“Routes of Friendship”: Organization of International Tourism in Countries of Socialist Camp in 1950-1980s

Abstract

The institutional foundations, organizational features, the main trends and problems of cooperation between European member states of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) in the field of international tourism in the second half of the 1950s — 1980s are described in the article. Specific examples show the formula for building bilateral cooperation in this area, as well as organizational principles and main directions of work of special annual meetings of tourist operators and government agencies in the field of tourism. Particular attention is paid to the description of the mechanisms of mutual settlements between socialist countries for the rendered mutual tourist services, including in a non-currency form. Based on the analysis of publications of the Soviet period and archival sources, the author concluded that syncretism of economic, economic and ideological approaches was characteristic of large-scale international tourist exchange between European socialist countries, and the Soviet Union played not so much the role of a “big brother” with a decisive vote as an ideological “mentor”. It is emphasized that, despite the declaration of the systemic advantages of “socialist tourism”, in general, it was characterized by numerous organizational difficulties.

Keywords

• international tourism
• services sector
• council for mutual economic assistance
• socialist integration
• non-currency exchange
• cold war