The reputation of the Mediterranean Sea region is not any more to make; thanks to its different assets, this destination has always been a favourable haven for the tourists of the whole world.
In deed, this Region has:
1. A strategic geographical situation : Mediterranean Sea is located between Southern Europe, North Africa and Western Asia,
2. An ideal natural environment : All banks of Mediterranean Sea have delightful natural landscapes. These regions benefit also of an ideal weather almost the whole year around.
3. A cultural heritage : the Mediterranean has been the cradle of several ancient civilizations which had and still deeply mark the most part of Mediterranean countries.
Tourism in Mediterranean
Tourism is a sector of utmost importance in the Mediterranean Region: it promotes economic development, creates jobs, brings currencies and represents a centre of attraction for foreign investments.
The Mediterranean Region is undoubtedly the main tourist destination in the world; it hosts more than 232 Million visitors per year. Actually, visits in this Region represent 30 % of the tourism global market which means an increase of about 17 Million tourists a year.
According to the World Organization of Tourism WTO, all the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea have already received more than 58 million international tourists in 1970. They were 153 millions in 1990 and 228 millions in 2002. Their number could reach 270 Millions in 2010 and 346 Millions in 2020.