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A cruise ship at the end of the square at San Marco in Venice which is crowded with tourists between the old buildings

Entrance fees, visitor zones and taxes: how Europe’s biggest cities are tackling overtourism

From Seville to Venice to Amsterdam, Europe is learning to improve locals’ lives by curbing tourists’ enthusiasm

O riginally built for the grand Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, Seville’s ­flamboyant neo-Moorish Plaza de España has for nearly a ­century been one of the city’s major ­attractions, an ornate ­showcase for Spanish architecture and ­decorative tiling.

But the several thousand visitors from around the world who throng the plaza every day, on foot or in horse-drawn carriages, may soon have to pay for the privilege, with proceeds from a planned entry fee going towards its upkeep.

“We are planning to close the Plaza de España and charge ­tourists to finance its conservation and ensure its safety,” Seville’s mayor, José Luis Sanz, announced on X last week, posting a video showing missing tiles and damaged facades.

Sanz made clear local ­residents and visitors from Andalucía ­province would not have to cough up to visit the plaza, which served as a backdrop in a Star Wars film, and is used regularly for concerts, fashion shows and theatrical performances.

Many residents objected to the scheme nonetheless – but their ­criticism was mostly that it would be complicated to administer and not very effective. Far better, many locals said, would be a hefty tourism tax on all visitors to Seville.

“Mass tourism,” said one, “is destroying our city.”

It’s a refrain heard in historic ­cities across Europe , from Prague to Barcelona, Athens to Amsterdam. Mass tourism, promoted by cash-hungry councils since the 2008 crash and fuelled by cheap flights and online room rentals, has become a monster.

After plummeting during Covid, tourism numbers are soaring again and set to exceed pre-pandemic ­levels this summer. The number of low-cost airline seats in Europe, which rose 10% annually from 2010 and hit 500m in 2019, could pass 800m in 2024.

A sticker saying “Tourism kills the city” with a skull and crossbones image on a post in Barcelona

Before lockdown, Airbnb, the ­biggest but far from only ­platform for short lets, saw triple-digit growth in some European ­cities. The net result is that the most ­popular city break destinations now annually host 20 or more visitors for each local.

What to do about it, though, is no easy question. Delicate ­balances need to be struck between the much-needed revenues and jobs generated by tourism, and the ­quality of life of residents; between managing tourism and ­discouraging it.

One strategy that Seville – 3 million tourists a year for 700,000 inhabitants – may adopt is to charge for the big attractions. Since January, foreign visitors to Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, which gets about 3.5m ­visits a year, have been paying €25 for the privilege.

Venice is so overrun by visitors it has introduced what amounts to an entrance fee for the entire city, ranging from €3 to €10. Paris has almost trebled its tourist tax rates, from – depending on area and accommodation type – €0.25-€5 to €0.65-€14.95.

A dense crowd of tourists in sunglasses, some in baseball hats, others in vests, stand with the Acropolis in Athens in the background

Other cities are relying on better management – Athens, for example, last summer introduced a time-slot system for visits to the Acropolis, while summer access to Marseille’s Calanques is now regulated through a free reservation scheme.

Some places are launching ­information campaigns aiming to reshape tourist flows. France, where 80% of visits are concentrated in 20% of the country, will this spring roll out a €1m campaign urging domestic and foreign tourists to head more off the beaten track .

From Mont Saint-Michel and the ­seaside resort of Étretat in Normandy to the Atlantic beaches of the south-west and the Riviera, ­peak-season influxes now threaten the environment, locals’ quality of life and the visitor experience, authorities say.

They are also setting up a tourism observatory to accurately measure flows and identify possible overloads. “France is the world’s biggest tourist destination, but we have a serious lack of data to help manage the crowds,” the government said.

Some anti-tourism ­measures, however, turn out to be just rumours. Last summer, the walled Croatian town of Dubrovnik, said to be the most over-visited ­destination in Europe, with 36 ­visitors per resident, was widely reported to have banned wheelie suitcases.

In fact, as part of a Respect the City campaign urging visitors to dress appropriately in the historic centre and avoid climbing on monuments , the town hall had just asked them to carry their bags over cobblestones to reduce the noise level for locals.

The Netherlands

In the capital of the country that coined the term overtoerisme , ­tourist might be a dirty word – but Amsterdam is also increasingly ­desperate for visitors’ cash.

A plan last March to dissuade partying young British men with “stay away” videos warning of fines, hospital and criminal records made headlines worldwide. It’s unclear what effect it had, though, as Amsterdam’s overnight tourist numbers last year hit almost pre-pandemic levels at 9 million – 21% more than in 2022.

A soft-soap Renew your View campaign highlighting positive aspects off the beaten track (rather than sex and drugs) launched in November. Meanwhile the city is expected to expand its stay-away campaign to dissuade nuisance tourists from Germany, France, Spain and Italy after the summer.

A crowd of young people and lots of bicycles outside a cannabis/coffee shop

Since last spring there has been a ban on smoking cannabis in ­public space in the red light district, while bar closures at 2am instead of 4am have reduced street numbers by between 30% and 60%. However, after complaints about safety, sex-worker brothel windows are open until 6am again rather than 3am.

Amsterdam is reducing the number of licensed B&B premises by 30%, has voted to close a city centre cruise terminal and is trialling tougher licensing measures to remove “rogue” tourist businesses such as candy shops suspected of being criminal fronts.

The council says it is monitoring tourist numbers to try to maintain a balance. But multimillion budget shortfalls and a bill of billions to repair crumbling canalsides mean tourism is essential for Amsterdam: this year, the tourist tax rose from 7% to 12.5%, the highest in Europe , with a day tax of €14 a head for visiting cruise ships. Senay Boztas

Spain received 85 million ­tourists in 2023, nearly 2% up on pre-­pandemic 2019 – and in a country where ­tourism generates 13% of GDP, after the economic ­devastation of the Covid years, voices ­calling for curbs on numbers have been ­virtually silenced.

The hospitality business, however, continues to chant the mantra of quality over quantity – nowhere more so than in the Balearic Islands, where a new law is being drafted to crack down on drunk tourists.

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Last year about 15 ­million ­people visited the Balearics (­population 2 million), more than half British and German, with a ­significant percentage coming for what the regional government calls “tourism of excess”: a week-long drinking binge.

The new law to crack down on booze tourism is expected to be in force when the season kicks off at Easter. Under a 2020 law, areas such as Magaluf in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza were named as ­trouble spots.

Heavy fines were imposed for “balconing” (leaping into a pool from a balcony), shops were banned from selling alcohol after 9.30pm, and organised pub crawls, beach parties, party boats and two-for-one happy hours outlawed, Local businesses faced fines of up to €600,000.

But after areas such as Magaluf complained of being stigmatised, the new law will focus more on ­individuals. Among the planned measures are deportation for antisocial behaviour and a blacklist of people banned from visiting the islands.

Lawyers warn that this would infringe the EU’s principle of ­freedom of movement, although as the UK is no longer a member, rowdy Brits – who are among the worst offenders – could soon find themselves personae non gratae . Stephen Burgen

After years of talk, Venice is the first major tourist hotspot in Italy to introduce an entrance fee for day trippers. The measure kicks off at the start of peak season on 25 April, and in a first experimental phase will apply only on certain days until 14 July.

The €5 tickets have been bookable online since mid-January. Time will tell whether the controversial initiative works, but with visitor numbers back to pre-pandemic levels – an average of 40,000 day trippers on peak days – and the perennial threat of the fragile lagoon city losing its Unesco heritage status, authorities were forced to act. The city is also poised to limit tourist groups to 25 people from June and to ban the use of loudspeakers because they “generate confusion and disturbances”, Venice council said in late December.

Florence has long suffered from similar overtourism woes and an exodus of residents from its historic centre, prompting the council in October last year to ban new short-term lets in the historic centre from Airbnb and similar platforms.

The city’s mayor, Dario Nardella, said that while the initiative was not a “panacea”, it was a “concrete step” for tackling the issue in a city with a population of about 720,000 that records, on average, more than 16 miilion overnight visitor stays a year.

Elsewhere in Italy, drivers along the Amalfi coast will again be hit by a measure aimed at ­preventing a perpetual jam along the ­winding 35km coastal road described as “a nightmare” by locals. Cars with number plates ending in an odd number are allowed to use the road one day, and those ending in an even number the next.

In Cinque Terre, another Unesco site, local authorities are also pondering how to manage overtourism. “We don’t want fewer tourists, but we want to be able to manage [tourism] in a sustainable way,” Donatella Bianchi, president of Cinque Terre national park, said last month. Angela Giuffrida

In Greece, one of the most ­visited places in the world, soaring ­tourist numbers are not only ­straining infrastructure on island idylls but increasingly stretching ­capacity in Athens, where residents, as ­elsewhere, are up in arms.

Once a stopover for travellers en route to isles, the Greek ­metropolis is now a “must-see” destination in its own right, drawing more than 7 million tourists – an all-time record – in 2023, with Americans and Britons topping arrivals.

To cope with an influx that is only expected to grow when the Asian market rebounds, Greek authorities have announced that crowd control policies – implemented in pilot form at the Acropolis in September – will be expanded to other archaeological sites next month.

A cruise ship docks at Mykonos.

Last year, at the height of the ­season, more than 20,000 ­tourists a day climbed the hill to see the fifth-century BC site. “We got to the point of as many as 23,000 a day,” the Greek culture ­minister, Lina Mendoni, said. “Tourism is ­obviously desirable for the country, for all of us, but we have to ensure overtourism doesn’t harm the monument.”

The visitor zone scheme, in ­operation from 8am to 8pm, aims to ease congestion, with authorities introducing a time-slot system, ­electronic ticketing and fast-lane entry points for organised groups. “It will help ensure the safety of the monument and those who work there, and improve the experience of visitors,” Mendoni said.

Museums will also cap visitor numbers from April.

The spectre of the country enjoying another bumper year of tourism has been met with mounting fears among environmentalists on islands where communities have increasingly struggled with waste management, water scarcity, insufficient public services and illegal construction.

In the face of local disgruntlement the government has been forced to step in. On Santorini, where complaints of ­oversaturation have grown steadily over the years, a berth-allocation system for cruise ships was introduced, with the number of disembarkations in any 24-hour period being limited to 8,000 passengers.

On Mykonos – like Santorini, one of the most popular islands in the Cycladic chain – authorities have clamped down on illicit construction, bulldozing illegally built bars and eateries in prime sites. Helena Smith

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EU STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

On 25 March 2021, a resolution on establishing an EU strategy for sustainable tourism was adopted by 577 votes to 31, and 80 abstentions.

Tourism and travel sectors account for almost 10% of the EU's GDP and the COVID-19 outbreak has put 6 out of 27 million jobs at risk. To address such a critical situation, the resolution does not only suggest to temporarily reduce VAT on these services , but also urges them to implement common European traveling conditions through the Digital Green Certificate .

On the long term, the sanitary crisis is expected to launch a transition to a more 'sustainable, responsible and smart tourism ', as well as a rethinking process aiming to plan the future of the industry .

As part of this rethinking process, sport and sporting events have been highlighted as opportunities for the tourism sector :

63. Points out the major contribution of sport to European tourism and highlights the opportunities arising from sporting events and activities , while not forgetting the importance of improving the sustainability of major events;

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EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Text Adopted by European Parliament 25 March 2021

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25 March 2021, Brussels. The Parliament voted on the INI report on Sustainable Tourism. The resolution on an EU strategy for sustainable tourism was adopted by 577 votes to 31, and 80 abstentions. It notes that the COVID-19 outbreak has paralysed the EU’s tourism sector, putting millions of jobs at risk.

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It notes that the COVID-19 outbreak has paralysed the EU’s tourism sector, putting millions of jobs at risk.

The text begins:

Rebuild: COVID-19 impact response plans

1.  Stresses that the COVID-19 outbreak has paralysed the EU tourism sector, putting its ecosystem under unprecedented pressure; highlights that continued short-term financial support is essential to the survival of the sector, especially in light of the second and third wave of the pandemic; believes, nonetheless, that the current crisis should lead the Commission and Member States to fully acknowledge the importance of the tourism industry, to fully integrate it into European and national development plans, to enhance the quality of its offer, to make it more sustainable and accessible for all, and to launch long-overdue public and private investment in the digitalisation and overall modernisation of the sector;

Read the full text in more languages at the Europa website.

MEP Istvan Ujhelyi drafted an additional motion to this report on the creation of the European Tourism Union. This AM was voted too, so the majority of the MEPs supported the idea of a stronger European Tourism Policy with the establishment of the European Tourism Union.   Istvan Ujhelyi stated: “The bankruptcy of the Thomas Cook and now the coronavirus epidemic have highlighted the need for EU-level solutions: immediate financial support, a crisis management mechanism, clear rules to facilitate travel, and a long-term European tourism strategy. Tourism is part of the European Green Deal, and the innovative digital solutions can help to relaunch the sector in a more sustainable way. After hearing Parliament's proposal, the Commission decided to set up a European Health Union, with a budget in the seven-year MFF. I am convinced that in the coming months, European leaders will recognize that a similar achievement is needed, in the field of tourism to create the European Tourism Union!” The AM on the European Tourism Union: "17. Calls for a discussion to be initiated at the Conference on the Future of Europe on helping tourism to become a shared competence of the EU, rather than a complementary competence as is currently the case; stresses that the Treaties currently provide significant flexibility for EU policies in the field of tourism, which is not being fully utilised by the Commission; calls on the Commission, therefore, to start making full use of the Treaties to develop a comprehensive European tourism policy towards the creation of the European Tourism Union".

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Guidebook

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EU Guidebook on Sustainable Tourism for Development

In recognition of the considerable opportunities and issues involved in the development of tourism, in 2012 the European Commission's Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid established the project “Enhancing capacities for sustainable tourism for development in developing countries”. The project was undertaken in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) which was commissioned to prepare a Guidebook on Sustainable Tourism, as an engine for development, trade in services, job creation and poverty reduction.

The Guidebook is intended to enhance the understanding of tourism in all its dimensions, how it relates to the EU Agenda for Change so as to enable EU services in Brussels and the EU Delegations in 180 countries as well as other development institutions to include sustainable tourism development in their programme cycles.

UNWTO endeavours to maximize tourism’s contribution to, inter alia, development and international understanding, while minimizing its negative impacts, paying particular attention to the growth potential of developing countries. Likewise, the European Union is well placed to support developing countries in identifying and implementing interventions in sustainable tourism.

The approach has been based on the experience of UNWTO and its work with a wide range of partner agencies and governments. In particular, the results of the study have been field tested in six countries during and following the preparation of the document, namely Kenya, India, Vietnam, Senegal, Botswana and Timor-Leste . The guidebook was publicly launched with the EU on the 27th of June 2013 in Brussels.

Background- Sustainable Tourism for Development

Over the last decades, tourism has experienced continued growth and increased diversification, becoming one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. The business volume of tourism today equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, food products or automobiles, offering millions of direct entry points into the workforce, particularly for youth and women, and a diversity of investment opportunities for young entrepreneurial talents. Tourism has become one of the major sectors in international trade, at the same time representing one of the main income sources for many developing countries.  It is their only service sector with recorded surpluses in trade compared to the rest of the world.

However, tourism can also be a source of environmental damage and pollution, a threat to the socio-cultural structure, a heavy user of scarce resources and a potential cause of negative externalities in society.  What must be done?

Tourism in the Global Development Agenda: The future we want Rio+20 outcome document

" Sustainable tourism is highlighted in the final outcome document of Rio+20 as a thematic area and a cross-sectorial issue within the framework for action and follow-up.

130. We emphasize that well-designed and managed tourism can make a significant contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, has close linkages to other sectors, and can create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities (…)

131. We encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small and medium sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential (…)"

  • Rio+20: The Future We Want
  • Green Economy Report leaflet

In recent years, sustainability has emerged as a critical concern that must be addressed in any viable tourism development strategy. Expressed simply, sustainable tourism can be defined as “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities”. Tourism is one of the ten economic sectors identified in the UNEP Green Economy Report, whose greening could increase prosperity, create employment and reduce poverty. In addition, tourists are increasingly demanding the greening of tourism. Tourism development should hence have a sustainable approach , to be able to promote growth in the long-term while maintaining a balanced use of resources. This should be supported at local, national, regional and international levels.

Developing Countries surpassing advanced economies’ international tourist arrivals in 2015

Although developed countries remain both the major tourism destinations and source of international tourism, developing countries are reducing the gap. In recent decades there has been a substantial diversification in international tourism destinations, and many developing countries have registered phenomenal growth in tourist arrivals and receipts. Tourism also particularly thrives on assets such as natural environment, warm climate, rich cultural heritage and plentiful human resources, where developing countries have a comparative advantage.

  • Tourism is the first or second source of export earnings in 20 of the 48 LDCs
  • In some developing countries, notably small island states, tourism can account for over 25% of GDP.
  • From 2015, emerging economies will, for the first time receive more international tourist arrivals than advanced economies
  • By 2030, 58% of international arrivals will be to emerging economy destinations of Asia, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Inbound tourism, advanced and emerging economies

However, tourism can also be a source of environmental damage and pollution , a heavy consumer of scarce resources and a cause of negative impacts in society.  For these reasons, it is imperative that it is well planned and managed , embracing the principles of sustainable tourism which is defined as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry the environment and host communities” .

The Purpose of the Guidebook- Sustainable Tourism for Development

The Purpose of the Guidebook- Sustainable Tourism for Development

The document is aimed at two main audiences:

  • The EU and other development assistance agencies – to help them understand and identify opportunities to assist the tourism sector in delivering sustainable development.
  • Governments and other stakeholders within developing countries – to help them identify where they may need to strengthen their approach to sustainable tourism, and if necessary to seek assistance, within the context of international priorities and policies for sustainable development.

In particular the document provides a basis for discussion between the above two groups in agreeing on priorities and actions for supporting sustainable tourism.

The study is seen as informing the existing cooperation frameworks and common assessment and coordination processes in Official Development Assistance and Aid for Trade . This applies particularly in the field of trade, in which tourism plays an important part, including the work of the Enhanced Integrated Framework in promoting Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies and in the delivery of Aid for Trade.

The study contributes to the positioning of tourism within the overarching framework for action on green growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development post-2015 , stemming from Rio+20 and addressed by the European Commission in Communication (2013) 92 A Decent Life for All: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable futur e

Related links

  • A Decent Life for All: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future

“Sustainable Tourism for development in developing countries”: A document in three interlinking parts

The Guidebook takes a comprehensive approach to tourism, covering a wide range of topics relating to its planning, development, management and impact. By working through the whole document, users are able to identify priorities for intervention across a spectrum of issues.

The Guidebook’s aim is to mainstream tourism by:

  • Enhancing understanding and commitment to sustainable tourism.
  • Providing guidance to assess the tourism sector’s importance, identifying opportunities for sustainable tourism development, planning actions, and enhancing sustainability of projects.
  • Delivering a “Sustainable Tourism for Development Study” which will enable the EU and other development institutions to include sustainable tourism development in their programme cycles.

The guidebook is divided in the three parts described below:

  • GUIDANCE NOTE:  Relates the UE framework for development, e.g. the EU Agenda for Change and Tourism pillars (methodology) and relates to EU priorities. It aims at providing guidance to EU services on the approaches required to ensure the effective implementation of priorities for sustainable tourism in developing countries. 
  • SITUATION ANALYSIS : Describes the macro-economic dimensions of tourism; its contrubution to improve the situation of a country and its relation with other sectors; policies in place to develop the sector and its contribution to sustainable development and reviews the existing policies and programmes auming at developing sustainable tourism in developing countries.   
  • METHODOLOGY:  Designes to ptovide EU delagrions with a sustematics approach to understand the impact and value of the tourism sector in the country and the way it is managed and operated; and to understand which actions are appropriate to improve the situation through tailored interventions. 

“The Methodology”: How to assess priorities for Sustainable Tourism in Developing Countries?

The Methodology follows a systematic structure which, through a series of questions * under each issue, enables the situation to be assessed, weaknesses and gaps identified and possible actions considered, while also pointing to existing services that are available. It focuses on five key pillars of sustainable tourism in developing countries:

 Sustainable Tourism in Developing Countries

Consolidating a European Agenda for Tourism 2030/2050

Question for written answer  E-000248/2022/rev.1 to the Council Rule 138 Sara Cerdas (S&D)

During the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, steps were taken to prepare a ‘European Agenda for Tourism 2030/2050’. In May 2021, the Council even issued recommendations setting out its vision for a more resilient tourism sector and with a view to supporting the ecological and digital transitions. The Slovenian Presidency also pursued this goal through the 20th European Tourism Forum, which brought together EU tourism ministers to discuss the main steps and measures to be taken for this agenda.

Given that the Member States called on the European Commission to present the first draft of the ‘European Agenda for Tourism 2030/2050’ by the end of 2021 and that its publication has not yet been announced, I would like to ask:

  • 1. How does the Council intend to collaborate with the European Commission in this regard?
  • 2. What specific initiatives does it plan to organise to drive this agenda forward ?
  • 3. How does it plan to integrate the needs of the outermost regions in its programme, specifically in relation to the tourism sector and in the context of this agenda?

european tourism strategy

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Auditors Call for Change of EU Tourism Strategy to Meet New Challenges

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Photo source: eca.europa.eu

In addition to Covid-19 , the European Union must be prepared to address long-term challenges related to green and digital transformation, competitiveness , sustainability , and resilience , said a European Court of Auditors report published recently recommending that a new European tourism strategy be drawn up.

The report notes that though some tourism-related projects financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) had a positive impact, were sustainable and contributed to fostering tourism activity in the region, other projects were delayed or over budget and not targeted correctly reducing their impact.

In view of the findings, the auditors recommend the Commission formulate a new EU tourism strategy and encourage member states to apply selection procedures for ERDF-funded tourism investments.

It should be noted that the EU has a supportive role in tourism policy, backing and coordinating actions taken by member states. There was no dedicated EU budget for tourism in the 2014-2020 period. The Commission defined the EU’s current tourism strategy in 2010 and will continue to financially support tourism through EU programs for the 2021-2027 period.

european tourism strategy

“The Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the EU’s tourism sector: tourism flows and tourism revenue fell sharply,” said Pietro Russo , a member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report.

“But this immediate shock is not the only challenge facing the EU’s tourism sector. It needs to face up to other, more long-term challenges related to its green and digital transformation, its competitiveness, its sustainability, and its resilience.”

According to the report’s findings, key problem areas concerned projects that received funding but were isolated from other tourism infrastructure; poor or no efforts to market projects effectively; funded infrastructure was used mainly by the local community not by visitors.

european tourism strategy

Photo Source: @European Commission

EU Tourism in Numbers

According to the report:

– the EU is the world’s most visited region welcoming in pre-pandemic 2019 around 539 million international arrivals

– approximately 37 percent of all international tourist arrivals had the EU as their destination in 2019

– in 2019, international tourism revenue in the EU came to 383 billion euros or 28.9 percent of global tourism revenue

– tourism is a key economic sector in the EU: in 2019, it accounted for 9.9 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product and 11.6 percent of all EU jobs

– four EU members: France, Spain Italy and Germany are among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of international tourism arrivals and revenue.

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European tourist hotspot wants to make visitors less annoying to locals by having them buy heat pumps and solar panels for area schools

european tourism strategy

One of Europe’s top travel destinations  doesn’t like tourists  — or at least you’d get that impression reading some of the unwelcoming slogans locals have graffitied across Barcelona.

The city now has a plan that could curb some of this tourism phobia , while also helping with adaptation to climate change.

Barcelona’s city hall launched a new strategy to direct  €100 million ($108 million) from its tourist tax  – the charge travelers see at the  bottom of their hotel bill  — to a fund that will install heat pumps and solar panels in state-owned schools. 

Using this tax for clear, long-term green benefits could change the perception of the disruption caused by the city’s guests. Barcelona, the home of 1.6 million people, every year hosts about 7 million tourists, who add pressure to already strained services, such as waste removal. To deal with that, local authorities have charged a tourist tax of €2.75 ($3) per person, for every night spent in the city, and will increase that to €3.25 ($4) from April 1.

“So far we have spent these taxes on compensating the impact tourists have on the city, including cleaning services, safety and public transport,” says Jordi Valls, Barcelona’s head of economic and tourism promotion. “This year we’ve decided to go a step further and spend the tax on financing public services from a climate point of view.”

Nestled on the Mediterranean shore, Barcelona’s climate is changing fast as the world warms. The city has become hotter and drier in recent years, with authorities declaring a state of emergency for water earlier this month amid a three-year drought that’s the worst on record.

High temperatures and longer heat waves have forced city hall to set up climate refuges where people can cool off in July and August. But increasing heat during school terms in June and September are making children — and the classrooms they spend so much time in — a new focus.

With the tourist tax fund, Barcelona expects to install air conditioning systems powered by rooftop solar on a total of 170 schools by 2029. When possible, old and polluting gas boilers will be replaced with heat pumps.

“Climate change is impacting our children and our schools — our infrastructure – is just not appropriate anymore,” Valls says. “The school project substantially improves education as a public service, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions.”

Authorities are planning to roll out 181,000 square meters (1.9 million square feet) of solar panels across school properties. As this will likely produce more power than these facilities need, officials want neighbors and other nearby public buildings to use that surplus, lowering electricity costs and providing clean energy for them too.

Barcelona’s plan could provide a blueprint for other European cities that are also dealing with climate change and a boom in visitors. In Italy, Venice collected €37 million in overnight tourist taxes in 2023, with hotels charging guests  anywhere between €1 and €5 . For now, current legislation forces the city to invest these funds in services and projects directly and indirectly linked to tourism, including security staff patrolling the city center, which is stormed every day by thousands of tourists.

Venice’s  tourist tax  also contributes to traditional cultural events, such as the Festa del Redentore in July, when a variety of boats parade  Saint Mark ’s basin, as well as preservation of the environmental and artistic heritage of the city, such as the iconic La Fenice Opera House and Teatro Goldoni.

Since day-trippers don’t pay the existing overnight tourist tax, starting on April 25 the city will charge them a  new €5 daytime levy  during the busiest days in spring and summer. The entry fee is aimed at reducing the downsides of mass tourism and helping to preserve the city’s heritage.

“In 2025 we plan to use part of the funds to reduce the waste tax for residents, which is very high because of the high number of tourists coming here every day,” says Michele Zuin, budget counselor for the city. “The rest of the sum will be used for maintenance works all over Venice.”

Paris, Europe’s most visited city, increased its overnight tax for tourists staying in the wider Île de France region by 200% as of Jan. 1. The hike means visitors staying in one-star hotels now pay  €2.60 per night , while those staying in ritzier digs pay €14.95 per night, compared to 0.80 cents and €4.60, respectively, prior to the change.

The government is expecting to collect way more than the  €200 million needed  this year for transportation upgrades, such as several extensions of metro and train lines, ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, which is being promoted as the  greenest games yet . It also aims to set aside around €11 million for creating and maintaining green spaces.

Meanwhile, back in Barcelona, not everyone is convinced the new plans for the tourist tax are going far enough to offset the impacts of extra visitors.

A lot more could be done with the millions of euros tourists pour into the city every year, says Janet Sanz, a member of city council and the vice president for climate action in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. A significant chunk of the tax is still spent on promoting the city through tourism fairs and events and money, she says, would be better spent on new bike lanes and the expansion of green areas. 

“There’s no need to promote such a well-known city,” Sanz says. “Everyone wants to live the ‘Barcelona experience.’”

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EUROPEAN TOURISM STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTIONS- 2015-2020

1 . Streamlining the regulatory framework for tourism at European, national, regional and local level

A public consultation on the regulatory and administrative framework affecting tourism was carried out in 2014. The consultation and subsequent stakeholder meetings showed that there is a need to look into and possibly streamline the regulatory and administrative framework relevant for those aspects that have been identified by the tourism industry, in particular on consumer proetction and taxation.

Proposed actions under this point:

  • Assessment of the existing regulatory and administrative framework impacting on tourism with a focus on the EU level;
  • Assessment at the EU level of the role of tourism related taxation and the potential impacts on the competitiveness and attractiveness of destinations;
  • Close cooperation within the Commission with Directorate-Generals in lead for different simplification, fitness check or evaluation exercise regarding legislative initiatives which have a direct impact on tourism. The following is planned in the Commission programme: (i) Simplification of the misleading and comparative advertising Directive, (ii) evaluation of the timeshare Directive, (iii) fitness check for consumer rights and advertising legislation including unfair commercial parctices (B2C) and unfair terms Directive;
  • Events/workshops to inform about EU legislation applicable to tourism;
  • Exchange of best practices between national tourism administrations.

2. Promoting the digitalisation of the tourism SMEs

Digitalisation is key to the competitiveness of the tourism industry, but the European tourism SMEs are lagging behind in using the potential offered by modern technologies. The Commission has implemented a number of initiatives aiming at the enhancement of digitalisation of SMEs in tourism (e.g. financing of TourismLink, Webinars designed to provide guidance on digital issues to SMEs, creation of digital tourism network to identify the challenges, discuss possible engagement for the Commission and other stakeholders in order to alleviate existing barriers to digitalisation and provide suggestions to the Commission services on how to shape the medium term strategy, vision and the set of new actions.

The Commission has adopted in May 2014 the Single Digital Market Strategy, the aim of which is to enhance the digital economy by dismantling barriers and moving from 28 national markets to a single market. The strategy is built on 3 pillars and contains 16 initiatives. The most relevant for transport and tourism include the following:

Pillar 1:  Better access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services across Europe

  • Legislative proposals for simple and effective cross-border contract rules for consumers and businesses. This includes harmonised EU rules on contracts and consumer protection when buying online.
  • A wide ranging review to prepare legislative proposals to tackle unjustified geo-blocking ( a discriminatory practice used for commercial reasons, when online sellers either deny consumers access to a website based on their location, or re-route them to a local store with different prices.)
  • Competition sector inquiry into e-commerce, relating to the online trade of goods and the online provision of services, in order to allow the Commission to identify possible competition concerns. The e-commerce enquiry has already been launched. It may be relevant in relation to OTAs imposing rate party agreements which stifle competition among suppliers and distributors.
  • Legislative proposals to reduce the administrative burden on businesses arising from different VAT regimes.

Pillar 2:  Creating the right conditions for digital networks and services to flourish

Comprehensive analysis of the role of online platforms (including search engine.) in the market. This will cover issues such as the non-transparency of search results and of pricing policies, how they use the information they acquire, relationships between platforms and suppliers and the promotion of their own services to the disadvantage of competitors – to the extent these are not already covered by competition law. This may be relevant in relation to search engines that do not abide with price transparency rules. The Sharing Economy is also mentioned as possibly raising regulatory questions.

Pillar 3: Maximising the growth potential of the Digital Economy

  • Adoption of a Priority ICT Standards Plan and extending the European Interoperability Framework for public services, including for transport (e.g. multi-modal travel information systems).

Under this priority point, the Commission is proposing the following action points:

  • Optimisation of the Tourism Business Portal and continuation of webinars;
  • Assessment of the impact of digitalisation on tourism and the sharing/collaborative economy in the tourism industry;
  • Facilitating dialogue between digital and traditional tourism stakeholders via events, networks, etc.
  • SME access to e-skills and e-leadership.

3.   Upgrading skills and competences in the tourism sector

The competences of professionals are a key element for a consumer-oriented service like tourism. Insufficient skills to cater for the needs of modern travellers are quoted as key barriers to the competitiveness of EU tourism.

There is a need to know more about the current skills needs, to ensure recognition of qualifications, to assist education and training providers with modernisation of their curricula, as well as to develop tools for SME e-learning and for enhancement of e-leadership across the tourism sector.

The Commission is proposing the following actions under this priority point:

  • Identification of the gap between the education supply and labour market demand (mapping study is ongoing and results will published)
  • Cooperation with relevant Commission DGs to mainstream a tourism dimension in other services’ projects (e.g. sector skills councils);
  • Development and dissemination of e-/m-skills taxonomy / framework / guidelines on adaptation of existing tourism curricula;
  • SME access to e-skills and e-leadership (e.g. YouTube live seminars)

4. Promoting sustainable and responsible tourism, among other through adoption of a Charter for Sustainable and Responsible Tourism

Sustainability is a fundamental aspect for the European tourism competitiveness in the short, medium and long term. Therefore it is important to work on raising awareness about the sustainable and responsible tourism supply (public authorities, destinations and business) and demand (tourists).

Proposed concrete actions under this priority point:

  • Adoption of a European Charter for Sustainable and Responsible Tourism address to all stakeholders (public authorities, destination, businesses and tourists). A draft has already been prepared some two years ago. The Charter should reflect the commitment of the stakeholders to develop tourism in accordance with a set of objectives and principles, such as (i) pursuing a balanced approach to economic, social, cultural and environmental aspects of sustainability, (ii) Protecting the natural heritage and (iii) Conserving cultural heritage, etc. Adoption of the Charter will be voluntary and will require a bi-annual reporting on the main initiatives undertaken to fulfil the principles / objectives of the Charter.
  • Joint EU /UNWTO event on ethical and responsible tourism (April 2016)
  • Further roll-out of European Tourism Indicators System for Sustainable Management at destinations
  • Promote accessibility for PRMs, facilitate exchange of good practices, etc.

5 .  Fostering low and medium season tourism exchanges

Seasonality is a constant challenge for the European tourism as it often impacts negatively on a destination’s economic fabric and business models, as well as on its socio-cultural and ecological environment. Fostering low and medium tourism exchanges, in particular, for senior and youth, and encouraging the diversification of tourism products and services to address the needs of these tourists, could be of value-added.

  • Support via calls for proposals of trans-national project partnerships to foster low and medium season exchanges for seniors and youth, and to set up a business model for an age-friendly tourism. 
  • Analysis of seasonality patterns in the EU and inventory of senior & youth tourism profile (i.e. assessment of travel needs, preferences and trends);
  • Elaboration of guidelines for the design of transnational tourism packages for elderly and young tourists in low-medium season;
  • Organisation of dedicated workshops for awareness-raising and exchange of best practice.

6 .  Improving intermodality and transparent connectivity

Insufficient transport connectivity is a serious challenge for EU tourism. The improvement of inter-modality and transport connectivity is a key issue to tourism development, in particular in remote and peripheral areas for which tourism is an economic driver and sometimes the backbone of the economy.

Proposed concrete actions by the Commission under this priority point:

  • Analysis of the challenges to providing better connectivity and intermodality from major hubs to tourism destinations in close cooperation with the OECD Tourism Committee;
  • Cooperation with relevant Commission DGs to help deliver multimodal travel information, planning and ticketing services;
  • Facilitate cooperation and coordination amongst transport modes stakeholders to enhance intermodality and interconnectivity.

7.   Joint promotion of Europe as a tourist destination, mainly in third countries

The EU is the world’s number one tourist destination. However, in light of the increasing competition from emerging markets, the EU’s share of international tourist arrivals is predicted to decrease. Therefore, in order to keep Europe’s leading position as a tourist destination, supporting promotion of Europe and its destinations, in particular via promotion of transnational / pan-European thematic products is essential.

Proposed concrete actions:

  • Support the diversification of the tourism offer, in particular through the development and promotion of transnational and pan-European thematic products;
  • Continued cooperation with the European Travel Commission (ETC);
  • Facilitate and support the launch of a joint public-private partnership initiative for the promotion of Europe via the promotion of thematic products and encourage a much closer involvement of the EU tourism industry, like in similar joint promotion initiatives in USA, Australia, Germany and Switzerland (which also have federal structures);
  • Events and communication campaigns. 

8.   Improving the governance of tourism

Governance of tourism is a complex issue involving numerous types of public and private actors at several levels: EU, national, regional and local. It is essential to improve the governance of tourism issues both within the Commission and between the Commission and other EU institutions, but also at the level of the national administrations of the Member States and within the industry at large.

  • Improve cooperation with relevant other DGs within the Commission, with the other institutions as well as with national administrations, the industry and other stakeholders;
  • Organise meetings between the TAC (national tourism administrations) and the industry on pre-defined topics;
  • Encourage the enhancement of a travel and tourism value chain platform

The digital transition of tourism

As in every ecosystem of our economy and our society, digitalisation impacts and transforms tourism. Platforms, online payments, and social media – to give but a few examples – greatly impact how we live and do tourism. The European Commission pays close attention to this process to support the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the tourism sector in the EU.

Support for destinations, SMEs and visitors

Defined as ‘Europe’s Digital Decade’, in 2021, the Commission presented a vision for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030. The  digital compass  evolves around four action areas, namely 

  • skilling and upskilling
  • secure and sustainable digital infrastructures
  • the digital transformation of businesses 
  • the digitalisation of public services

This ambitious strategy is the roadmap for the digital transition of the tourism sector in the EU, which can benefit all stakeholders.

Digital solutions for business 

Considering business opportunities, digitalisation inspires innovative models, solutions and ecosystems. It opens up new roles for consumers and producers, making way for start-ups and upscaling existing businesses. While also helping meet supply and demand.

Given that SMEs and micro enterprises make up the bulk of the business contribution to tourism, the Commission pursues all sectoral policies at EU level in close coordination with the supporting measures for  SMEs . EU funding available for the tourism sector provides further support (see the  Guide on EU funding for tourism ,  the Single Market Programme ).

Digital solutions for the public sector and tourism managers

From the point of view of local authorities and destination management organisations (DMOs), digitalisation supports destinations in easing the impact of seasonal flows on local resources, infrastructures, transport systems, and services, thereby integrating arrivals seamlessly and sustainably. This can be particularly important for developing rural and remote destinations and ecosystems. It can also help to increase measurability and track trends, which can be a game changer for sustainable tourism strategies at local, regional, national, and EU levels.

Digital solutions for visitors 

For visitors, digitalisation can offer customised experiences, which can be enjoyed before, during and after a visit. It also has the potential to provide tourists with integrated, easy-to-use, remote information on services, offers, maps, events, experiences, available infrastructure, and sustainability and safety levels.

A key success factor for the uptake of digitalisation is the preparedness of stakeholders. That depends on skill levels and governance systems capable of creating synergies – between different actors, residents and visitors, levels of government, and also across sectors.

The Commission strongly focuses on helping to upskill and re-skill the sector’s workforce , notably in digital skills. 

As for innovative governance models, the Commission supports networks of cities that have already put effective mechanisms in place, or are contemplating doing so, staying in close contact and exchanging good practices.

  • Intelligent cities challenge  
  • European capitals of smart tourism
  • EDEN - European Destinations of Excellence

In addition, one of the actions identified in the Transition Pathway for Tourism and the EU Agenda for Tourism 2030 to support the digitalisation of tourism SMEs and destinations is to develop a searchable inventory of existing transferable digital tools and practices. The Commission, with the assistance of an external contractor,  developed an inventory of digital tools   and practices based on submissions by SMEs, destinations, and other stakeholders, continuously updating it. Tourism stakeholders have free access to this inventory to support their efforts in developing a similar digital tool or practice for their destination or business.

Data management for tourism 

All digital developments evolve around access to data and strategic data management. Combining historical data with rapid real-time flows of often unstructured data (e.g. the streams of photos and videos generated by social network users) drives the competitiveness and sustainability of destinations.

Therefore, data management and its specificities in the tourism sector will depend on the access, use, reuse, and exchange of data. At the same time, expertise on what data is needed and how to use it in the tourism ecosystem should inform the governance of these important elements. 

As regards governance for data access, the  European data strategy   announced legislative measures to create the necessary overarching governance framework for a data-agile economy and to address common data-sharing issues between different sectors and domains. 

A pillar of this strategy is the  European Data Governance Act   proposed by the Commission in 2020. Among its priorities, the act aims to create EU-wide common, interoperable data spaces in strategic sectors to overcome legal and technical barriers to data sharing. The Commission is therefore looking into setting up an EU data space for tourism. In March 2022, we organised the  first workshop  tackling one of the key enablers for interoperability in the data space for tourism.

Facilitating data sharing

In September 2021, stakeholders in the tourism sector volunteered to prepare a code of conduct for data sharing in tourism to offer guidance and inspiration to the industry when envisaging a partnership or contractual agreement. 

The excitement over access to real-time information often overshadows the importance of policy indicators and high-quality, highly reliable statistics for analytics and evidence-based decision-making. At the same time, there is a need to improve the coverage of tourism statistics from basic figures on trips and overnight stays to data on tourism’s social, environmental and economic impacts. A combination of both offers the most comprehensive perspective on developments and trends and can profoundly impact policy change. 

Other initiatives 

  • Data Spaces Support Centre
  • Living in EU

More information

  • Tourism dashboard
  • Study on the most common uses of data by EU destination

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IMAGES

  1. The European Tourism Indicator System

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  2. European Tourism

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  3. Commission Urged to Adopt a European Tourism Strategy

    european tourism strategy

  4. Trends in European Tourism Planning and Organisation

    european tourism strategy

  5. Commission Urged to Adopt a European Tourism Strategy

    european tourism strategy

  6. European Tourism Manifesto Launches #Tourism4Recovery Campaign

    european tourism strategy

VIDEO

  1. European Tourism Trends and Prospects Q1/2019

  2. The changing face of tourism

  3. How to save tourism from itself

  4. 100 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Europe 2024

  5. WONDERS OF EUROPE

  6. Types of Tourism

COMMENTS

  1. New European agenda for tourism

    The Council has adopted conclusions setting out a European Agenda for Tourism 2030, which includes a multi-annual EU work plan to help member states, public authorities, the Commission and stakeholders make the tourism sector greener and more sustainable, resilient and digitalised. Since the age of Marco Polo, travelling and discovering new ...

  2. Entrance fees, visitor zones and taxes: how Europe's biggest cities are

    The number of low-cost airline seats in Europe, which rose 10% annually from 2010 and hit 500m in 2019, could pass 800m in 2024. ... between managing tourism and ­discouraging it. One strategy ...

  3. EU strategy for sustainable tourism

    European Parliament resolution of 25 March 2021 on establishing an EU strategy for sustainable tourism ( 2020/2038 (INI)) The European Parliament, - having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Article 195 thereof, - having regard to Article 349 TFEU, which establishes a specific regime for the ...

  4. PDF European tourism: recent developments and future challenges

    OVERVIEW OF TOURISM IN THE EUROPEAN UNION 17 2.1. Europe's place in global tourism 17 2.2. European tourism in numbers 18 EUROPEAN UNION POLICY AND ACTIONS 23 3.1. EU tourism policy 23 3.2. European Union actions and initiatives in tourism 25 TRENDS AND CHALLENGES IN EUROPEAN TOURISM 29 4.1. Evolving visitor demand 29 4.2. Marketing 32 4.3.

  5. Policy overview

    The European Union supports, coordinates and complements the actions of EU countries related to tourism. EU tourism policy aims to maintain Europe's position as a leading global destination and to turn Europe into a sustainable destination, bearing also its social and environmental aspects. Some objectives are, notably, to maximise the ...

  6. European Tourism Agenda 2030: Commission welcomes the commitment of EU

    The Commission welcomes the adoption of the European Tourism Agenda 2030 by the Council of the European Union. The Agenda is based on the Commission's Transition Pathway for Tourism and includes a programme with actions to be taken by the EU countries, the Commission and the tourism ecosystem,

  7. Tourism in Europe for the Next Decade: Council adopts conclusions

    The Council today adopted a set of conclusions setting out its vision for an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable and resilient tourism sector in Europe. Tourism is hugely important for our regions' sustainable economic, social and environmental development. It also contributes significantly to the preservation and promotion ...

  8. Tourism

    The EU's tourism industry in the strict sense of the term (traditional providers of holidays and tourism services) is made up of 2.3 million businesses, primarily small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), employing an estimated 12.3 million people. Tourism is a major economic activity in the European Union, accounting for 10% of its GDP ...

  9. The transition of EU tourism

    To that end, the European Commission co-created the transition pathway for tourism with industry, public authorities, social partners and other stakeholders. The transition pathway for tourism was created in line with the update of the EU industrial strategy and published on 4 February 2022. The following sections present the main aspects of ...

  10. onclusions on 'European Agenda for Tourism 2030'

    Strategy: building a stronger single market for Europe's recovery ... Member States and stakeholders to build the basis for the European Agenda for Tourism 2030 through the co-creation process as contained in these conclusions; in this context ACKNOWLEDGES that the co-implementation process, as part of the Transition Pathway for Tourism, is a ...

  11. European Union Tourism Trends European

    European Union Tourism Trends 7 Tourism is important for many countries and regions. As well as creating jobs, tourism helps develop bonds between societies. In the European Union, tourism contributes 10% to EU GDP and creates jobs for 26 million people - through its direct, indirect and induced effects in the economy - in

  12. European Union Tourism Trends

    European Union Tourism Trends . Europe; 2 May 18 The European Union Tourism Trends report provides a comprehensive overview of tourism in the European Union and constitutes a tool for policy makers and other tourism stakeholders for developing market strategies and enhancing the knowledge base of the EU Virtual Tourism Observatory. The report is the result of a cooperation agreement between ...

  13. EU STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

    EU STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM. On 25 March 2021, a resolution on establishing an EU strategy for sustainable tourism was adopted by 577 votes to 31, and 80 abstentions. Tourism and travel sectors account for almost 10% of the EU's GDP and the COVID-19 outbreak has put 6 out of 27 million jobs at risk.

  14. Travel and tourism in Europe

    Europe is the global leader in international tourism, accounting for roughly 60 percent of international tourist arrivals worldwide in 2022. The growth rate of inbound tourism in the region ...

  15. Tourism transition pathway cocreation

    The updated EU Industrial Strategy highlights the need to accelerate the green and digital transition of EU industry and its ecosystems. To that end, it proposes working together with industry, public authorities, social partners and other stakeholders to design and implement transition pathways for each ecosystem. Tourism, as the most heavily hit ecosystem by the COVID-19- crisis, will be the ...

  16. EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Text Adopted by European ...

    25 March 2021, Brussels. The Parliament voted on the INI report on Sustainable Tourism. The resolution on an EU strategy for sustainable tourism was adopted by 577 votes to 31, and 80 abstentions. It notes that the COVID-19 outbreak has paralysed the EU's tourism sector, putting millions of jobs at risk. The text begins:

  17. PDF European Parliament

    - having regard to its resolution of 27 September 2011 on Europe, the world's No 1 tourist destination - a new political framework for tourism in Europe7, - having regard to its resolutions of 25 October 2011 on mobility and inclusion of people with disabilities and the European Disability Strategy 2010-20208 and of 18 June 2020

  18. EU Guidebook on Sustainable Tourism for Development

    In recent years, sustainability has emerged as a critical concern that must be addressed in any viable tourism development strategy. Expressed simply, sustainable tourism can be defined as "Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities".

  19. Consolidating a European Agenda for Tourism 2030/2050

    During the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, steps were taken to prepare a 'European Agenda for Tourism 2030/2050'. In May 2021, the Council even issued recommendations setting out its vision for a more resilient tourism sector and with a view to supporting the ecological and digital transitions.

  20. Auditors Call for Change of EU Tourism Strategy to Meet New Challenges

    In addition to Covid-19, the European Union must be prepared to address long-term challenges related to green and digital transformation, competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience, said a European Court of Auditors report published recently recommending that a new European tourism strategy be drawn up.. The report notes that though some tourism-related projects financed by the European ...

  21. The green transition of tourism

    The tourism ecosystem will not only benefit from a cleaner and healthier environment but will also be an important player, contributing to the shared goals of a climate-neutral Europe. With the European Green Deal, the EU is leading by example by promoting new growth models and by setting climate-neutral goals by 2050. It is already committed ...

  22. European tourist hotspot wants to make visitors less annoying ...

    Barcelona's city hall launched a new strategy to direct $108 million from its tourist tax to a fund that will install heat pumps and solar panels in state-owned schools. Europe Energy

  23. European Tourism Strategy and Plan of Actions- 2015-2020

    1. Streamlining the regulatory framework for tourism at European, national, regional and local level A public consultation on the regulatory and administrative framework affecting tourism was carried out in 2014. The consultation and subsequent stakeholder meetings showed that there is a need to look into and possibly streamline the regulatory and administrative framework

  24. Tourism

    Tourism is a major economic activity in the European Union with wide-ranging impact on economic growth, employment, and social development. It can be a powerful tool in fighting economic decline and unemployment. Nevertheless, the tourism sector faces a series of challenges.

  25. Digital transition of tourism

    Defined as 'Europe's Digital Decade', in 2021, the Commission presented a vision for Europe's digital transformation by 2030. The digital compass evolves around four action areas, namely. This ambitious strategy is the roadmap for the digital transition of the tourism sector in the EU, which can benefit all stakeholders.