Ramboll and Eurasylum (Karin Attström, Mathilde Heegaard Bausager, Ida Maegaard Nielsen, Jonathan Leonardsen, Troels Nybro Hansen, Anthony Mercer).: The economic impact of short stay visa facilitation on the tourism industry and on the overall economies of EU Member States being part of the Schengen Area, European Union, 2013.

• The study evaluates the implementation of the common visa provisions in the Schengen area from the tourism industry/travellers’ viewpoint, and focuses on travellers from six target markets: China, India, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Ukraine. Together, travellers from these six markets accounted for almost two thirds of the visa travellers to the Schengen area in 2012. Primary data was collected from Schengen Member States’ Consulates, Travel Agents and Tour Operators, and a panel survey was conducted among current and potential travellers to the Schengen area, asking respondents about their travel habits, preferences, perceptions and opinions about the Schengen visa practices, as well as their preferred facilitation options. One of the study’s findings is that while the current Schengen visa regime has contributed to more harmonised visa procedures, it has also deterred or constricted access for both tourists and business travellers to the Schengen area: According to the study’s estimates, in 2012, a total of 6.6 million potential travellers from the six target markets were “lost” due to the Schengen area visa regime. Based on average spending figures, this means that the tourism industry in the Schengen area loses out on a potential EUR 5.5 billion in direct contributions to GDP every year, adding up to approximately 113,000 jobs in the tourism industry and related sectors. Taking into account a forecasted growth rate in the number of travellers from the six countries, this leads to 34.8 million travellers lost over five years (Texto completo).

Noticia relacionada:

• New study on the economic impact of short stay visa facilitation in the Schengen Area.
• Resumen ejecutivo.

Temas vinculados:

• Los consulados de España en Rusia superan el millón de visados expedidos.
• 19 destinations across Europe win awards for accessible and sustainable tourism.
• Simplifier les demandes de visa de courte durée en vue d´accroître le tourisme. 
• La exitosa temporada turística da a Europa un impulso económico y puestos de trabajo muy necesitados.
• Un tourisme vigoureux devrait continuer sur sa lancée en 2013.
• UE: turismo.