1990 – THE TURNING POINT IN EUROPEAN TOURISM RESEARCH

Sa？etak The changes in the life of humankind have always been the consequence of great world developments. At the end of the twentieth century, as a result of many circumstances in Europe, there were several big developments. All of them have had some kind of impact on European tourism, both positive and negative. However, developments that have occurred in the last 15 years have dramatically changed tourism development in Europe, and especially in its eastern part. The political development we refer to in particular has led to three important effects: the free flow of people, safe travelling, and a higher standard of living in the entire continent. Just these three factors have had the greatest influence on tourism. The purpose of this paper is to examine why the newly established countries, the new political, social and economic order in Europe, and a much bigger tourism market than before (approximately 400 million new customers), require the undertaking of more and different kinds of research. Logically, in such new circumstances, there might be many, and not necessarily well-known, facts and forces directing tourism flows in Europe. These are the subject even today of new and even broader research, and it is likely that this will continue to be the case in the future