The European Tourism Ministers are meeting in Warsaw on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 June for an informal meeting focusing on the future of the sector. They will be discussing issues relating to sustainable development, particularly in the context of strengthening the competitiveness of the European tourism industry.
The first working session, on Tuesday morning, will be devoted to this subject. The Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU has emphasised the need to eliminate obstacles to the operation of tourism organisations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Supporting the development of digital services and improving the sector’s energy efficiency remains essential, along with a growing awareness of environmental issues. It is also important to promote tourism as an attractive employment sector and to enhance the professional skills of its workforce, while improving the quality of statistical data and analyses.
Furthermore, increasing the attractiveness of less popular and peripheral areas for tourism and ensuring that less popular destinations are more attractive could contribute to sustainable development. “This goes beyond the development of agritourism, mountain or thermal tourism, and includes nature-based and cultural tourism focused on green areas, some of which are under protection regimes, ideal for slow-paced leisure”, according to the Presidency. Diversifying tourism products and destinations will not only promote sustainable development, but will also contribute to economic growth.
During the second working session, in the middle of the day, the ministers will share best practice on specific policy measures and national and regional strategies to develop balanced and safe tourism across Europe. Safety, the Presidency’s priority, in this case concerns not only the protection of travellers, but also consumer rights and risk management. Poland believes that it is essential to establish common standards at EU level aimed at harmonising regulations on high-quality tourist services, tourist safety and cooperation in the event of natural disasters or other crisis situations. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)