European CommissionEnterprise and Industry Directorate-General

An agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism

Dia Mundial del TurismoJerez de la Frontera

26-27 September 2007

Michela LafranconiTourism Unit

Role of Tourism

Limited competences, but the Commission is anyway active in the tourism field

Horizontal issue:Several Directives and policies

influence/are influenced by tourismInter-service dialogue

Europe as a tourist destination

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Million

International Tourist Arrivals by Region(Source: UNWTO)

World 69 113 166 222 278 320 438 539 687 808

Africa 1 1 2 5 7 10 15 20 28 37

Americas 17 23 42 50 62 65 93 109 128 134

Asia and the P acific 1 2 6 10 23 33 56 83 111 157

Europe 50 84 113 154 178 203 264 313 394 442

Middle east 1 2 2 4 8 9 10 14 25 40

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

The “weight” of tourism in Europe

4% of the Community GDP 4% of the total labour force

But with the related sectors:

11% of the Community GDP 12% of the total labour force

Challenges facing tourism

Youths & Seniors Tourist trends

& preferences

Competition from other continents Sustainability

Dialogue and partnership amongst tourism stakeholders

a wide variety of stakeholders a wide variety of policy measures

Partnerships are necessary at every level of the decision-making process

Tourism Policy Objectives

The golden rules:clear and realistic goalsbest use of available resourcesbuilding on on-going actions offering added valuecomplementary to MS policies

A renewed European Tourism Policy

Aims: to improve competitiveness and create more and better jobs

Instruments

co-ordination

co-operation

supporting actions

Areas

mainstreaming tourism

promoting sustainability

enhancing visibility

Tourism Policy areas: Mainstreaming measures affecting tourism

Better regulation

Improved use of available European financial instruments

Policy-coordination

A “Maritime Policy” for the EU

7 June 2006: the European Commission adopts a Green Paper on a Future Maritime Policy for the European Union

consultation process:expired June 2007:

Tourism Policy areas:Enhancing the visibility of tourism

Tourism Advisory Committee Improving the Visibility of tourism

through Stakeholder ParticipationCollecting DataDissemination of Best PracticesPromotion of European

Destinations

Tourism Policy areas:Promoting Sustainable and

Competitive European Tourism

TSG Report: Feb `07 Public Consultation Communication on an

Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism (Oct `07)

ETF 2007

TSG – Tourism Sustainability Group

Group of experts coming fromDestinations IndustryCivil societyMember States International Organisations

TSG report: European tourism and sustainable

development

Tourism – a special relationship with sustainable development

Aims for the sustainability of European tourism

Response to tourism sustainability so far

Renewing the drive towards more sustainable European tourism

TSG report: Pre-requisites for tourism sustainability

a) Ensuring that the right conditions for a successful development of the tourism industry and Europe as tourist destination are in place

b) Anticipating and keeping abreast of different types of changes of most relevance to tourism, like climate change, technological development, demographic changes and new market trends

TSG report: Key challenges for the sustainability of

European tourism

1. Reducing the seasonality of demand

2. Addressing the impact of tourism transport

3. Improving the quality of tourism jobs

4. Maintaining and enhancing community prosperity and quality of life, in the face of change

TSG report: Key challenges for the sustainability of

European tourism

5. Minimising resource use and production of waste

6. Conserving and giving value to natural and cultural heritage

7. Making holidays available to all

8. Using tourism as a tool in global sustainable development

TSG report: Responsibilities for action

European Commission Member States governments (national

or regional government) Local authorities and /or Destination

Management Organisations Tourism businesses Other bodies Tourists

TSG report: Recommended initiatives at the

European level

1 Reporting by Member States2 Knowledge networks3 Communication4 Implementation model for sustainable

destination management5 Pilot projects6 Research projects7 Coordination of education and training8 Voluntary certification and

benchmarking

Public consultation

More than 200 repliesVery good response to the TSG

recommendationsHigh number of contributions from

Spain and Italy

The forthcoming Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European

Tourism

The European Commission fulfils a long-term commitment

Official launch and endorsement of a medium-long term Agenda

A voluntary process is ongoing and it should be strengthened

The forthcoming Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European

Tourism

Conceptual framework for stakeholders: pre-requisites must be metobjectives and principles for a

competitive and sustainable tourism

challenges to be tackled

The forthcoming Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European

Tourism

Coherent actionsustainable management of

destinationsintegration of sustainability

concerns by businessessustainability awareness by

tourists

Moving forward together: the role of stakeholders

Call to Stakeholders: recognise their responsibilities, seize the opportunity of the sustainability

challenge, share their knowledge, communicate the negative and positive

results, bring these issues into their daily

discussions, “translate” the messages for small and

micro businesses

Moving forward together: the role of the Commission

Mobilising actors to produce and share knowledge

Promoting destinations of excellenceMobilising the EU financial

instrumentsMainstreaming sustainability and

competitiveness in Commission policies

Some practical actions

Study on Impact of Cultural and Sporting Events Accessibility in Tourism Involvement in Social Tourism:

* January 2006 Conference: Accessibility* February 2007 Conference: Youths and Seniors* June 2007 Workshop: Youths and Seniors

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/services/ tourism/index_en.htm

Learning Areas Handbook

Specific action to promote economic and social stability Involves stakeholders (top down/bottom up) in learning & innovation process through cooperation and networking Aimed at improving SME performance and human potential at destination level Accompanied by CD Rom

The European Tourist Destinations Portal www.visiteurope.com

European Destinations of Excellence

Pilot projectBudget of 1 million Euros Best Emerging Rural Destination in

2006/7Project Open to All Member States

and Candidate CountriesNetworking Possible

The Way Forward

Building up or strengthening partnerships/alliances

EU commitment

Active involvement of all stakeholders