STORY
The Council of the European Union has adopted conclusions setting out strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive tourism sector. Ministers said tourism remains a major part of the EU economy, contributing around 7 per cent of gross value added, 10 per cent of jobs and supporting millions of businesses.
The conclusions call for tourism policy to take greater account of economic, social and environmental pressures. They include measures on resource efficiency, circularity, decarbonisation, protecting nature and cultural heritage, improving skills and working conditions and ensuring that tourism benefits local communities rather than simply adding pressure to already crowded destinations.
The Council also called for better coordination between the Commission, member states, regional authorities, destination management organisations and industry bodies. It said the EU should improve connectivity, strengthen crisis preparedness and make better use of tourism data and artificial intelligence, while asking the Commission to report every three years on implementation.