The EU's contribution to the development of tourism in the EU's Mediterranean backward regions and the likely impact on Malta in the context of EU membership

Abstract

This thesis analyses the role of European Union in the development of tourism in its Mediterranean countries and will try to project any of these countries' experiences on to the Maltese case. By having a look at the relevant case material, proposals and case history I will try to assess if the Community's tourism policy is reaching its aims and whether further improvements to this policy will be needed to meet the challenges of the future. My conclusions will be based on an examination of the various documents, statistics and reports issued by EU institutions, in particular the Commission and the European Parliament (EP). I will also be considering the various opinions of the experts in the various tourism and related fields with whom I conducted interviews throughout the length of my research.