A new consolidated framework for the EU Tourism Policy

Today ’ s presentation 1. Introduction 2. Legal basis and policy framework 3. New Communication on Tourism 4. Tourism unit’s preparatory actions

Introduction - 1 Tourism is more than an economic activity. It contributes to a wide range of other key EU objectives:  sustainable development  economic growth  job creation  social and regional cohesion  protection of natural and cultural heritage  EU citizenship  peaceful relationships etc.

Introduction - 2 Tourism is a cross-cutting sector It involves a big diversity of services and professions It impacts on a variety of sectors It is mainly dominated by SMEs Socio-economic importance of tourism: 5% of the EU GDP 5.2% of the total labour force 9.7 million jobs But with the related sectors: 10% of the EU GDP 12% of the total labour force 24 million jobs

Tourism and the Political- Institutional Framework

Strategies for a Competitive and Sustainable Tourism at EU level (1/2) 2001 – Communication on « Working together for the future of European Tourism » 2003 – Communication on « Basic orientations for the sustainability of European tourism » 2006 – Communication on a « renewed EU Tourism Policy »

Strategies for a Competitive and Sustainable Tourism at EU level (2/2) 2007 – Communication on « an agenda for a competitive and sustainable European tourism » 2010 – Communication on « Europe, the world’s No 1 tourist destination - a new political framework for tourism in Europe »  A new political framework for Tourism in Europe in line with the Lisbon Treaty and the Europe 2020 Strategy for growth and employment

Lisbon Treaty – a new competence for tourism (1/2) Title I, Article 6(d) TFEU to carry out actions to support, coordinate or supplement the actions of the Member States. The Union shall have competence to carry out actions to support, coordinate or supplement the actions of the Member States. The areas of such action shall, at European level, be: (…) (d) tourism Title XXII, Article 195 TFEU promoting the competitiveness 1. The Union shall complement the action of the Member States in the tourism sector, in particular by promoting the competitiveness of Union undertakings in that sector. To that end, Union action shall be aimed at:

Lisbon Treaty – a new competence for tourism (2/2) favourable environment  encouraging the creation of a favourable environment for the development of undertakings in this sector; cooperation between the Member States  promoting cooperation between the Member States, particularly by the exchange of good practice. excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States. 2. The European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall establish specific measures to complement actions within the Member States to achieve the objectives referred to in this Article, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.

A new consolidated framework for the EU Tourism Policy EC Communication COM(2010) 352 final

Key principles multinational 1.European or multinational dimension added value 2.European added value subsidiarity and proportionality 3.Principles of subsidiarity and proportionality all stakeholders 4.Commitment from and involvement of all stakeholders of the EU Tourism Industry to cooperate and jointly ensure a successful implementation

The four axes of action Stimulate competitiveness in the European Tourism sector Promote the development of sustainable, responsible and high quality tourism Consolidate the image and profile of Europe as home to sustainable and high-quality destinations Maximise the potential of EU policies and financial instruments

Stimulate competitiveness of the European Tourism sector (1/2) diversifying the promotion of tourist servicescommon cultural and natural heritage Develop a coherent strategy for diversifying the promotion of tourist services and capitalise on Europe's common cultural and natural heritage 'ICT and tourism' platform Launch an 'ICT and tourism' platform for stakeholders to facilitate the adaptation of the tourism sector and its businesses to market developments in new information technologies Improve professional skills Improve professional skills by supporting training in the tourism sector (promote opportunities offered by various EU programmes) networking of research institutes, universities In the short term, support networking of research institutes, universities, public and private observatories, regional and national authorities and national tourism offices

Stimulate competitiveness of the European Tourism sector (2/2) “Virtual Observatory for Tourism” In the medium term, promote the implementation of a “Virtual Observatory for Tourism” to support and coordinate research activities by the various national research institutes and provide socioeconomic data on tourism at European level Provide a voluntary tourism exchange mechanism Provide a voluntary tourism exchange mechanism between Member States, enabling in particular certain key groups such as young or elderly people, people with reduced mobility and low-income families to travel, particularly during the low season Develop a voluntary online information exchange mechanism to improve the coordination of school holidays Develop a voluntary online information exchange mechanism to improve the coordination of school holidays in the Member States, without prejudice to their cultural traditions

Promote the development of sustainable, responsible and high-quality tourism system of indicators Develop a system of indicators for a sustainable management of tourist destinations European “Quality Tourism” brand Develop a European “Quality Tourism” brand, based on existing national experience, to increase consumer security and confidence in tourism products and reward rigorous efforts by tourism professionals whose aim is quality of tourism service for customer satisfaction a charter for a sustainable and responsible tourism Propose a charter for a sustainable and responsible tourism strengthen cooperationwith main emerging and Mediterranean countries Establish or strengthen cooperation with main emerging and Mediterranean countries to promote sustainable and responsible tourism development models

Consolidate the image and profile of Europe as a collection of sustainable and high-quality tourist destinations 'Europe brand' Creation of a 'Europe brand' in cooperation with the Member States to complement promotional efforts at national and regional level and enable European destinations to distinguish themselves from other international destinations increase the attractiveness of Europe Promotion of the portal “visiteurope.com” in order to increase the attractiveness of Europe as a collection of sustainable and high-quality tourist destinations Encourage joint promotional actions Encourage joint promotional actions at major international events or large-scale tourism fairs and exhibitions

Maximise the potential of EU policies and financial instruments Mainstream tourism in the different policies Mainstream tourism in the different policies which have a direct or indirect impact on it coordination of the various policies Step up coordination of the various policies concerned, with the aim of ensuring that the interests and needs of the tourism industry are fully taken into account when formulating and implementing EU policies mobilise Union support instruments Promote and mobilise Union support instruments and programmes and reinforce support and coordination actions in favour of tourism

real European added value These actions complement the policies of the Member States and aim to coordinate efforts by determining measures which provide a real European added value. commitment of all stakeholders The success of this strategy will depend on the commitment of all stakeholders and on their capacity to work together to implement it: Priorities and implementation modes to be agreed on Workshops and meetings with all stakeholders Time horizon: 2010 – 2014 Scope for more initiatives beyond the Communication! Implementation

Action 3 Launch of an ICT and Tourism Platform Objectives: facilitate the adaptation of the tourism sector and its businesses to market developments in new information technologiesfacilitate the adaptation of the tourism sector and its businesses to market developments in new information technologies favourable environmentcreate a favourable environment for the European tourism industry that stimulates and enables the uptake of ICT and e-Business technologies.

Action 3 Launch of an ICT and Tourism Platform In practice: large-scale pilot actionpossible launch of a large-scale pilot action to help SMEs participate in the global digital supply chain and become fully integrated international business partners (ongoing similar actions: textile, transport, automotive sectors) harmoniseharmonise business processes, data exchange architectures and standards, for the Tourism sector, at European or international level.

Action 5 Improving professional skills Objective: Improve professional skills Improve professional skills by supporting training in the tourism sector in order to facilitate adaptation of the workers to new technologies and new market expectations

In practice: link-up with and promote link-up with and promote opportunities offered by other policies and programmes (eg. New skills for new jobs, Leonardo, Erasmus, etc) Tourism Competences Frameworkdraft a Tourism Competences Framework in close cooperation with the sector: mapping needs and requirements, check available solutions, close the gaps through policy recommendations Action 5 Improving professional skills

Action 6 Calypso Web Platform VoluntaryVoluntary tourism exchange mechanism between Member States web-based platformA web-based platform to match demand and offer to facilitate social tourism exchange for certain target groups: youth, elderly, reduced mobility, low income families, in low season. be launched end of JulyDevelopment through public procurement Call for Proposals to be launched end of July.

Action 10 Virtual Observatory for Tourism support and coordinateObjective: support and coordinate research activities by the various national research institutes and provide socioeconomic data on tourism at European level feasibility studyIn practice: launch of a feasibility study leading to the creation of a state-of-the-art observatory which should become a central source of information for policy makers, tourism stakeholders, researchers, etc in need of reliable information, analysis of the performance and trends of the sector.

Action 13 European Quality Tourism Label Priority action Priority action identified by Vice-President Tajani. Implementation work started end of Gathering information on existing quality evaluation schemes at European, national and regional level First workshop March 2011  informal Working Group to assist the Commission in the implementation Second workshop: June 2011 – discussion on the draft concept broad consensus achievedOpen conference: November 2011  if broad consensus achieved, subsequent launch.

Action 15 Charter for sustainable tourism first "announcement" at the Ethic Tourism Conference in Madrid 14th September first draft by October 2011 second "announcement" - Tourism Forum in Poland Stakeholder consultation: November-January Visibility event: 1Q 2012 Launch ISC: May 2012 Presentation at the 2012 European Tourism Forum. Priority action Priority action identified by VP Tajani. Tourism Sustainability Group Implementation with the involvement of the Tourism Sustainability Group.

Action 17 Pilot Project Tourists initiative To strengthen tourism flows between Europe and the South America low-season travelTo promote low-season travel. With the participation of Brazil, Chile and Argentina. better use airline and accommodation capacityIn collaboration with several European governments, the tourism industry and major airlines to better use the available spare airline and accommodation capacity tourists from South America to Europe between October 2012 and March tourists from Europe to South America between May and October Memorandum of Understanding signed on 1 June 2011.

Synergies between tourism and other Community policies Cooperation with: MAREMARE – Maritime Policy: co-leader for the Communication on coastal tourism ENVENV – Environmental Policy – e.g. EMAS sectoral reference document for sustainable tourism businesses SANCOSANCO – e.g. hotel fire safety REGIOREGIO billion EUR of ERDF = 3.57 % (direct support) million EUR of various support measures to the hotel and restaurant industry EACEAC (European Heritage Label) AGRIAGRI (Rural tourism) MOVEMOVE (Air Passenger Rights) JUSTJUST (Package Travel, Timeshare) TAXUDTAXUD, etc… DG ENTR+ within DG ENTR (innovation)

Key challenges for the sustainability and competitiveness of European tourism seasonality of demand  Reducing the seasonality of demand impact of tourism transport  Addressing the impact of tourism transport quality of tourism jobs  Improving the quality of tourism jobs resource usewaste  Minimising resource use and production of waste natural/cultural heritage  Preserving & giving value to natural/cultural heritage holidays available to all  Making holidays available to all  Demographic  Demographic changes tourists’ demand  Evolution of tourists’ demand and patterns economic  Global economic situation  New  New markets and products

Preparatory action « Sustainable tourism » Iron Curtain Trail Objectives: cycling tourism  Highlight the increasing importance of cycling tourism, its benefits and regional economic impacts trans-border cycle-tourism  Promote a trans-border cycle-tourism trail, which follows the former iron curtain. urism/iron-curtain-trail/index_en.htm

Promotion of Thematic Cultural Routes Joint managementJoint management with the Council of Europe trans-nationalFocus on trans-national thematic routes:  Religious routes  Historical trails  Architectural heritage routes  Gastronomic routes, etc. Mini-Fair in Pavia in April 2012 – focus on religious tourism and pilgrimage routes.

Preparatory action « CALYPSO » Objectives: off-peak season; Encourage tourism activity during the off-peak season; particular target groups Facilitate the elaboration of a mechanism enabling particular target groups (senior citizens, young people and families facing difficult social circumstances) to go on holiday on the basis of themed programmes and accommodation offers recommended by public authorities (national, regional or local) and, if possible, during the low season ypso/index_en.htm

Preparatory action European Destinations of Excellence “EDEN” Objectives: visibility  Enhance visibility of the emerging, non traditional European tourist destinations of excellence  Award sustainable  Award sustainable forms of tourism platform for the exchange of good practices  Create a platform for the exchange of good practices at European level, promote networking between awarded destinations which could persuade other destinations to adopt sustainable tourism development mode

EDEN Editions EDEN 2007 “best emerging rural destinations” EDEN 2008 “tourism and local intangible heritage” EDEN 2009 “tourism and protected areas” EDEN 2010 “aquatic tourism” EDEN 2011 “tourism and regeneration of physical sites” EDEN 2012 participation of those countries that have not yet taken part in the competition + joint promotional activities for already selected EDEN destinations EDEN 2013 “accessibility” - if budget available

Foreseen major tourism events 27 September 2011 – European Tourism Day in Brussels organised by the Commission. EDEN 2011 Awards ceremony. 5-7 October 2011 – European Tourism Forum in Krakow, Poland (Presidency event).

Thank you Krisztina Boros EC Tourism website: Follow EDEN on Follow DG ENTR on