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This study examines the image of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as a holiday destination. The countries are linked by having had communist governments and being inaccessible to tourists from outside the communist bloc. Currently, they seek new tourist markets and this study examines the views of a number of UK residents about destination image of CEE. The study examines, through semistructured interviews, images held by people who have and who have not visited CEE. The data is analysed qualitatively. Few significant differences were found between views of visitors and non-visitors; most views were positive and associated favourably with 'culture'. Negative images were usually associated with the eastern part of the area especially ex-Yugoslavia.

is Professor of Tourism Management at Manchester Metropolitan University. In addition to three books, he has published many papers on tourist issues relating to culture, the arts, sexuality, destination image and Central and Eastern Europe. Danielle Allenis Project Associate for the Manchester Metropolitan University study of Central and Eastern Europe. She has experience in arts management, and has conducted extensive research on behalf of the International Tourism Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University. ABSTRACT The European Union (EU) was joined by several new members in 2004.Eight of these were Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that had, at one time, had communist governments and centralised economies. This paper describes a study of tourist board offi cials ' views on the tourism outcomes of the accession and the factors infl uencing those outcomes. The offi cials represented the eight CEE countries, and, through individual interviews, their opinions were sought in order to obtain an ' informed ' view of post-2004. Predictions for tourism had been optimistic, and these interviewees confi rmed that the outcomes had been generally favourable. In particular, they considered that there had been an increased tourism infl ow (especially from the United Kingdom) and a shift in the tourism profi le towards tourists with wider interests and whose destinations within the countries were more spatially dispersed. Although publicity just before, and at the time of, accession had contributed to this, the most signifi cant infl uence was believed to have been participation in the EU internal air transport market. The accession of 2004 was, in many respects, less a step-change in economies and in tourism patterns than the culmination of adjustment processes that had been ongoing since the late 1980s. Nonetheless, it was marked by an uplift, the long-term effects of which have yet to be determined.

This paper reviews the significance of live entertainment in the fortunes of seaside resorts in the UK. This has, since the early days of resorts in the 19th century, usually taken the form of pleasurable and undemanding 'light' diversions rather than the more intellectually demanding 'high arts'. Holidaymakers typically seek social and escapist experiences and live entertainment in theatres, concert halls and on beaches that have contributed to the uniqueness of seaside holidays. These resorts experienced a decline in popularity as long-stay destinations in the second half of the 20th century with a consequent decline in live entertainment. It is possible, however, that resort decline occurred, in part, because of a deterioration of the entertainment provision itself and that resort renewal depends upon a continuation and revitalization of the entertainment component of the tourist experience. These views are reviewed in this paper. Further, the outcome of a study of entertainment in UK seaside resorts (in 2006) is discussed. All seaside resorts in UK were surveyed in 2006 to determine current provision and views of local government officers. Results of the 2006 study are related to earlier studies and it is concluded that live entertainment continues to be widely provided but that the nature of entertainment has changed and that there is strong support for its role in attracting visitors to resorts. The implications of this are discussed as are directions for further research in what remains an under-researched area.