/pii/2003018/77-81.pdf.

[63] Smith, G. A. (2022, May 23). Like Americans overall, Catholics vary in their abortion views, with regular mass attenders most opposed . Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/05/23/like-americans-overall-catholics-vary-in-their-abortion-views-with-regular-mass-attenders-most-opposed/

[64] Rosner, F., & Reichman, E. (2002). Embryonic stem cell research in Jewish law. Journal of halacha and contemporary society , (43), 49–68.; Jafari, M., Elahi, F., Ozyurt, S. & Wrigley, T. (2007). 4. Religious Perspectives on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. In K. Monroe, R. Miller & J. Tobis (Ed.),  Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical, and Political Issues  (pp. 79-94). Berkeley: University of California Press.  https://escholarship.org/content/qt9rj0k7s3/qt9rj0k7s3_noSplash_f9aca2e02c3777c7fb76ea768ba458f0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520940994-005

[65] Schenker J. G. (2008). The beginning of human life: status of embryo. Perspectives in Halakha (Jewish Religious Law).  Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics ,  25 (6), 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-008-9221-6

[66] Ruttenberg, D. (2020, May 5). The Torah of Abortion Justice (annotated source sheet) . Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/234926.7?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

[67] Jafari, M., Elahi, F., Ozyurt, S. & Wrigley, T. (2007). 4. Religious Perspectives on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. In K. Monroe, R. Miller & J. Tobis (Ed.),  Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical, and Political Issues  (pp. 79-94). Berkeley: University of California Press.  https://escholarship.org/content/qt9rj0k7s3/qt9rj0k7s3_noSplash_f9aca2e02c3777c7fb76ea768ba458f0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520940994-005

[68] Gert, B. (2007). Common morality: Deciding what to do . Oxford Univ. Press.

[69] World Medical Association (2013). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA , 310(20), 2191–2194. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.281053 Declaration of Helsinki – WMA – The World Medical Association .; see also: National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979).  The Belmont report: Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/belmont-report/read-the-belmont-report/index.html

[70] Zakarin Safier, L., Gumer, A., Kline, M., Egli, D., & Sauer, M. V. (2018). Compensating human subjects providing oocytes for stem cell research: 9-year experience and outcomes.  Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics ,  35 (7), 1219–1225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1171-z https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6063839/ see also: Riordan, N. H., & Paz Rodríguez, J. (2021). Addressing concerns regarding associated costs, transparency, and integrity of research in recent stem cell trial. Stem Cells Translational Medicine , 10 (12), 1715–1716. https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.21-0234

[71] Klitzman, R., & Sauer, M. V. (2009). Payment of egg donors in stem cell research in the USA.  Reproductive biomedicine online ,  18 (5), 603–608. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1472-6483(10)60002-8

[72] Krosin, M. T., Klitzman, R., Levin, B., Cheng, J., & Ranney, M. L. (2006). Problems in comprehension of informed consent in rural and peri-urban Mali, West Africa.  Clinical trials (London, England) ,  3 (3), 306–313. https://doi.org/10.1191/1740774506cn150oa

[73] Veatch, Robert M.  Hippocratic, Religious, and Secular Medical Ethics: The Points of Conflict . Georgetown University Press, 2012.

[74] Msoroka, M. S., & Amundsen, D. (2018). One size fits not quite all: Universal research ethics with diversity.  Research Ethics ,  14 (3), 1-17.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016117739939

[75] Pirzada, N. (2022). The Expansion of Turkey’s Medical Tourism Industry.  Voices in Bioethics ,  8 . https://doi.org/10.52214/vib.v8i.9894

[76] Stem Cell Tourism: False Hope for Real Money . Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI). (2023). https://hsci.harvard.edu/stem-cell-tourism , See also: Bissassar, M. (2017). Transnational Stem Cell Tourism: An ethical analysis.  Voices in Bioethics ,  3 . https://doi.org/10.7916/vib.v3i.6027

[77] Song, P. (2011) The proliferation of stem cell therapies in post-Mao China: problematizing ethical regulation,  New Genetics and Society , 30:2, 141-153, DOI:  10.1080/14636778.2011.574375

[78] Dajani, R. (2014). Jordan’s stem-cell law can guide the Middle East.  Nature  510, 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/510189a

[79] International Society for Stem Cell Research. (2024). Standards in stem cell research . International Society for Stem Cell Research. https://www.isscr.org/guidelines/5-standards-in-stem-cell-research

[80] Benjamin, R. (2013). People’s science bodies and rights on the Stem Cell Frontier . Stanford University Press.

Mifrah Hayath

SM Candidate Harvard Medical School, MS Biotechnology Johns Hopkins University

Olivia Bowers

MS Bioethics Columbia University (Disclosure: affiliated with Voices in Bioethics)

Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License .