Strengthening a country’s touristic attractiveness on the global tourism market

The global tourism market witnesses the increasingly intensifying processes of altering competition and customer needs. There emerges a consumer tendency to choose exotic routes (Asia, America, Pacific Ocean region); therefore, European states must endeavor to increase touristic attractiveness and secure firmer competitive positions in the world tourism market. Another trend typical of contemporary tourism is the evolution of consumer characteristics. As the conditions of global economy customers of the tourism system become more informed and sophisticated, which enhances their ability to put pressure on tourism service enterprises. Competition is taking place not only among tourism service providers, but also among other participants in the leisure services market – entertainment business organizations, trade and leisure centres. Within the European tourism system the highest potential to increase the market share currently belongs to the Central and Eastern European states, which include Lithuania as well. Seeking to make use of these opportunities, it is indispensable not only to create tourism infrastructure, but also to search for other ways of representing unique tourism services. A person’s determination to travel is a complicated process influenced by various factors, which may be analyzed in the social, economic and psychological aspects. World Tourism Organization experts carried out a number of surveys, the goal of which was to determine the aims and presumptions of a touristic travel. It was established that even in the presence of changing leisure and holiday habits and fashions, one of the most important factors for choosing a target travel destination remains the touristic attractiveness of places of interest.