Brussels, 27/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Tourism Ministers, gather informally last week in Lille under the Presidency of Michelle Demessine and in the presence of Commissioner Erkki Liikanen (see EUROPE of 22 November, p.12), have revealed the need to establish a "common sustainable tourism policy", conciliating economic growth with the respect for local populations and the preservations of natural resources. They expressed their concern in the face of the merging of tour operators in Europe, but also in the face of the unbalance between Southern EU countries, where most of the tourists go and those from Northern Europe, where these tourists come from. The Ministers proposed "an action plan" that translates itself through a package of recommendations concerning employment and training of employees in the sector and the consequences of the development of tourism on the environment, both ecological and cultural.
"The merger phenomenon of European tour operators is not without consequences in the long-term on the distributors and producers in this sector, mainly made up of small and medium sized enterprises", stated a concerned Michelle Demessine. Following the latest offensives by the German Preussage (which gobbled up the British Thomson Travel and took stakes in the largest French operator Nouvelles Frontieres), the President hoped that the leaders of Europe tourism: facilitate access for SMEs to European aid provisions". The Italian Secretary of State for Tourism Mauro Fabris felt that the risks linked to the merging of tourism actors must be dealt with in the framework of a European policy (even if "all the countries are not interested in a common policy"). As for the Spanish Secretary of State Juan-Jose Guemes Barrios, he notes that the phenomenon of mergers must be closely followed from the point of view of competition in the country of origin for these groups and also in the main markets. His Portuguese counterpart Victor Cabrita Neto underlined that "sustainable tourism is a necessity for his country". As a reminder, Europe is the main tourist destination in the world with close to 400 million visitors per year (59% of world tourism), a budget of EUR 275 billion (5.5% of European GDP), 9 million jobs (6% of European employment) and 2 to 3 million more awaited next year.
Erkki Liikanen: End 2001, Commission will present an analysis of national polices,
best practices and Community measures
The informal Council followed on from the forum, which unfolded in the morning of 20 November, on the theme "Towards a sustain development policy for tourism in Europe". The European Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, spoke at the opening of the forum's works, recalling that since 1997, a dynamic had been created on the theme "Tourism and Employment" and that in June 1999, the Council had adopt conclusions inviting the Commission and the Member States to cooperation and consult the actors in tourism (industry experts, social partners, representatives from civil society, regional and local authorities) in order to maximise the contribution that can be brought by tourism to growth and employment. An interim report by the Commission entitled "State of progress on follow-up given to Council conclusions relating to Tourism and Employment" acted as a basis to the forum discussions, together with the results from the four working groups formed by the Council in 1986, that studied: the dissemination of information notably thanks to new technologies, training, the quality of tourism products and sustainable development. The Commission indicated that at the operational level, the conclusions to which the Commission arrive are: 1) the work of these groups must continue until 2001 in order to provide a final consolidated report within one year, in view of a convergent approach of Community and national activities influencing tourism, 2) creation of a 5th working group on the impact and the application of information and communication technologies on tourism. Erkki Liikanen announced that "the Commission hopes to be able to present at the end of 2001 (in collaboration with the Member States, the EU tourism industry and the actors concerned) a complete analysis of national policies, best practices and EU measures with an impact on European tourism activities. This should enable to identify the useful actions to undertake by the Member States (including the regional and local authorities), by industry and by the EU, in order to strengthen the competitiveness of tourism and its contribution towards job creation and sustainable development. An EC framework for the future of tourism in Europe could thus be formed".
The French Presidency will present the results of this forum and the Commission its interim report to the Tourism Council that will take place on Thursday 30 November in Brussels.