EU Commissioner Tzitzikostas calls for sustainable tourism

The first EU strategy for sustainable tourism is to be presented this spring. This was confirmed by EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas. Tzitzikostas said that the European Union had already achieved a great deal in making travel within its borders easier and more attractive. Many of the obstacles that still existed reflected the single market still being a work in progress.

Beyond Europe’s many natural attractions and cultural diversity, its political stability offered great opportunities for expanding tourism, especially in times of crisis. Much had already been achieved at European level, for example in terms of passenger rights, the abolition of roaming charges and world-leading safety standards in air transport.

"More resilient and future-proof" structures

"But we will plough on," said Tzitzikostas, "because international competition is getting stronger." What is needed, he said, were "more resilient, smarter and future-proof" structures on which to build sustainable and inclusive tourism for the coming decade. Existing fragmentation was a source of wasted time, unnecessary costs and emissions. He cited the purchase of cross-border train tickets and differing requirements for professional qualifications as examples.

Carbon footprints had to be reduced, he said. In the short term, the EU would provide EUR 2.9 billion for investment, particularly in air and maritime transport, to promote renewable and low-carbon fuels.

Organisers must limit overtourism

Tzitzikostas described overtourism as the "second biggest challenge" after climate action. If too many tourists overburdened infrastructure and natural resources, and if housing became unaffordable for locals, this undermined competitiveness. The commissioner urged the tourism industry to ensure added value was created for tourists and locals alike. "In the long term, quality wins," he cautioned.

The European Tourism Data Space (ETDS) could help to manage tourist flows. It is designed to handle data for the entire industry and provide a secure data exchange, support for small and medium-sized enterprises and common standards for the most important data groups. Finally, Tzitzikostas recommended "Destination Europe" as a brand access point for sustainable and competitive tourism.