EXAMINING TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

The current world economic context imposes a growing inclination on a pressing problem encountered in any society: sustainable development in all sectors. From this point of view, the tourist industry has special significance, since as noted in the literature it has a strong capacity for recovery under economic crisis periods if its means of operation are implemented correctly. Tourism is one of the most important industries of the EU economy, with a significant contribution to the overall dynamics of the integration process and the strategic objectives of the Union. Yet, there are serious concerns over tourism development in the Central and Eastern European states: underdeveloped transport and accommodation infrastructure, dependence on external demand and foreign capital, structural weaknesses. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of tourism on economic growth in these countries examining both successes and limits towards achieving sustainable development in general and sustainable development of the tourism sector in particular.