Tourism is the third-largest socio-economic factor in the European Union, generating over 10% of EU's GDP and employing 5.2% of the entire European workforce. Despite these positive numbers, Hanspeter Wagner, Mayor of Breitenwang municipality, is calling on the EU to encourage more people to spend their holidays in Europe. "Despite the continuing growth in the tourism industry, the EU's share of the international tourism market will inevitably shrink, as tourism in emerging regions of the world is growing at a faster rate" he underlined during a first discussion of his draft opinion in the European Committee of the Regions Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) meeting in Innsbruck today. "Those involved in tourism right across Europe are encouraged to confront today's challenges and to coordinate modern strategies to ensure that tourism remains a driving force for regional cooperation and social cohesion" he added.
Addressing the Commission meeting, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs underlined her support for the draft option through a video message citing four areas for cooperation: improving the business environment, benefiting from the opportunities offered by digital technologies, improving skills and worker mobility and promoting Europe as a tourist destination. "We must work in partnership with industry and the regions, if we are to be successful" she concluded.
Building on the Commissioner's message, Austrian Mayor agreed that customers are looking for an increasingly personalised and unique tourism experience. He therefore insists that diverse needs must be met quickly and in a more targeted way, if Europe is to retain its visitors and prevent them from heading to other destinations. He also pled for enhanced dialogue between local and regional authorities and tourism stakeholders, such as the industry operators and associations, investors, environmental groups and local communities, to find ways to boost competitiveness in both cities and rural areas.
Other proposals in the draft opinion include:
- "special attention" for urban areas given the increased demand for city tourism and the specific challenges they face, such security, the environment, transport planning, increased mobility and demographic change;
- support for SMEs i.e. small and medium-sized enterprises so they can make better use of EU funds;
- exploitation of the sharing economy's potential to create growth and jobs in Europe's regions and cities
Following this first debate with the NAT Commission, the rapporteur will continue to develop his draft opinion and present it for adoption at the Plenary Session in December 2016.