During its Plenary Session, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted an opinion urging the European Union to fundamentally rethink how tourism is managed across Europe. Led by Margarita Prohens Rigo (ES/EPP), President of the Balearic Islands Government, the opinion calls for a EU strategy that protects residents’ quality of life, preserves natural and cultural assets and ensures that tourism remains a real driver of shared prosperity.
Rapporteur Margarita Prohens Rigo (ES/EPP), President of the Balearic Islands Government said: “With this opinion we aim to take a decisive step: to move from managing tourism to transforming it, and to turn it into a true ally for correcting imbalances, boosting sustainable competitiveness, and generating social and territorial returns. Because the tourism of the future will not be the one that attracts the most visitors, but the one that delivers the greatest well-being to its citizens. We want this opinion to become a lever for change, a lever that our territories are waiting for, that our citizens deserve, and that Europe needs.”
Dimitrios Kafantaris (EL/EPP), Municipal Councillor of Pulou – Nestoros said "To have a real European strategy for resilient tourism, we must ensure that we take into account social cohesion, resource management, and the quality of life of all residents. We will not solve the problems caused by overtourism without a holistic approach.
Mathieu Cuip (FR/EPP), Regional Councillor of the Region of Île-de-France said: "Tourism must become more sustainable, more balanced and more resilient. In my region, Île-de-France – that is, Paris and its surrounding area, the world’s leading tourist destination – this transformation has already begun and is well underway. We initiated many of these changes ahead of the Olympic Games last year, and our roadmap is very clear: attract better, share better, and reduce the environmental footprint, while of course preserving the quality of life of our residents."
Adrián Zittelli Ferrari, Director General for EU Affairs in the Government of Murcia, highlighted that Sustainable tourism will stand or fall with Cohesion Policy. In the next MFF we must defend a strong, territorial regional policy with regions at the centre, so the EU’s future sustainable tourism strategy turns cohesion funds into real change on the ground.
Referring to the upcoming Commission strategy due, Cuip outlined three priorities:
"First, financial visibility. The next MFF – as we have already discussed – must include a clear framework for tourism.
Second, the method. As colleagues have underlined, it must genuinely build on those who act on the ground every day. Our regions and our territories are undoubtedly the most effective partners for delivering results.
And third, a coherent policy. Let us be efficient; let us not reinvent the wheel. We should make full use of the tools that already exist – the Innovation Fund, the ETS, and others. All of this is already available.
Finally, let me say that we stand ready to contribute to the success of the EU’s upcoming tourism strategy."
With over 551 million visitors in 2024, Europe remains the world’s top destination, but many regions are under pressure from overcrowding, housing shortages, environmental impacts, and overstretched services. The CoR warns that tourism’s economic benefits will not be sustainable unless demand is managed intelligently, territorial limits are respected, and communities are placed at the centre of decision-making.
The CoR welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the EU’s sustainable tourism strategy and calls for a stronger role for local and regional authorities in shaping, managing, and regulating their destinations. Regions and cities urge the EU to reinforce their institutional, financial, and technical capacities while supporting training programmes for tourism managers. The opinion stresses the need for tailored approaches for regions with exceptional geographical conditions, such as islands, mountain areas, rural zones, and outermost regions. These areas should receive targeted actions and funding to develop sustainable and resilient tourism that promotes social progress.
It also highlights the impact of unregulated short-term rentals on housing, social cohesion, and public services, calling for effective regulation, monitoring, enforcement of EU data-sharing rules, and limits on new permits.
Local and regional leaders emphasise that tourism policy must align with the green transition. This includes investments in multimodal and low-emission mobility, sustainable access to natural and cultural sites, efficient connectivity for islands and remote areas, strict EU-wide water-efficiency standards, and measures promoting circularity in energy, water, food, and materials.
Finally, the CoR urges the European Commission and Council to turn the EU sustainable-tourism strategy into an action plan with clear resources, timelines, and evaluation mechanisms. It proposes establishing a committee on sustainable territorial tourism with local and regional authorities, experts, and thematic networks to share best practices and ensure effective, place-based implementation of the strategy.