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Europe is the most visited tourist destination in
the world, with four EU countries ranked among the
world's top six destinations in 2001. The great
majority of visitors come from within Europe.
Travellers are attracted by Europe's great natural
beauty, from mountain grandeur to rocky coastlines
and sandy beaches, from lush green pastures to
arid plains, from lakes and forests to arctic
tundra.
The wealth of Europe's historic heritage is
evident everywhere: - prehistoric cave paintings ,
Greek and Roman antiquities, Viking and Moorish
influences, medieval fortresses, renaissance
palaces and baroque churches, and much more
besides.
There are winter and summer sports to be tried,
vibrant modern cities to be explored, art and
music to be enjoyed, all complemented by fine
food, wine and beer.
Ten more countries will be joining the existing 15
EU countries in 2004, increasing the EU area by 23
%, its population by 75 million and adding a
wealth of new tourist destinations rich in history
and culture. It will also mean access to a wider
range of goods and services.
Travelling around the EU has become
progressively easier over the years with the
removal of most passport and baggage formalities
and the introduction of the euro in 12 of the 15
EU countries. This makes life much easier for
travellers who can now compare prices directly and
no longer have the cost and inconvenience of
exchanging money within the euro zone.
The creation of the 'single market' has also
reduced prices - cheaper air fares being a good
example. All these advantages will in time be
enjoyed by the people of 10 more countries.
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